Africa and the Americas

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Africa and the Americas
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Africa and the Americas

• How can we describe the diversity in Africa and
  the Americas?
• How can we compare and contrast these
  civilizations?
• How can we compare and contrast them with the
  civilizations we have already learned about?

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Africa
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Africa

• Religion in Africa
• Polytheistic, animistic
• Great Creator
• Lesser deities, spirits
• Ancestors
• Islam
• Christianity

Ritual mask
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Africa

• The Berbers
• Dominated Sahara
• Muslim, spread Islam
• Controlled trans-Saharan caravan trade
• Protected caravans for fee some raided them

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Africa
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Africa

• The Kingdom of Ghana (ca. 900-1100)
• Has central place in Africas historical
  consciousness
• From ghana (war chief)
• Conquered smaller kingdoms in the region
• Famous for its gold!

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Africa

• Ghanas Kings
• Source of all authority, seen as sacred
• Followed ancestral animism
• Assisted by council of Muslim ministers
• Capital Koumbi Saleh
• Royal treasury controlled export of gold

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Africa

• Kingdom of Mali (ca. 1200-1450)
• Succeeded Ghana as regional power
• TIMBUKTU
• Thriving entrepot
• Center of scholarship

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Africa

• Mansa Musa (r. ca. 1312-1337)
• Contributed to Malis expansion
• Fabulously wealthy!
• Devout Muslim, promoted Islam
• Demonstrated Malis wealth to the world

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Africa
Great Friday Mosque, in Djenne, Mali (rebuilt
1907)
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Africa

• Ethiopia
• Developed from Kingdom of Aksum
• Influenced by Egypt
• Mountainous ? isolation
• Prosperous trading power
• Kings claimed descent from King Solomon

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Africa

• Christianity in Ethiopia
• Coptic Orthodox, brought by Frumentius
• State religion
• Strongly influenced by the Old Testament
• Monasteries, parish churches central in society

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Africa
Church of St. George, Lalibela, Ethiopia (12th
and 13th cents.)
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Africa

• Questions?

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The Americas
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The Americas

• The Mexica
• Migrated to Valley of Mexico by 14th cent.
• Negotiated settlement on Lake Texcoco
• Spoke Nahuatl, wrote in hieroglyphics
• Developed CHINAMPAS
• Requested prince from neighboring city-state to
  rule over them

Chinampas on Lake Texcoco
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The Americas

• The Aztec Empire (15th 16th cents.)
• Syndicate dominated by Mexica
• Fierce warriors, cruel rulers
• Boys dedicated to war by parents
• Capital TENOCHTITLÁN

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The Americas
Tenochtitlán
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The Americas
Tenochtitlán
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The Americas

• Aztec Religion
• Polytheistic
• Aztecs people of the sun
• Huitzilopochtli patron of the empire, war god
• They practiced human sacrifice to nourish the
  sun, keep the world alive

Huitzilopochtli
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The Americas
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The Americas

• The Inca Empire (15th 16th cents.)
• Andean empire
• Named after title for rulers
• Capital Cuzco

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The Americas

• Ruling the Inca Empire
• Extensive system of roads
• Runners employed by rulers
• Imposed Quechua, their gods on subjects ?
  integration
• Took hostages from ruling classes among subjects
  ? obedience
• Rebellious subjects resettled in distant parts of
  the empire

Inca roads
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The Americas

• The Inca Emperor
• Considered descendant of sun god
• Absolute, infallible ruler
• Emperors mummies
• Worshiped after death
• State affairs conducted in their presence
• Brought out during ceremonies

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The Americas
Machu Picchu, Peru (15th cent.)
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The Americas
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The Americas

• Iroquois Confederacy
• Formed 16th cent.
• 5 tribes Mohawks, Oneidas, Onondagas, Cayugas,
  Senecas
• Goal prevent intertribal warfare, form united
  front against enemies
• Skilled, cruel warriors

Iroquois sachems
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The Americas

• Iroquois Society
• Polytheistic, animistic
• No traditional legal institutions
• Property owned in common, hunting done communally
  
• Longhouse occupied several families
• Men hunted, fished, fought

Iroquois longhouse
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The Americas

• Iroquois Women
• Families were matrilineal
• Husbands married into wives families
• Shared power with men!
• Had prerogative of divorce
• Named men for village councils, representatives
  to Confederacy
• Could veto military forays

Iroquois mother and daughter making a basket
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The Americas

• Questions?

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Africa and the Americas

• How can we describe the diversity in Africa and
  the Americas?
• How can we compare and contrast these
  civilizations?
• How can we compare and contrast them with the
  civilizations we have already learned about?