Ancient Africa

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Ancient Africa

• Trade Kingdoms

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Northeast Africa

• Largest kingdoms Kush and Aksum
• Kush located south of Egypt, around Nubia
• Capital was Napata later Meroe
• Close cultural and economic ties to Egypt
• In 710 BC, Kush conquered Upper Egypt
• Controlled trade routes from Red Sea to Nile
  River
• Built pyramids and temples Crafted exquisite
  pottery and ornaments

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• Aksum located south of Kush in Ethiopian
  Highlands
• Straddled the trade routes
• Traded war elephants, rhinoceros horns, tortoise
  shells, incense, and spices with Mediterranean
  world
• In 330, Aksum defeated Kush controlled region for
  400 years
• King Ezana converted to Christianity

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East Africa

• Small kingdoms grew up along Indian Ocean
• Seasonal monsoon winds made travel easier
• Trade routes and spread of Islam helped
  expansion many Islamic families migrated
• Development of Swahili culture Swahili States
• Mogadishu, Pate, Malindi, Kilwa earliest
  city-states

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Central Africa

• Gold mined along Zambezi River
• Helped port of Kilwa grow
• Exchanged salt, tools, and cloth
• Shona people eventually settled took control of
  mining activities
• Built fortresses Great Zimbabwe the largest and
  most famous
• Population mysteriously declined in 1400s

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West Africa

• Several kingdoms developed between Lake Chad and
  Atlantic Ocean
• Ghana, Mali, Songhay
• Exchanged gold for salt at edge of Sahara Desert
• Trade routes brought Islam to kingdoms
• Mansa Musa, great leader of Mali, made pilgrimage
  to Mecca in 1300s
• Spread word of kingdoms brought back many new
  ideas
• Sunni Ali, great soldier, founded Songhay

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