1. The document discusses early African civilizations before 1500 CE and their similarities to Native American societies. 2. Key similarities included organized religions, capital cities, astronomy practices like using the moon to create calendars, and large, complex social structures with practices like warfare and slavery. 3. African kingdoms before 1200 developed in three geographic zones - the Sahara Desert, savanna, and transitional zones between - with kingdoms like Ghana and Mali emerging in the savanna.