Africa

Emerging Civilizations

In the Beginning:

Before the age of empires Sub-Saharan Africa was extremely diversified. Unlike parts of Europe , Asia , and north Africa, it was never united under a universal religion or empire/state.

Some African societies were stateless, organized around lineage groups and family with no centralized authority. Government in these societies was never a full time occupation; there were no large armies, no large-scale political organization, no large building projects, nor were there conditions to conduct long-distant trade with other people.

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Complete box one

Emerging Civilizations

Then came the….

Bantu Migration:

What similarities there were resulted from the earlier migration of the Bantu people. Their root language created common structure and vocabularies across African languages and dialects; this allowed some mutual understanding among various tribes.

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Emerging Civilizations

Bantu Migration:

Start

• Sustenance farmers who migrated and spread their language and iron smelting technology.

Next

• This gave people in other areas a common language and better farming equipment

Finally

• Which enabled them to grow extra crops to trade and have a communication method to do it with.

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Emerging Civilizations

Kush Kingdom: 250B.C. – 150 A.D.-Once called Nubia-In 750 B.C. took control of Egypt. In 663,

chased back to original lands by the Assyrians Technology transfer: Lost control, but, learned iron smelting from the Assyrians.

-Became a major trade empire because of its access to a route across the desert

1. Traded in iron ore, ivory, gold, ebony, slaves2. Traded with Rome, Arabia, and India

Empire declined when Axum conquered it

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Emerging Civilizations

Axum Kingdom:-Located in modern day Ethiopia-Founded by Arab traders

Combined Arab and African cultures-Also, became a major trade empire. Success due to location next to the Red Sea1. Exported ivory, frankincense, myrrh and

slaves. Imported wine, olive oil, textiles2. Traded with Rome and India

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ReligionChristianity brought by shipwrecked Syrians and became the official religion of Axum.

Islam, founded in the Arabian peninsula, was brought to Africa by Arab Muslims after they captured Egypt. As they expanded their Arab trading empire in Africa, they introduced Islam to the people.

In many places with native religions, they developed an “Africanized” version of Christianity or Islam that blended the two together. Both developed widely across trade routes.

Muslims and Christians peacefully existed for a while. Eventually, conflicts broke out where in close contact.

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Slave Trade:

-Existed in Africa long before triangular trade to the America’s.

-Berber groups raided farming villages and kidnapped people.

-Slaves not seen as inferior in Africa, just servants.

-Slaves sent to India had much easier life than those sent to Europe, especially Rome.

Complete box five