3.1 Class Notes: The Rise of African Civilizations
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1. Africa is the second largest continent. 2. It is made up of
rainforest, grasslands (savannas), large deserts, and coastal
areas. 3. The great rift valley has the earliest human fossils. 4.
The Nile, Niger, and Congo Rivers are very important.
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The Diversity of Africa
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II. Africa Trading Empires 1. The Bantu people (the people)
migrated from West Africa south of the Sahara Desert and spread a
common culture (language, religion, iron tools, pottery).
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2. People called the Berbers crossed the Sahara in caravans to
trade with West Africa. They also brought Islam and the Arabic
language. 3. They traded salt and cloth from the north for gold and
ivory from West Africa. They had a very important system of trading
called the Silent Barter. Trans-Saharan Gold and Salt Trade
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Rise of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai Kingdoms 4. Ghana, the Land of
Gold, was located on gold and salt trade routes on the Niger River.
Traders had to pay a tax. The army enforced this with iron weapons.
5. Powerful kings ruled the African kingdoms and settled arguments,
controlled trade, and protected the empire. Many kings and traders
accepted Islam because it helped them trade with Muslim Arabs. 6.
After Ghana declined, Mali was founded by a warrior king, Sundiata
Kieta, the Lion Prince who conquered Ghana and the city of
Timbuktu.
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8. Mansa Musa, King of Mali, worked to spread Islam. He made a
pilgrimage to Mecca, with a caravan of thousands of people and
gold. 9. He convinced Islams finest architects, teachers, and
scholars to come back to Mali and he brought fame to his kingdom.
7. Songhai King Sunni Ali drove the Berber invaders out of Timbuktu
and seized control of river trade and Berber salt mines. 8. The
Songhai empire became the largest in West Africa and Timbuktu was a
center of Islamic learning and culture.
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The city of Djenne
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1. Rain forest kingdoms enjoyed natural advantages and traded
their surplus of food. 2. They were the first to interact with
Europeans. 3. Judaism, Christianity and Islam influenced East
Africa. III. Other African Nations
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1. Many African groups believed one supreme god ruled the
world. They worshipped the spirits of dead relatives, called
ancestor worship. 2. Ibn Battua, from Morocco, travelled throughout
Islamic lands for 30 years and wrote a book: The Journey.
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1. In East Africa, the Swahili culture and language is a blend
of African and Muslim elements. 2. Arabic became an important
language of government and learning. Islam influenced art and
architecture (mosques).
