Chapter 3Africa

How Big is Africa?

Egypt and Nubia

African Kingdoms

Ancient Egypt

• Developed along the Nile River, where the soil was rich and the agricultural opportunities were plentiful.

• Egypt was reorganized into three kingdoms, Old, Middle, and New.

• Height of Egypt civilization was 1400 BCE (New Kingdom).

Unified Egypt

• 3100 BCE King Menes united all of Egypt.

• He established the capital of Memphis, 100 miles from the Mediterranean Sea.

Old Kingdom

• 2660 – 2180 BCE was the time period referred to as the Old Kingdom.

• Kings of Egypt are known as pharaohs. They directed the construction of the pyramids, tombs for afterlife.

Egyptian Achievements

• Hieroglyphics – system of writing to communicate.

• Interested in astronomy. Which led them to a fairly reliable calendar.

• Mummification came about due to their belief in life after death.

• They were convinced they could take earthly belongings with them to the afterlife.

• Egyptians were polytheistic.

Status of Women

• Queen Hatshepsut: First female ruler in history. Credited with expanding Egyptian trade routes.

• Women enjoyed more rights than in Mesopotamia.

• Women could: buy and sell property; inherit property; choose to will their property; and dissolve their marriages.

Egypt’s Social Structure

Ancient Egypt in Decline

• The wealthy civilization was often so big it couldn’t adequately protect all its borders, so over a period of time it began to weaken. This began in Egypt around 1100 BCE.

• Assyrians invaded and conquered Egypt in 671 BCE.

• A century and a half later, the Persians took over Egypt.

West Africa: Bantu Migrations

• Around 1500 BCE farmers in the Niger and Benue River valleys in West Africa began migrating south and east, bringing with them their languages and their knowledge of agriculture and metallurgy.

• Migration was spurred on by climate change; the Sahara Desert was too dry to live in.