UNIT 1 AP Afam

Dynasties

A series of rulers from the same family or lineage that maintain power over a period of time, often seen in various historical contexts globally. These dynasties can establish significant political and social influence over the regions they govern.

Pharaohs

Rulers of ancient Egypt that were considered both political leaders and divine figures. They were considered divine intermediaries between the gods and people.

Sahel

Semi-arid transition zone in Africa stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea.

Trans-Saharan trade

Caravan commerce network across the Sahara Desert that connected sub-Saharan West Africa with North Africa, the Mediterranean, and the wider Islamic world.

Sundiata/Sunjata

13th-century West African prince and warrior-king who founded the prosperous Mali Empire.

Mansa Musa

14th-century ruler of the Mali Empire who established West Africa as a global center of trade, Islamic learning, and cultural exchange.

African American Studies

The analysis of African descent's contributions, history, and culture through America and the African diaspora.

Critical Race Theory

Academic and legal framework that examines how systemic racism and racial inequality are embedded within legal systems and institutions.

Diaspora

The global dispersion of African peoples and their descendants, occurring through both voluntary and involuntary movements across history.

Griot

Prestigious historians, storytellers, and musicians who keep a community’s culture alive.

Syncretism

Process of combining multiple things (religion).

Mediterranean Climate Zone

Hot, dry summers and cold winters.

Advantages: Reliable travel and tourism due to predictable hot summers and ports stay free.

Disadvantages: Travel because intense heat can cause wildfires. Water scarcity because rain only falls during winter, leaving summers hot.

Semi-arid/Sahel Climate Zone

Consists of flat savannas, often dust.

Advantages: Flat land allows for easy travel and trade. High temperatures allow for food growth. Because of the large flat land, they’re able to exploit many sheep and goats.

Challenges : Include droughts which can kill off the livestock. Sudden floods can lead to the destruction of roads and homes. 

Desert Climate Zone

The deserts in Africa have little rainfall that has very dry but hot air. The temperate in the deserts range from 30-120 degrees fahrenheit. Since Africa has many mountains, hot air is trapped inside the deserts, leading to it having hot, dry winds. Life in the deserts include hardy plants, desert foxes, reptiles, grasses, and shrubs. The deserts in Africa are important in contributing to trading routes (trans-Saharan) and allow land for people to herd camels, goats, and sheep.

Advantages: Various trading routes that the land provides.

Challenges: Climate being too hot and often dry, allowing for limited vegetation and people living there.

(Tropical) Grasslands Climate Zone

Vast, open area that has continuous layers of grasses and scattered with trees and shrubs. The winters are long and dry and the winters are rainy. The temperature is usually warm to hot air.

Advantages : Largest amount of animals on Earth. Wildfires and herbivores naturally recycle nutrients. The environment attracts tourism.

Challenges : Extreme unpredictable weather, water scarcity. 

Tropical Rainforests Climate Zone

By the equator. High, hot, humid weather all around. High rainfall and is very humid.

Advantages : Warm temperature and constant rain allows plants to grow year round. Rainforests have a lot of plant species which preserve the ecosystem.

Challenges : Heavy rain may wash away the nutrients and soil which makes long term farming difficult. Warm and wet conditions allow mosquitos to thrive, which can lead to the increase in spread of diseases.

Ghana Empire

Early major West African empire that prospered through trade and taxation, particularly connected to gold and salt exchange.

Mali Empire

Rose to prominence after the decline of the Ghana empire (conquered it). Large empire known for wealth, strong leadership, and significant Islamic influence in its elite and urban centers.

Ruled by Mansa Musa who is known for his pilgrimage to Mecca.

Songhai/Songhay Empire

Became a dominant empire after Mali’s peak. Was a powerful West African empire noted for strong military organization and administration, and for controlling important commercial cities.

Bantu

Bantu peoples are speakers of the more than 500 distinct languages of the Bantu subgroup of the Niger-Congo language family, occupying almost the entire southern projection of the African continent. (Originated in central west Africa).

They lived in more spread out communities and migrated a lot where they were able to spread their language, culture, agricultural practices, and technology. 

Egypt

Considered a “controversial” civilization due to their lineage. Had a complex relationship with Nubia.

Nubia

Region that was rich in resources such as copper and gold. Were raided and enslaved by the Egyptians, but later reconquered their land, people, and Egypt.

Kush

Powerful civilization located around the Nile river. Known for their abundance in natural resources like ivory and the various gold mines they occupied.

Aksum

Ruled by King Ezana. Known for their gold coins as a way to showcase their wealth as well as used as currency.

Nok

Highly advanced culture where people created life size sculptures depicting Nok people.

Mossi States

Powerful group of independent west African kingdoms. They were able to resist being dominated by the Mali and Songhai empires as they had strong political and military systems.

Hausa States

Benin

Kongo

Great Zimbabwe