African Kingdoms

Africa Map

Bodies of Water

Nile River

Nile River

Mediterranean Sea

Nile River

Mediterranean Sea

Red Sea

Nile River

Mediterranean Sea

Red Sea

Black Sea

Nile River

Mediterranean Sea

Red Sea

Black Sea

Caspian Sea

Nile River

Mediterranean Sea

Red Sea

Black Sea

Caspian Sea

Persian Gulf

Nile River

Mediterranean Sea

Red Sea

Black Sea

Caspian Sea

Persian Gulf

Indian Ocean

Nile River

Mediterranean Sea

Red Sea

Black Sea

Caspian Sea

Persian Gulf

Indian Ocean

Atlantic

Ocean

Nile River

Mediterranean Sea

Red Sea

Black Sea

Caspian Sea

Persian Gulf

Indian Ocean

Atlantic

Ocean

Niger River

Nile River

Mediterranean Sea

Red Sea

Black Sea

Caspian Sea

Persian Gulf

Indian Ocean

Atlantic

Ocean

Niger River

Limpopo River

Nile River

Mediterranean Sea

Red Sea

Black Sea

Caspian Sea

Persian Gulf

Indian Ocean

Atlantic

Ocean

Niger River

Limpopo River

Zambezi River

Main Cities

Timbuktu

Landforms

Sahara Desert

Sub-Sahara Kingdoms

Nubia/Kush

Nubia/Kush Axum

Nubia/Kush Axum

Great Zimbabwe

Nubia/Kush Axum

Great Zimbabwe

Ghana

Nubia/Kush Axum

Great Zimbabwe

MaliGhana

Nubia/Kush Axum

Great Zimbabwe

MaliGhana

Songhai

Kingdoms of Sub-Saharan Africa

African Civilizations• African civilizations developed in sub-

Saharan west and east Africa.• Trade brought important economic,

cultural, and religious influences to African civilizations from other parts of the Eastern Hemisphere

• Animism may be the earliest form of religious or spiritual views and a significant belief in sub-Saharan Africa. – It is generally characterized by a belief that

inanimate objects are inhabited by a soul, consciousness or magical powers.

• Egypt is NOT a sub-Saharan Kingdom• Sub-Saharan: Kush, Askum, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Mali &

Songhai

East African Kingdoms

States and empires flourished during the medieval period in East Africa

• Kush (Nubia)• Axum• Zimbabwe

Kingdom of Kush (Nubia)• 800’s BCE to 300’s CE• Located in East Africa

– Nubia was located on the upper (southern) Nile River

– Capital was Meroe• Meroe was rich in iron ore

– Earliest center for ironworking in Africa– Good soil made agriculture possible– Metal tools and weapons (Bronze and Iron)

• Also a good location for trade.– Traded with Egypt

Kush (Nubia)

Kingdom of Axum (Askum)• Replaced Kush as the major trading

civilization in East Africa. 300 CE– Traded along the Red Sea with Egypt &

others• Accepted Christianity after

missionaries from Constantinople arrived in 324 CE– 50 years before Rome adopted

Christianity• Declined around 800 CE

AXUMLocation

relative to current day

Ethiopia highlands and Nile

River

The Kingdom of Zimbabwe • 1300 CE Kingdom of Great Zimbabwe

became powerful in Southern Africa– City of “Great Zimbabwe” as capital of a

prosperous empire• Cattle farmers, iron workers, weavers,

merchants– Traded gold and ivory

• 1450 CE the city was abandoned – Due to overuse of the land

Location relative to the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers and the Indian Ocean coast

Trans-Sahara Kingdoms• States and

empires flourished during the medieval period in West Africa– Ghana– Mali– Songhai

• The Niger River is common to all of these empires

The Kingdom of Ghana• 300’s CE to 1200’s CE• West African kingdom

– Main city was Kumbi Saleh• Used iron tools to farm and clear land• Located near gold fields and salt

mines– Main trading kingdom gold and salt

• Lost power around the 1000’s CE

Kingdom of Mali• 1200 CE - Took over where Ghana left

off• Mansa Musa brought Islam to

Mali and built mosques.– Established Timbuktu as the

capital city of Mali• Center of major trade routes

– Gold and Salt• Lost power around 1500CE

http://video.msnbc.msn.com/rock-center/45973190#45973190

Journey to Timbuktu

Kingdom of Songhai (Songhay)• Continued to use

Timbuktu as the center of trade and learning in their new kingdom

• Continued practicing Islam

• Continued the tradition of trading gold and salt

• Began losing power in 1500’s CE