Africa Unit: Geography, Cultures, and Historical Kingdoms
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55 Terms
What are environmental features?
Natural landforms and climate of a region that influence how people live.
Sahara Desert, rainforests, Savannas, Sahel Strip, and more
Way of life
Strong spiritual beliefs, rich trade like gold, salt and other goods. Agriculture like the Nile river and Savanna.
What is a tropical rain forest?
A hot, wet region with dense vegetation that supports farming, hunting, and gathering.
What is a savanna?
A grassland with scattered trees, suitable for farming and herding and its where most Africans live on
What is the Sahel?
A semi-dry region between the Sahara Desert and the savanna.
What is desertification?
The process by which fertile land becomes desert due to drought or overuse.
What is the Sahara Desert?
The largest hot desert in the world, located in North Africa.
What is the Kalahari Desert?
A dry desert region in southern Africa.
Why were major rivers important to African kingdoms?
They provided water, fertile land, and trade routes. Nile, Niger, Congo, and Zambezi
What is lineage?
Family descent traced through generations.
What is matrilineal descent?
Tracing family heritage through the mother.
What is patrilineal descent?
Tracing family heritage through the father.
What is a nuclear family?
Parents and their children living together.
What is an extended family?
A family that includes grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.
What are stateless societies?
Societies without a central government, ruled by customs and traditions.
What is a griot?
storyteller and historian who preserved oral history.
Who are the San?
Hunter-gatherer people of southern Africa.
Who were the Nok?
An early West African civilization known for ironworking and art.
What was Djenne-Djeno?
An early trading city in West Africa.
Who are the Efe?
Hunter-gatherers living in Central African rainforests.
Who are the Tiv?
A West African stateless society based on kinship.
Who are the Igbo?
A West African people with village-based, stateless societies.
Who are the Nuer?
A pastoralist people living near the Nile River.
What was the Kingdom of Kush?
A powerful Nubian kingdom south of Egypt.
Who was Piankhi?
A Kushite king who conquered Egypt.
What was Meroe?
The capital of Kush and a center of iron production.
What was Aksum?
A powerful East African trading kingdom.
Who was Ezana?
A king of Aksum who converted the kingdom to Christianity.
What was Adulis?
A major Red Sea trading port of Aksum.
What were the Bantu migrations?
Movements of Bantu-speaking peoples spreading farming and ironworking.
What were camel caravans?
Groups of traders who crossed the Sahara Desert using camels.
What was the gold-salt trade?
The exchange of West African gold for Saharan salt.
What was Ghana?
The first major West African empire built on gold and salt trade.
What was Mali?
A wealthy empire known for gold, learning, and strong leadership.
What was Songhai?
The largest West African empire that replaced Mali.
Who was Sundiata?
The founder of the Mali Empire.
Who was Mansa Musa?
The wealthy ruler of Mali famous for his pilgrimage to Mecca.
Who was Ibn Battuta?
A Muslim traveler who documented his journeys through Africa.
Who was Sunni Ali?
A ruler who expanded the Songhai Empire through military strength.
Who was Askia Muhammad?
A ruler who organized Songhai's government and promoted Islam.
What was Benin?
A West African kingdom known for bronze art.
What was Great Zimbabwe?
A large stone city and trading center in southern Africa.
Who were the Shona?
The people who built Great Zimbabwe.
What was East African trade?
Trade linking Africa with the Middle East and Asia.
What was Kilwa?
A wealthy Swahili trading city on the East African coast.
What does Swahili refer to?
A culture and language blending African and Arab influences.
What was the Mutapa Empire?
A southern African empire that controlled gold trade.
Who was Mutota?
originally from the Kingdom of Great Zimbabwe, who became the founder and first king (Mwene) of the powerful Mutapa Empire
Role of Women
- Subordinate to men
- valued for adding to lineage group
- work fields
- young girls work in mines
- some are merchants
Art
Art is a political and religious figure/power
Zimbabwe
- Trading Kingdom
- people spoke bantu
- ancestors of Shona
People of Zimbabwe
- Viewed chief as god/king
- access to Zambezi River
The Great Zimbabwe/great enclosure
26ft high and 15ft wide
Mutapa Empire
- Mutota (Mwene Mutapa) ruled from 1420 to 1450
- "Master pillager or conqueror"
- Mutota traveled north seeking salt and controlled the Shona [eople and paid taxes to Mutota
- Mined gold and sent it to the ports for luxury items.
Decline of Zimbabwe
Overfarming, dwindling trade (lack or resources) and civil war.