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Bellringer. On your map, label the items in the left-hand column (starting with Mediterranean Sea). Agenda. Geography of Africa African Empires. Objectives. Students will be able to… 57. Explain how geography influenced the development of trade in Africa. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Bellringer• On your map, label the items in the
left-hand column (starting with Mediterranean Sea)
Agenda1. Geography of Africa2. African Empires
ObjectivesStudents will be able to…57. Explain how geography influenced
the development of trade in Africa.
58. Describe the African trading kingdoms of Axum, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Mali, and Songhai
Reminders• SOL exam May 9th!!!• I will give you a HUGE study packet
over break!• We will have a quest (long quiz/short
test) on Thursday. It will cover the map and the reading
SAHARA DESERT
Niger River
Congo River
Zambezi River
Limpopo River
Objective #57
Timbuktu
He who controls trade, controls the
worldRule #3
Rulers of the Nile
• Aksum was a prosperous trading empire
• Traded with Europe, Arabia, Egypt, Persia, India
Egypt Kush (Nubia) Mesopotamians(Assyria, Persia, Rome)
Aksum
Objective #58
Aksum• Where is it?– Ethiopian highlands
• Adopted Christianity– Became the
Ethiopians– Stayed Christian until
modern times
Aksum• Cool facts–Written
language (Ge’ez)–Steles
Great Zimbabwe• Powerful inland
trade city in Southern Africa–Near gold – Zambezi and
Limpopo rivers
Great Zimbabwe• Mysterious–Giant circular walls that don’t look
defensive–City was suddenly abandoned
West Africa• What is the most important
geographic feature of West Africa?
Spelling• One time spelling counts:–Desert = lots of sand and hot–Dessert = lots of chocolate and
happiness
West Africa
Trade• West Africa has something everybody wants
• West Africa needs something they can get from the desert
• What’s the best way to get stuff across a desert?
GOLD!
Salt
Camels
Gold-Salt TradeKnow this.
Gold-Salt Trade• Gold from West Africa to the world• Salt from the Sahara to West Africa• Ideas and goods from the
Mediterranean into Sub-Saharan Africa–Islam expands through trade, not
war
West African Empires
• All three West African Empires became powerful in the same way–Control the trade! People who
lived where the best gold mines were built armies and conquered everyone else
Ghana• First empire in West Africa• Led by a king –Controlled the supply of gold –Collected taxes–Protected traders•Safety•Fairness
Mali• Gold mines shifted east so new people
take over• Sundiata (sun-JAT-ah) creates an empire–Title “mansa,” or war chief
• Mansa Musa–Hajj (remember the song!)
• City of Timbuktu – center of trade
Songhai• Gold mines shifted east so new
people take over• Just like Mali• Conquered by Moroccans with guns
Islam in Africa• African religion was based on the
belief in nature and ancestor spirits, called animism• Trade spreads Islam throughout West
Africa and East African coast–Mali and Songhai
Essay Outline• Compare and contrast Ghana and
Mali–Write a thesis statement–Write a “direct comparison” and
“analysis” for one similarity and one difference
Direct Comparison• Mesopotamia and Egypt were both
located near rivers BECAUSE they both used silt for agriculture• Egyptian kings were more powerful
than Mesopotamian kings BECAUSE the Egyptian kings were worshipped as gods