Period 3: Africa Flashcards
What was the Kush empire?
The Kush civilization developed to the south of Egypt at about the same time as ancient Egypt, and at one point around 750 BCE, actually conquered part of it. Less than a hundred years later Kush retreated south back to its capital at Meroe. It declined around 200 CE.
What was Meroe?
Meroe was the capital of the Kush and a center for ironworks and trade.
What was the Axum empire?
The Axum civilization developed in modern-day Ethiopia around 200 CE after the Kush decline. It didn’t conquer other civilizations but it traded frequently in ivory and gold. Axum converted to Christianity in 300 CE and many converted to Islam in 600 CE, showing that Axum was in constant contact with the Mediterranean empires.
Who were the Bantu-speaking peoples?
The Bantu-speaking peoples populated the east coast of Africa and were farmers, merchants, and fishermen. This area is known as the Swahili Coast, from the Arabic word for “coasters” or traders. The Swahili language is a mix of the original Bantu language supplemented by the Arabic. Trade with the Muslims began in 900 CE as Swahili traders brought gold, slaves, and ivory to the coast.
How did trade impact the Swahili Coast in Africa?
- trading cities became cultural and political centers
- what had previously been mud and wooden outposts had become coral and stone mosques, public buildings, and fortified cities with trade goods from all over the world by 1400
What was religion like in East Africa?
The ruling elites and merchant classes of the eastern African kingdoms converted to Islam to facilitate political and economic relationships but maintained many of their own cultural traditions. Islam eventually spread throughout most of East Africa.
How did the Islamic empire impact Africa?
- when the Islamic Empire spread across North Africa in 700-800, the Ghana, Mali, and Songhai started trading with the larger Mediterranean economy
- Islamic traders reached the fertile wealthy interior of Africa called sub-Saharan while African traders pushed northward toward Carthage and Tripoli
What did west Africans need?
Salt, which existed in the Sahara. When the Africans encountered the Islamic traders along the salt road, they started trading for more things.
Why did the Islamic traders want to trade with west African kingdoms?
Ghana (800-1000) and Mali (1200-1450) had tons of gold.
How did trade impact western Africa?
- trade brought Islam
- the Ghana empire was subjected to a Holy War led by an Islamic group intent on converting (or else killing) them
- Ghana was able to defeat the Islamic forces but its empire fell into decline
- by the time Mali came to power the region had converted (more peacefully) to Islam
Who was Mansa Musa?
Mansa Musa was one of the greatest Malian rulers. He built a capital at Timbuktu and expanded the kingdom beyond the bounds of Ghana. In 1324, Musa made an extravagant pilgrimage to Mecca with lots of gold-carrying servants and camels.
Who was Sonni Ali?
Sonni Ali conquered west Africa in 1450 and established the Songhai empire, which lasted until 1600. During the Songhai empire, Timbuktu became a major cultural center with a university that drew scholars from around the Islamic world.
What were the arts like in Africa?
- oral cultural was important where history and stories were passed from one generation to the next through storytelling via dramatic performances
- early sub-Saharan African cultures are known for their sculptures, particularly out of pottery and bronze
- the Benin culture near present-day Nigeria mastered a bronze sculpting technique: they made clay molds around a wax carving, melted the wax, filled the mold with melted bronze, broke the clay mold, and bam gorgeous bronze-work
