The document discusses African geography and culture, with a focus on the importance of the Egyptian Empire in world history. It examines the size and key physical features of Africa, including major rivers, deserts, and vegetation zones. Several ancient African civilizations are described, such as Ghana, Mali, and Benin, as well as their trade networks and prominent rulers. Traditional African society, religion, and the role of griots are also summarized. The significance of geography in shaping Africa's history is considered throughout.

1. Class Objective
Students will examine,
comprehend and synthesis the
historical importance of African
geography and culture and the
significance of the Egyptian
Empire on world history.

2. Point of Consideration
• To what extend do you think
Geography can determine a
People’s history?

5. A Satellite View

6. Africa’s Size
4600 MILES
5
0
0
0
M
I
L
E
S
# Second largest continent  11,700,000 sq. mi.
# 10% of the world’s population.
# 2 ½ times the size of the U. S.

7. Mediterranean Sea
Bodies
Nile River
Of L. Chad-->
Water
L. Albert-->
L. Victoria
L. Tanganyika-> Indian Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
Zambezi River
Limpopo River
Orange River
Pacific Ocean

8. The Mighty Nile River:
“Longest River in the World”

9. The Congo River Basin
# Covers 12% of the
continent.
# Extends over 9
countries.
# 2,720 miles long.
# 99% of the country
of Zaire is in the
Congo River basin.

10. The Niger River Basin
# Covers 7.5% of the continent.
# Extends over 10 countries.
# 2,600 miles long.

11. The African Plateau

12. Libyan Desert
Deserts Sahara Desert
Sahel

13. The Sahara Desert

14. Valleys
&
Plains

15. Great Rift Valley
3,000 miles long

16. West Africa:
Home of our Hurricanes

17. Vegetation Zones

18. The African Savannah:
13 million sq. mi.

19. African Rain Forest
# Annual rainfall of up to 17 ft.
# Rapid decomposition (very humid).
# Covers 37 countries.
# 15% of the land surface of Africa.

20. Mt. Kilimanjaro:
Snow on the Equator?

21. Mediterranean Sea
Libyan Desert
The
Tropic of Cancer 20 N
Sahara Desert
Complete
Sahel Nile River
L. Chad-->
Topography Equator 0
L. Albert-->
Δ Mt. Kenya
L. Victoria
Δ Mt. Kilimanjaro
Of L. Tanganyika-> Indian
Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
AFRICA
Zambezi River
Tropic of Capricorn Limpopo River
20 S
Orange River
Pacific Ocean

22. Natural Resources

24. Controversy Over Egypt:
Traditionalists
Versus
Afrocentricists

25. Social Darwinism, 19th Century
Intellectual
Black and
Liberals
Argued that
Egypt as a
positive in
racial
arguments.

26. Afrocentricists
• The Egypt was a black civilization
• Linked to other African Civilizations In the
South
• Important Impact on the Mediterranean Sea,
especially Greek and Rome
• Thus, promoted philosophy and science which
is the basis for Western Civilization.

27. Traditionalists
• Modern racial categories has no
relevance to the ancient Egypt
• Ancient Greece is the father of
empirical science and ideas about
individual freedom
• Egypt did make huge contributions in
religion, commerce and art.

28. A View of Egypt by Satellite

29. The Fertile Nile Valley

30. Scenes of Ancient Egyptian
Daily Life

31. Making Ancient Egyptian
Beer

32. Making Ancient Egyptian
Wine

33. An Egyptian Woman’s “Must-
Haves”
Mirror
Perfume
Whigs

34. Egyptian Social Hierarchy

35. Some Famous Egyptian
Pharaohs
Tutankham
on
1336-1327 B. C.
E.
Thutmose
III
1504-1450 B. C.
E.
Ramses II
1279-1212 B. C.
E.

36. Egyptian Nobility

37. Egyptian Priestly Class

38. Egyptian Scribe

39. Papyrus  Paper
Hieratic Scroll
Piece
Papyrus Plant

40. Egyptian Math & Draftsmenship
1 10 100 1000 10,000 100,000 1,000,000
What number is
this?

41. Champollion & the Rosetta
Stone

42. Hieroglyphic
“Cartouche”

43. Hieroglyphics “Alphabet”
24 “letters” + 700 phonetic symbols

44. Egyptian Creation Myth
The Goddess Nut

46. Preparations for the
Underworld
ANUBIS weighs the
dead person’s heart
against a feather.
Priests protected
your KA, or soul-
spirit

47. Materials Used in Mummification
1. Linen 6. Natron
2. Sawdust 7. Onion
3. Lichen 8. Nile Mud
4. Beeswax 9. Linen Pads
5. Resin 10. Frankinsense

48. Egyptian Mummies
Seti I Queen Tiye, Ramses II
1291-1278 B. C. E. wife of 1279-1212 B. C. E.
Amenhotep II
1210-1200 B. C. E.

49. The Final Judgement
Anubis Horus
Osiris

50. Shabtis: The Pharaoh’s
Servants
in the Afterlife

51. Giza Pyramid Complex

52. Plan of the Great Pyramid
of Khufu

53. King Tutankhamun’s Tomb

54. Ankhenaton: First
Monotheist?
1352-1336 B. C.
E.

55. Abu Simbel:
Monument to Ramses II
1279-1213 B. C. E.

56. Routes of the “Sea
Peoples”
The end of the Bronze Age!

58. Gold-Salt Trade
Berbers
SALT
GOLD

59. Ghana Empire [4c-11c]
Gold “Money”, Ghana/Ivory Coast

60. Salt

61. Mali Empire [13c-15c]
SALT
GOLD

62. Timbuktu-”Heavenly Clay”

63. Timbuktu Rooftop, Mosque

64. Great Mosque at Djenne, Mali

65. Sundiata [1210-1260]
“Lion Prince”

66. Mansa Musa [r. 1312-1337]

67. European Map

68. Songhai Empire [15c-16c]
SALT
GOLD

69. Sunni Ali [r.1464-1492]

70. Askia Mohammed [r.1493-1529]

71. Askia Mohammed’s Tomb [1443-1538]
Gao, Mali

72. Benin Empire [15c-19c]

73. Islamic
Invasions

74. Traditional African Society
Susan M. Pojer
Horace Greeley HS Chappaqua, NY

75. 1000 different languages; 1000+ different tribes

76. An African’s “Search for
Identity”
1. Nuclear Family
2. Extended Family
3. Age-Set
4. Clan
5. Lineage (ancestry)
TRIBE (communal living)

77. Traditional Family
Structures
C C
Nuclear Family: C W H W
C C
U
GP Cs
C C
Extended Family: C W H W
C C
GP
Cs
A

78. Traditional African
Religion
ANIMISM
1. Belief in one remote Supreme Being.
2. A world of spirits (good & bad) in all
things.
3. Ancestor veneration.
4. Belief in magic, charms, and fetishes.
5. Diviner  mediator between the tribe
and God.

79. Other Religions in
Africa
ISLAM  25%
* Nigeria
 largest sub-Saharan
Muslim countries.
CHRISTIANITY  20%

80. Common Traits or Characteristics
of Traditional African Tribal Life
1. The good of the group comes ahead of the good
of the individual.
2. All land is owned by the group.
3. Strong feeling of loyalty to the group.
4. Important ceremonies at different parts of a
person’s life.
5. Special age and work associations.
6. Deep respect for ancestors.
7. Religion is an important part of everyday life.
8. Government is in the hands of the chiefs [kings].

83. What is
a Griot
?
Musician Genealogist
(Troubadour)
Storyteller Tribal
“Historian”

84. Images of the Traditional
African Griot

85. Images of the Traditional
African Griot

86. Images of the Traditional
African Griot