Trading states in Africa

Chapter 11

Early civilizations of Africa

Section 1

Sahara

• Who: Africans• What: the largest desert in the world, a

geographic feature in the great variety of African landscapes

• Where: Northern Africa• When: 730 BC- present• Why: this desert plays a major role in the

development of Africa & it’s trading kingdoms that develop

Sahara (6)

• Who: Africans• What: the largest desert in the world; just one

geographic feature in the great variety of African land

• Where: North Africa• When: 730 BC- present• Why: the geographic features of this area

played a major role in the development of Africa

Sahara (7)

• Who: Africans• What: largest desert in the world; just one of

the many geographic features of Africa• Where: Northern Africa• When: 730 BC- present• Why: this desert played a major role in the

development of N. Africa = desert = not a lot of vegetation = lower population; trade routes went through here

Savannahs (6)

• Who: Africans• What: grassy plains, make up the continent’s

largest & most populated regions • Where: Central & South Africa• When: 730 BC- present• Why: this area had the most vegetation = food

= larger population; this geographic region affected how/where ppl lived

Savannas (7)

• Who: Africans• What: grassy plains, the continent’s largest &

most populated regions• Where: Central & South Africa• When: 730 BC- present• Why: these grassy plains had a lot of

vegetation = food = people = most populous regions of Africa

Cataracts (6)

• Who: Africans• What: waterfalls on high plateaues• Where: Africa• When: 730 BC- present• Why: these hindered easy movement from

place to place in Africa, acted as barriers = travel from place to place was hard

Cataracts (7)

• Who: Africans• What: waterfalls that hindered movement

throughout Africa• Where: high plateaus of Africa• When: 730 BC- present• Why: these served as barriers to trade= they

hindered easy movement of ppls from place to place

Workbook pg 98

• I. – A. • 1. Sahara- largest desert in the world, shapes

Africa = not as many ppl live here b.c. of desert• 2. Savannahs- grassy plains w. vegetation = most

populous region• 3. Cataracts- hindered movement throughout

Africa, acted as barriers

• I. – B. • 1. Minerals (salt, gold, copper ,iron) showed wealth &

power = trade increased• 2. Camels could travel long distances w.o water & could

carry heavy loads = trade increased

Savannah

• Who: Africans• What: grassy plains, Africa’s largest & most

populated region• Where: Central & South Africa• When: 730 BC- present• Why: moving north & south throughout

Africa, this is the continent’s most populated region b.c. of all the vegetation

Cataracts

• Who: Africans• What: waterfalls on high plateaus• Where: Africa• When: 730 BC- present• Why: these hindered easy movement

throughout the continent b.c. they were difficult to cross = limits travel

Workbook pg 98

• I. • A. Geographic patterns– Sahara- desert region in the North (not a lot of ppl live here);

Savannahs- most populated due to a lot of vegetation = food– Cataracts, (waterfalls)- restrict people from moving about

the continentB. Resources spur trade

- Salt, gold, iron & copper were valuable = great wealth & power = trade throughout Africa

- Camels allowed more trade through the desert b.c. they were able to carry heavy loads & go long times w.o water= trade increased through the Sahara

Desertification

• Who: Africans• What: a climate change that slowly dried out the

Sahara, cropland & pastureland are devoured/destroyed

• Where: Northern Africa, Sahara desert• When: 2500 BC• Why: as the land became parched, the desert

spread; the desertification led to migration b.c. ppl had to find new areas to live in that maintained their way of life

II. Part A.

• 1) Hunters & gatherers settled down & learned to cultivate the Nile Valley & domesticate animals

• 2)Sahara used to be covered with rich grasslands & savannah = ppl lived here

• 3)Desertification- dried out vegetation = ppl migrated (leave)

• 4) Ppl leave to find new areas that maintain their ways of life

II. Part B

• 1. People migrated all throughout Africa = diverse cultures/languages- root language = Bantu

• 2. The Bantu spread their skills/language & merge with other groups; still there today

Bantu

• Who: Africans• What: the root language of the African languages• Where: Africa, W. Africa• When: 1000BC- present• Why: gives the movement “Bantu migrations” its’

name; Bantu-speakers spread their skills of farming, iron working, & domesticating animals; other existing cultures merged w. Bantu; their influence is still in the languages of that region today

Nubia

• Who: Egyptians, Nubian, Northeast Africans• What: ancient kingdom called Kush • Where: Egypt, northeast Africa, on the Nile• When: 2700 BC• Why: this kingdom was flourishing, trade led to

contact b/n Nubia & Egypt; Nubia was under Egyptian control & remained that way for about 500 years = Nubia adopted several Egyptian traditions

Meroe