Africa vocabulary

North Africa

rocky mountains and includes the Sahara.

West Africa

grasslands for farming, large populations

East Africa

many mountains, plateaus, and grasslands, relied on trade by sea

Central and South Africa

has flat or rolling grassland, thick rainforests

Mount. Kilimanjaro

Highest mountain in E. Africa

arid

difficult to farm, dry

culture

the ways of living developed by a people inclduing their way of behaving, their knowledge, tools and beliefs

kingdom

term for monarchy, an early form of government headed by a king or queen

oral tradition

the passing of poems, songs and stories by word of mouth from one generation to another

Sahel

vast area of relatively dry grasslands called savannas, dotted with a few trees and thorny bushes. South of the Sahara, unpredictable rainfall

city-state

city that is like a small country and governs itself

pre-literate

a society in which the vast majority of the people cannot read or write

tribe

basic unit of social organization, along with family and clan. royalties are stronger than national identities. rather than individuals own land.

matrilineal

describes a society in which people trace their ancestry through their mothers.

patrilineal

describes a society in which people trace their ancestry throught their fathers.

griot

a person who recites the oral traditions of a tribe or clan. A learned storyteller, entertainer, or historian. Received its information from their father, and retell it orally.

Ghana

The first West African kingdom by 300 A.D, northeast of the Senegal river, specialized in ironworking. Wealth is based on the gold-salt trade. Powerful kingdom with a strong army, weapons, and a government. Had 44 kings.

Kumbi-Saleh

main city in Ghana

Niger River Valley

major river valley which contributed to the social, economic, and political growth of three ancient African empires--Ghana, Mali, and Songhai

Berbers

a member of a North African, primarily Muslim people living in settled or nomadic tribes from Morocco to Egypt

Mali

Empire created by indigenous Muslims in western Sudan of West Africa from the thirteenth to the fourteenth century. It was famous for its role in the trans-Saharan gold trade.

Mansa Musa

Ruler of Mali (r. 1312-1337). His pilgrimage through Egypt to Mecca in 1324-1325 established the empire's reputation for wealth in the Mediterranean world. (p. 376)

Timbuktu

a, City on the Niger River It was founded sometime after 1000. As part of the Mali empire, _______ became a major major terminus of the trans-Saharan trade and a center of Islamic learning

Mali

After the death of Mansa Musa the power of ______ declined...

Songhai

the most powerful out of the 3 West African empires that conquered Mali and controlled trade from the 1400s to 1591. Wealth derived from gold-salt trade.

decline of Songhai

the kings were not as capable as Askia Muhammad, and could not defend the empire against its enemies. Morroco conquered this empire causing the...

Morocco's affect on Songhai

Relations between Morocco and Songhai were strained. Morocco was determined to destroy Songhai and revoke its control over the trans-sharan trade. Morocco later attacked the Songhai empire and destroyed it.

iron

Material used for weapons and tools that became cheap and more widely available around 1000 B.C.E.

silent barter

a method of exchanging goods by displaying items for acceptance of equal value; merchants and traders do not meet face to face

proverb

a short statement of a general truth, one that condenses common experience into memorable form

Sundiata

the founder of Mali empire. He crushed his enemies and won control of the gold trade routes

Nubia

an ancient region in the Nile River Valley, on the site of present-day southern Egypt and northern Sudan

Kush

An African state that developed along the upper reaches of the Nile c. 100 B.C.E.; conquered Egypt and ruled it for several centuries.

Axum

Kingdom located in Ethiopian highlands, horn of Africa, south of Kush; defeated the kingdom of Kush around 300 B.C.E. and succeeded by Ethiopia. Received strong influence from the Arabian peninsula; eventually converted to Christianity

Axum was introduced to Chritianity through trade and the romans. The King Ezana adopted Christianity and was where Christianity took root for future empires.

How did Axum convert to Christianity?

Ibn Battuta

Morrocan Muslim scholar, and fourteenth-century traveler, wrote a detailed account of his visits to Islamic lands from China to Spain and western Sudan. His accounts allowed Muslims to learn about each other and non-Muslim areas and a glimpse into the world of that time period. He enforced and encouraged Muslims to follow the principles of the Qu'ran.

Napata

Kush’s capital, center for the spread of Egyptian culture

Pianki

Kushite king in 751 BCE

Meroe

a major center for the manufacturing of iron weapons and tools

4 centuries of prosperity

Meroe began to decline after...

Ghana

means war chief

taxing trade items

Rulers grew rich by

gold and salt

Two most important trade items

Gold-salt trade

this had a great impact on the development of the big 3 kingdoms, Ghana, Mali, and Songhai. Because of West Africa's abundant gold mines and lack of salt generated a great deal of income for all the kingdoms.

religious leader, chief judge, and military commander

Ghana’s ruler acted as a

conquest

Islam spread through North Africa by

trade

Islam spread through south of the Sahara by

NEVER

Ghana ______ gained back its power

Gao

capital of Songhai Empire

Sunni Ali and Askia Muhmammad

Two extraordinary Muslim rulers of the Songhai Empire

modern weapons

Songhai lacked (reason of decline)

1600

Empire collapsed by _____, due in part to the British, ending the 1,000 year period of rule by powerful kingdoms and empires in West Africa

Griots were the only way for royal and non-royal communities to communicate because there was no written language(preliterate).

why were griots important?

center of learning

Timbuktu was known as

Ghana, Mali, Songhai

What were the 3 main kingdoms/empires of Ancient West Africa?

Sunni Ali

warrior and 1st king of the Songhai empire, conquered large amounts of territory along the Niger River

Askia Muhammad

2nd and most powerful king of the Songhai empire, devout muslim who based his teachings on the Qur'an. Created a fair system of taxation and encouraged the establishment of Muslim schools.

salt

this trade item was used for nutrition and preserving food

Almoravids

North African Berber warriors, destroyed the Capital city of Ghana which commenced the beginning of Mali

Jenne

city in the Songhai empire know for skilled doctors, surgeons, and medicine

Bantu

movement of peoples, related languages

Bantu Peoples

these peoples quickly established their locations in Eastern and Southern Africa brining along economic and cultural aspects to the area. The spread of these people was seen as a self-concious migration.

age grade

joined men of a specific generation and lineage together

spiritual

Bantu people had a _______ way of life. They didn't believe in one god, but instead the spirits and souls of their ancestors. Charms, rituals, and sacrifices were apart of this worship.

Axum, Meroe, Kush

What 3 kingdoms were apart of EAST Africa?

Ghana, Mali, Songhai

What 3 kingdoms were apart of WEST Africa?

Reason of Meroe's decline

this kingdom declined due to deforestation caused by making coal for smelting iron. The kingdom conquered Axum and become one.

Christianity

The initial religion of Africa, pushed away by Islam.

Decline of Axum Empire

this kingdom declined due to enviromental changes, soil exhaustion, erosion, and deforestation caused by intense farming.

iron workers, cotton weavers, potters, leather workers, griots

prestigious works of Jenne-Jeno

generated a productive economy, more people could live in smaller areas with hunting way of life

Advantage 1 for Bantu Farmers

Farmers carried dieseases, such as malaria, that native societies weren't immune to

Advantage 2 for Bantu farmers

Bantu people had modern(iron) and better weapons that the locals

Advantage 3 for Bantu Farmers

Musicians

Besides oral storytelling, griots also were....

Swahili

A blend of languages and cultures. Many of these peoples accepted Islam as a religion. The Portuguese were intrigued and asked for trading right, but when rejected attacked and conquered the city-states.

The women were rulers

What role women played in Axum?

It is surrounded by water and geographical features such as cataracts and valleys made it hard to enter

How was Africa isolated?