Africa

The Mother Continent

Where it AllBegan

Humanity’s roots can be traced to this important continent.

Mighty Kingdoms

Africa is a continent with a rich and varied history.

While Europe was in the dark ages Africa enjoyed prosperity and civilizations flourished.

Egypt Ghana Mali Songhai Ashanti Ethiopia

Great Civilizations

Kingdoms Kush (1000 BCE-350 CE) Axum (1CE-800 CE) Ghana (CE 300 – 1076) Arabian City States

– (CE 1000 – 1505) Mali (CE 1200 – 1500) Benin (CE 1170 – 1900) Oyo (CE 1200 – 1800) Kanem-Bornu

– (CE 1250 – 1836) Songhai Empire

– (CE 1464 – 1591) Many more

Egypt

The Land of the Pharaohs

Egypt

The land of many dynasties and advances in Calendar Making Language Mummification Science Mathematics

African Dynasties

Ghana

The Trend of Greatness

Ghana One of the oldest and ancient

African civilizations. By the year 300 AD it had been

successfully ruled by 44 kings. Ghana was agrarian and a

trading nation It made much on trade and used

gold and salt as mediums for exchange.

It economy was diversified and had iron smithing.

It had skilled craftsmen like Goldsmiths, blacksmiths,

potters, weavers of cloth, stonesmiths, carpenters and makers of furniture.

Mali

An Emergent Power

Mali

This powerful African kingdom picked up where Ghana left off.

Although the rulers embraced Islam the common people continued to practice their traditional religions.

Making alliances with surrounding Islamic nations she became a leading force.

Power Reknown

Although an agrarian country Mali had a number of people skilled in various crafts: weaver, dyers, tanners,

blacksmiths, goldsmiths, silversmiths and coppersmiths.

Under Mansa Musa I Mali became “empire reknown” in Africa, the Middle East and Europe

Great Caravan to Mecca

Mana Musa’s travel to Mecca became widely known as he displayed his generosity.

It was at this time through an Islamic architect, es-Saheli, that the University of Sankore located in Timbuktu became a center of learning and culture.

Mali became as large as western Europe

It covered “French West Africa, including Senegal, Gambia, Mali and parts of Nigeria and the Upper Volta.”

It began its declined in 1550 because of “Songhay, attacks from the Mossi and the malicious designs of the Portuguse.”

Timbuktu

Timbuktu It was a center of

commerce and education.

Songhai

Rises to Power

Songhai

When Ghana was no longer powerful Songhai grew in greatness.

Mansa Musa captured the capital of Songhai Gao and imprisoned two of the sons of the ruler.

When Mansa Musa died one of the sons escaped and founded the Sunni dynasty.

Sunni Ali leads the way Sunni Ali one

of the later monarchs came to the throne and became a very powerful ruler.

He conquered most of the cities of the former Mali kingdom.

He captured Timbuktu and Jenne.

This made Songhai a country to be reckoned with.

The Road to Greatness

Sunni Ali died in 1492 and his son came to the throne. However, his son, because he was not a devout Muslim was dethroned.

Askia Mohammed, a Muslim general, became the leader.

A Great Dynasty

Askia Mohammed was an “exceptional, competent ruler” and he was responsible for the subsequent growth of Songhai.

He developed an efficient government with a host of scholars, teachers, scientists and professionals.

Songhai importance The kingdom of Songhai

established schools, colleges and universities and reinstituted black intellectual life.

Schools offered courses in law, literature, music, astronomy, medicine, mathematics. Its schools attracted scholars from everywhere.

Askia Mohammed was overthrown by his son.

Civil wars and incursions by the Moroccans severely crippled the kingdom.

The Spanish aided the Moroccans in defeating Songhai and plundered its cities including its schools and libraries.

Once Colonized Africa was

once a colonized continent with only two independent nations– Liberia and Ethiopia (Abyssinia)

IndependentNations All of Africa

enjoys independence. However, many still maintain strong ties with their once Colonial rulers.

Sources Slides 2, 4, 21, 22 -- Great Civilizations – Atlas of

African American History by James Ciment Slide 19 -- http://hometown.aol.com/aafri/king.html Slide 20 --

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/sghi/hg_d_sghi_d1map.htm

Slide 14, Market— http://www.galenfrysinger.com/timbuktu.htm; Door--

http://atschool.eduweb.co.uk/spritesjun.suffolk/11%20Doorway%20in%20Timbuktu.jpg