AP African American Studies Unit 1 Study Guide

Niger River, Congo River, Zambezi River, Orange River, Nile River

Major waterways supporting trade and settlement.

Bantu

Ethnolinguistic peoples in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Bantu Migration/Expansion

Spread of people, technology, and language from West Africa to Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa (1500 BCE–500 CE).

Egypt

Nile River civilization with pyramids, pharaohs, trade.

Nubia/Kush

Civilization south of Egypt; ironworking, trade, sometimes ruled Egypt.

Aksum

 East African Christian kingdom trading with Arabia, India, Rome.

Nok

West African society; iron technology and terracotta art.

Colonialism

Political/economic control of one territory by another, especially European domination of Africa.

Sudanic Empires

Ghana, Mali, Songhai

Gold-Salt Trade

Exchange of West African gold for Saharan salt.

Trans-Saharan Trade

Trade routes linking West Africa with North Africa.

Epic of Sundiata

Oral story of the founding of Mali.

Religious Syncretism

Blending of African indigenous religions with Islam/Christianity.

Great Zimbabwe

• Southern African civilization; trade and stone architecture.
  
  

Shona People

Builders of Great Zimbabwe.

The Great Enclosure

Largest stone structure of Great Zimbabwe.

Swahili Coast

 East African city-states engaged in Indian Ocean trade

Indian Ocean Trade

Trade network linking Africa, Arabia, India, and China

Kongo

Central African kingdom that converted to Christianity and engaged in slave trade.

King Nkuwu

First Kongo king to convert to Christianity.

Nzinga Mbemba

 Kongo king who allied with Portugal, later opposed the slave trade.

Kinship

Social/political organization based on family lineage.

Kingdom of Benin

West African kingdom; trade and bronzework.

Kingdom of Ndongo-Matamba

 Central African kingdom led by Queen Njinga.

Queen Njinga

Ruler of Ndongo-Matamba; resisted Portuguese.

Queen Idia

Queen mother of Benin; influential political leader.

Bantu Expansion Dates

1500 BCE–500 CE

Sahara desert

the vast North African desert that historically acted as both a barrier and a conduit for trade, culture, and the Trans-Saharan Slave Trade

Sahel

transitional region between the Sahara Desert and the savannas to the south, which served as a crucial historical corridor for the trans-Saharan trade