Early African History

Early History
Lived as hunters-gathers, people who moved from place to place to hunt & gather food
Eventually began to herd livestock & farm
3000 BC - Bantu migration began
Bantu – shared a common language, culture, & technology
Migrated from modern-day Nigeria to the west & south, spreading their farming, ironworking skills, & language

East Africa History

Kush
800 BC – Kush developed along the Nile River in present day Sudan
Gold, ivory, & iron products were traded as far as Egypt & Southwest Asia
As wealth increased, rulers built monuments
Defeated by Axum during the AD 300s

Axum
Located in present-day Ethiopia
Prospered from trade – from Africa, the Mediterranean area, & East Asia (strategic location on the Red Sea which gave them access to trade with the Indian Ocean)
Location crucial in controlling trade between the interior of Africa & the Roman Empire & Southwest Asia

Christian Axum
In the AD 300s, King Ezana converted to Christianity & made it the official religion
AD 600s Arab Muslims gained control of most of the surrounding region
Led to Axum becoming isolated from neighbors
Axum remained a center of African Christianity (Ethiopian Christian Church)

“Great” Zimbabwe Civilization
AD 1000 – 1500
Supplied gold, silver, & ivory to the East African coast

Swahili
Blend of Arab & African culture led to the rise of the Swahili culture
AD 1000 to AD 1500

West Africa History

Ghana Kingdom
400 to 1200 AD
Controlled trade between the Sahara and West Africa’s rain forests
Salt Trade – Traders brought salt & cloth and traded for gold & ivory
Trade was taxed – made the empire very wealthy
Kingdom collapsed when North African invaders disrupted trade

Mali Empire
1200 to 1450 AD
Grew wealthy from control of gold & salt trade and farming
Mansa Musa – most well-known ruler
Timbuktu became center of trade, education, & Islamic culture

Songhai Empire
1450 to 1600 AD
Also controlled the Salt Trade

European Trade
Europeans began trading with African cities during the 1400s and 1500s
Portugal was the first European country to establish trade
Dutch East India Company

Early African History

by Crystal McCracken

Accessibility

Categories

Upload Details

Usage Rights

1 Embed 2

Statistics

Early African History Presentation Transcript