AP African American Unit 1

What is African American Studies?

An interdisciplinary approach of scholarly analysis of history, culture, and contributions that reframes misconceptions about Early Africa and its relationship to people of the African Diaspora

Africa's size and diversity influences settlement by

A large, immense, and diverse continent that incorporates varying climate zones and a varied landscape that has impacted patterns of settlement and trade between diverse cultural regions

Bantu Expansion?

The African continent spread technology, language, and cultural practices that triggered a population growth trend that influenced ethnicity and language for most of Sub-Saharan Africa.

What characterized complex African societies?

The complex societies that emerged in East and West African include large scale civilizations like Egypt, Nubia, and Aksum in East Africa as well as the Nok civilization in West Africa that featured monumental architecture, trade, art, stratified societies, varied cultural practices, and interaction with Eurasian societies via long distance trade.

Importance of gold-salt trade in West Africa

The Gold-Salt Trade had a massive impact on the development and longevity of the West African Sudanic Empires politically, economically, and religiously. Additionally, many of the descendants of the slave trade come from West Africa. Mali’s wealth and power created opportunities for the empire to expand its influence to other African societies and across the Mediterranean. This was due, in part, to Mansa Musa’s hajj to Mecca and the vast wealth he displayed along the way.

Role that education and oral history play in?

West African educational practices were both institutional and community-based and featured Timbuktu as a learning center as well as the role of oral history and the Griots who preserved knowledge of births, deaths, marriages, and healing practices.

Syncretic religious practices?

In West African societies, primarily of indigenous beliefs and cosmologies with Islam and Christianity, developed and carried forward to African descended communities in the Americas.

Swahili Coast Trade

The Kingdom of Great Zimbabwe was a flourishing societies in Southern Africa that created great stone architecture and participated in long distance trade. The East African coast was primarily home to a group of cities states often referred to as the Swahili Coast that were linked geographically, politically, culturally, and linguistically and participated in Indian Ocean Trade with Arab, Persian, Indian, and Chinese communities.

Kinship system effects on African monarchies?

The Kingdom of the Kongo was a society in Southern Africa on the Atlantic coast that converted to Christianity following it’s interactions with the Portuguese explorers that lead to the participation in the Transatlantic Slave Trade.

Kinship system effects on African monarchies?

Kinship played a large role in the organization and political leadership of many African societies and featured the matrilineal practices of female-based kinship, including the monarchies of Benin and Ndongo-Matamba.

What were the Africa-Europe connections in 15th century?

There was extensive connections between West African societies and Europe in the 15th century due to long distance trade, educational opportunities, and the beginnings of the slave trade which shaped enslaved-based economies in the Americas.

Interdisciplinary

The study or approach that combines methods, ideas, and insights from multiple academic disciplines to understand complex topics.

African Diaspora

The global spread of people of African descent due to migration, enslavement, and trade, particularly from the transatlantic slave trade.

Black Campus Movement

A student-led movement in the 1960s–70s demanding Black Studies programs, more Black faculty, and representation at universities.

Climate zones of Africa

The major weather regions of Africa—desert, savanna, tropical rainforest, and Mediterranean—shaped by geography and latitude.

Physical features of Africa

Natural landforms such as the Sahara Desert, Nile River, Congo Basin, Great Rift Valley, and Mount Kilimanjaro.

Factors that contributed to population growth in west and central Africa

Fertile land, trade networks, ironworking technology, and strong agricultural systems.

Bantu Expansion (reasons and routes)

A large migration of Bantu-speaking peoples across sub-Saharan Africa due to population pressure, farming, and new technologies.

Bantu linguistic family

A large group of related African languages spoken across central, eastern, and southern Africa.

African ethnolinguistic diversity

The wide variety of ethnic and language groups across Africa, reflecting the continent’s cultural richness.

Ancient African Kingdoms/Civilizations (Egypt, Nubia, Aksumite, Nok, Mali, Ghana, Songhai)

Powerful societies that developed in Africa known for trade, art, governance, and innovations.

Kingdom of Zimbabwe

A wealthy southern African kingdom (1100–1450 CE) known for its stone structures and gold trade.

Capital city- Great Zimbabwe

The main city of the Kingdom of Zimbabwe, famous for its massive stone walls and as a trade center.

Swahili Coastal Trade

Trade along the East African coast involving African, Arab, and Asian merchants exchanging gold, ivory, and spices.

Timbuktu

A major city in Mali that was a center of trade, learning, and Islamic scholarship.

Kingdom of the Kongo

A central African kingdom that traded with Europeans and later became involved in the Atlantic slave trade.

Religion, source of enslavement, European influence

European colonizers and missionaries used religion to justify enslavement and control in Africa.

Trans-Saharan Trade

Trade across the Sahara Desert connecting West Africa with North Africa and the Mediterranean, mainly in gold and salt.

Ge’ez language

An ancient Ethiopian language used in the Aksumite Kingdom and still used in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.

Nok terracotta sculptures

Early African clay artworks from the Nok culture (in Nigeria), known for detailed human figures.

Syncretic religious practices and examples

The blending of African traditional beliefs with Islam or Christianity; for example, Vodun and Santería.

Indigenous spiritual beliefs

Native African religions that focus on nature, ancestors, and spiritual forces.

Cosmologies

African systems of belief that explain the universe, life, and humanity’s connection to the spiritual world

African Catholicism

A form of Christianity blending Catholic beliefs with African cultural and spiritual traditions.

African American ancestors

25% Christian, 25% Muslim

Portuguese invasion (16th cent)

When Portugal expanded into parts of Africa for trade and colonization, influencing local politics and enslavement.

Wolof Empire

A powerful West African state in present-day Senegal that traded with early Europeans.

Akan people

An ethnic group in West Africa known for gold trade, matrilineal society, and kingdoms like Ashanti.

Elmina

A Portuguese-built fortress on the West African coast used for gold and later for enslaved people.

Kingdom of Benin

A wealthy Nigerian kingdom known for art, trade, and strong centralized rule.

São Tomé

An island off West Africa used by the Portuguese for sugar plantations and enslaved labor.

Sugar production

The large-scale farming of sugarcane that drove the demand for enslaved African labor.

“Racialized” slavery

A system in which slavery was justified based on race, especially during European colonization.

Kinship and political alliances

Family ties and marriages used to strengthen power and trade relationships among African communities.

Women's roles in West Africa

Women participated in trade, politics, and family leadership; some were queens or warriors.

Ivory mask of Queen Idia

A famous Benin artwork representing Queen Idia, symbolizing female power and spiritual strength.

FESTAC 77

The Second World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture (1977), celebrating global African heritage and unity.

King Ezana of Aksum

A ruler of the Aksumite Kingdom who converted to Christianity and helped spread it throughout East Africa.

Mansa Musa of Mali

The wealthy ruler of the Mali Empire known for his 1324 pilgrimage to Mecca and support of education and trade.

Nzinga Mbemba (Afonso I) of Kongo

The king of Kongo who converted to Christianity and tried to stop the Portuguese from enslaving his people.

Queen Mother Idia of Benin

A powerful queen mother who helped her son, Oba Esigie, maintain power and strengthen the Benin Kingdom.

Queen Nzinga of Ndongo and Matamba

A skilled leader and military strategist who resisted Portuguese colonization and fought for her people’s freedom.

Shona People

A Bantu-speaking ethnic group in southern Africa who built the Kingdom of Zimbabwe and the city of Great Zimbabwe.

Black Pharaohs

African rulers of Nubia who controlled Egypt during the 25th Dynasty and promoted African power and culture.

Griots

West African storytellers, historians, and musicians who preserved oral history and cultural traditions.

5000 BCE

Egypt is established and begins to grow

2500 BCE

Nubia/Kush rises

1500 BCE

Bantu Migration begins

500 BCE

Nok Culture Emerges in Nigerian delta of West Africa and Axum Empire Emerges In East Africa

200 BCE

City of Jenne settled in West Africa and Ghana begins to develop in West Africa

333 CE

Ezana King of Axum converts to Christianity

690 CE

Mali is established at the city of Gao in West Africa

850 CE

Construction begins on the Citadel of Great Zimbabwe

890 CE

Songhai emerges in West Africa

900 CE

Swahili City States Participate In Indian Ocean Trade

1100 CE

Great Zimbabwe empire begins

1230 CE

Sundiata becomes the ruler of Mali

1250 CE

Benin Empire emerges in Nigerian delta of West Africa

1324 CE

Mansa Musa’s Hajj to Mecca

1390 CE

Kingdom of the Kongo emerges in Central Africa along the Atlantic Coast

1400 CE

Songhai gains independence from Mali

1434 CE

Portugal establishes trade outposts along the Atlantic Coast of the African continent