Africa. Geography ◦North coast mountainous ◦South of mountains Sahara ◦Sub-Saharan Africa...
-
Upload
harvey-perry -
Category
Documents
-
view
215 -
download
0
Transcript of Africa. Geography ◦North coast mountainous ◦South of mountains Sahara ◦Sub-Saharan Africa...
AfricaAfrica
GeographyGeography◦North coast mountainous◦South of mountains Sahara◦Sub-Saharan Africa contains numerous regions
Hump- grasslands in interior and tropical forests along the coast
Horn- Snow capped Mountains, plateaus, and lakes, grassland
◦Central Africa- Congo basin Jungles
◦South Africa Hills, plateaus, deserts
Kush/ NubiaKush/ Nubia
Near the junction of White and Blue NilesContact between Kush and Egypt
Egyptian merchants later ruled by Egypt
◦disintegration of New Kingdom leads to independence
Kushite culture borrowed from Egypt Religious beliefs, hieroglyphics, pyramids for kings
internmentEconomy- agriculture and animal husbandry
trade state◦Strategically located near Moroe River◦Provided goods from central and east Africa
Axum, Son of SabaAxum, Son of Saba
Migrated across Red Sea
Owed wealth to location On trade routes
between India, and the Med◦ 4th cen. CE invades
Kush and conqueredReligion- claimed
decent from King Solomon
4th cen CE converted to Christianity◦ Called Coptic
Sahara and its environsSahara and its environsClimate originally cooler than today
◦3,000 BCE desertification◦Migrated east to Nile and south into grasslands
Began exchanging goods across Sahara Berber people
◦Pastoral people of N Africa◦May have spread ironworking south of the desert
Nok Nok
Northern Nigeria active iron working societies Terra-cotta and metal figurines 1st millennium BCE camels stimulate trans Saharan trade
fleets of the desert
GaramantesGaramantes
Libyan desert Constructed complex irrigation systems
Traded w/ Rome across Sahara Declined as a result of fall of Rome and drying of desert
East AfricaEast AfricaAlong shores of Indian ocean
◦Mixture of peoples Spoke Bantu Dialects
◦Language family moved from Niger River Valley East
◦subsistence farming Minimal population, ample land Small self sufficient political and economic villages
Rhapta- port city Trade along Indian ocean and down east coast of
Africa ◦Facilitated by monsoon winds◦Banana, yams
African SocietyAfrican Society5 of the major lang. familiesMore recent systems of writingUrban life
Towns began as fortified walled villages Teeming markets Symbiotic relationship with merchant class
◦Prevalence of peace in region
Village LifeVillage Life
Vast majority of inhabitants
Nuclear family and lineage groups
Combined into large kinship communities◦ Building blocks of
society◦ Authority of leading
members substantialVillage consist of
single lineage group Head of village “big
man” Believed to possess
supernatural powers
Role of WomenRole of WomenSubordinate to menPolygony not uncommon
Worked in field while men tended cattle or hunted
Specialized in commercial areasLineage matrilineal
Women companionship with men other than husband common
SlaverySlaveryPracticed in Africa since Ancient times
New Kingdom◦Slaving expeditions brought back from upper Nile
Berber tribes regularly raided ag communities south of Sahara
North Africa- as much as 75% of pop. Enslaved
May win freedomLiving conditions practically
indistinguishable from individuals in household
African cultureAfrican culturePainting and Sculpture
◦Earliest- rock paintings◦Wood carvings and sculpture◦Terra cotta and metal figurines
Music◦Served religious function◦Heavy rhythmic beats
Varied from society to society Wide variety of instruments
Architecture Pyramids stelea
◦Marked tombs of kings◦Some as high as 100’
Western Africa used dried mud