Early Civilizations in Africa

Adler Chapter 20

Extraordinary Panorama

Variety in Geography

Early Civilizations contact with Rome and North Africa

Geographic Considerations

North- Mediterranean- access to trade- coastal mountains- land for agriculture

East- Rift Valley- some mountains- Indian Ocean

West- grasslands and some rainforest along the Niger river

Central - equatorial- Congo-only real rainforest South- high plateau- temperate climate-

savanna

African Civilization- South of Egypt

Many ideas in Egypt may have come from south- agri and pyramids

Kush- similar to Mesopotamia- Khartoum was a major trading center 7th cen BCE Capitol Meroe» Rome received ivory, gold, ebony in addition to food

» Herodotus - “People were tall and beautiful”

Axum took over 350CE- future Ethiopia-trade center (Queen of Sheba- converted and remained Christian)

States of West Africa along the Niger River

Ghana- 5th cen CE- based on gold trade- middlemen- transport to Morocco- also had ivory, ostrich feathers and leather.

» lived in splendor at capital Mali- 600-1200 CE Atlantic to interior-

converted to Islam- Mansa Musa(p 232) went to Mecca- depressed the gold market-(Gold, Salt and slaves- tax key to wealth)

» area still Muslim- Arabic language unifying force

South African CivilizationsZimbabwe on the Zambezi

(River)

located on the grasslands between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers

1871- German explorer Karl Mauch found the remains of a powerful and prosperous civilization

city (10,000) wall of cement and stone 38 feet high found ornaments of gold, copper, porcelain from

China wealth source- tax on cattle and gold trade German Mauch- did not give credit to Africans- prejudice historians recognize and give credit to Africans.p 234

General Comments on African Civilizations

Were varied like the geography trade centers were important esp in east

with India and No Africa with the Med region Islam dominated in north- Ethiopia was

isolated Islam helped to unite N Africa- same

language Historians continue to learn more