africa. geography 2 nd largest continent three times the size of the usa 4600 miles east to west;...
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AFRICA
GEOGRAPHY
2nd LARGEST CONTINENTThree times the size of the USA4600 miles east to west; 5000 miles north to southONE-FIFTH of EARTH’S LAND
VARIETY: DESERTS, RAIN FORESTS, MOUNTAINS, SAVANNAS
COASTLINE: FEW HARBORS, PORTS, INLETS
GEOGRAPHY4 Major Bodies of Water Border Africa:*ATLANTIC Ocean*MEDITERRANEAN Sea*RED Sea*INDIAN Ocean
AFRICA’S RIVERS: Many WATERFALLS & RAPIDS(TRAVEL DIFFICULT)Many Rivers do not CONNECT
SAHARA DESERT
ABOUT 1/3 is DESERTWORLD’S LARGEST – SAHARARoughly size of USA
GEOGRAPHIC CONTRASTSRAIN FOREST – center of continent hot & rainy
all year long
SAVANNAS – grassy plains –home to herds of animals (giraffes, antelope, wildebeest…)
SAHEL – land on the edge of the deserts
BANTU MIGRATIONS
*Starting first few centuries A.D. continuing 1500 years Bantu moved south throughout Africa
{Bantu means “The People”}
Bantu were not one people – group who shared cultural characteristics
*Spread LANGUAGE & CULTURE
BANTU MIGRATIONS*FARMERS / NOMADIC Herders
*Developed skill of IRON WORKING
*Farming Technique- SLASH and BURN Farming:
Forest is cut down and burned, ashes create fertile soil, it loses its fertility quickly forcing the Bantus to move
*Cause of Migration – search of land for FOOD
ANCIENT KINGDOMS - AKSUM
*Near Red Sea {Present Day –ETHIOPIA}
*Important trading area – near Middle East/India
*TERRACE FARMING
*Became CHRISTIAN
(official religion)
*Developed
WRITTEN LANGUAGE
*MINTED COINS
AKSUM*DEVELOPED UNIQUE ARCHITECTURE
Ex:HUGE STONE PILLARS
Built to Celebrate Aksum’s
ACHIEVEMENTS
FALL OF AKSUM*LASTED ABOUT 800 YEARS
*Around A.D. 700 – Conquered By ISLAMIC Invaders
WEST AFRICAN KINGDOMSGHANA 800-1000 A.D.
*GREW WEALTHY & POWERFUL THRU TRADE
*GOLD & SALT TRADE
*ISLAM makes its way to Africa
WEST AFRICAN KINGDOMSMALI 1200-1450 A.D.
*WEALTH BUILT ON:
GOLD TRADE
*1st EMPEROR - SUNDIATA
MANSA MUSA RULED FROM 1312-1332
*MALI’S MOST FAMOUS EMPEROR!
*Skilled MILITARY Ruler:
Put down Rebellions,
Kept Order & Protection in Mali
DOUBLED the size of the Empire
MANSA MUSADEVOUT MUSLIM
TRAVELLED TO MECCA – HAJJ
*Built Important Trading Center at TIMBUKTU
*TIMBUKTU became a Center of Learning
*MANSA MUSA Built a famous MOSQUE in Timbuktu
IBN BATTUTA
*MUSLIM SCHOLAR – KNOWN FOR EXTENSIVE TRAVELS
*OVER 30 YEARS VISITED MOST OF THE MUSLIM WORLD (including Mali)
His journeys included trips to North Africa, the Horn of Africa, West Africa, Southern Europe and Eastern Europe in the West, and to the Middle East, South Asia, Central Asia, Southeast Asia and China
WEST AFRICAN KINGDOMSSONGHAI 1450-1600 A.D.
*EMPIRE LARGER THAN
GHANA or MALI
*TOOK CONTROL OF
GOLD & SALT TRADE
TWO IMPORTANT EMPERORS*SUNNI ALI
Captured TIMBUKTU
*ASKIA MUHAMMAD
ruled for 37 years
set up tax system
increased literacy
END OF WEST AFRICAN EMPIRES
*SONGHAI LACKED MODERN WEAPONS
MOROCCANS WITH GUNPOWDER AND
CANNONS DEFEATED SONGHAI