africa. “unless you know the road you’ve come down, you cannot know where you are going.”...

Africa

“Unless you know the road you’ve

come down, you cannot know where

you are going.”

-Temne Proverb

The African Environment

Physical Environment

• Savannas• Mountains• Lakes• Deserts

General Cultural Patterns

• Bridewealth• Polygyny

The Peopling of Africa

In the Beginning …

• Tassili n-Ajjer• Teff• Noog• Sesame• Ensete• Critters• Iron: Meroe & Nok

Bantu Dispersion

• Cameroon• Lake Victoria• Ironworking• Bananas• Yams

Ethiopia & NE Africa

• Aksum• Ezana (320-350)• Lalibela• Made-Siyon• Gults• Zar’a Ya’kob

Empires of the Western Sudan

Ghana

• Military leader• Gold• Al-Masudi• Salt• Slaves• Al-Bakri

Mali

• Sumaguru• Musa (1307-1337)• Ibn Battuta• Sulayman

Songhai

• Sunni Ali• Askia Muhammad• Ahmad al-Mansur

Kanem-Bornu

• Dunama Dibalemi• Queen Amina

West African Forest Kingdoms

• Ife• Benin• Ozama• Oba Ewuare

Swahili City-States

• Coast• “Periplus of the

Erythrean Sea”• Kilwa• Ibn Battuta

Kingdoms of Central & Southern Africa

• Mapungubwe• Great Enclosure• Advisers• Nyatsimbe Mutota• Mwene mutapa• Manikongo

Conclusion

• Adaptation• Agriculture• Herding• Ironworking• Trade• Religion

Any Questions?