Africa: Geography, Human Origins, Nile Valley Civ, West Africa Diagram | Quizlet

Gall-Peters projection map

Shows continent of Africa in proper proportion in relationship to the rest of the world

54

Number of countries on the continent of Africa

"Mother Africa"

Africa is the oldest inhabited continent on Earth

Connection between African history and geography

Some parts of Africa is rugged and protected from outsiders; Other parts encouraged trade but also invited invasion

Scientific Revolution

Scholars try to establish systems of taxonomy at same time ideas are race are forming; views evolve into "scientific racism" and Eugenics Movement

"Scientific Racism" and Eugenics Movement

Establishment of racial hierarchy; superiority of Europeans; policies created the resulted in: forced sterilization, colonial rule over "inferior races", only "whites" capable of civilization, anti-miscegenation laws, limits on immigration, educational tracking/standardized tests, Nazi Germany

Paleoanthropology

Study evolution and prehistory of humans; origins of humanity lies in savanna region of Africa; disagreed on how humans evolved

Multiregional Model

Modern humans evolved throughout Africa, Asia and Europe

Out of Africa Model

The earliest human ancestors originated in Africa; "humans" evolved from/across the entire continent; "humans" migrated out of Africa

Taung Child

1924; South Africa; suggested that the evolution of modern humans could be traced back over millions of years, with the earliest human ancestors originating in Africa; walked upright

Louis and Mary Leakey

1959; Olduvai Gorge Tanzania; Fossil discoveries in East Africa proved that human beings were far older than had previously been believed and that human evolution was centered in Africa, rather than in Asia

Donald Johanson

1974; "Lucy" discovered in Ethiopia; all modern humans are descended from a single African "woman", walked upright; 3 million years old

Turkana Boy

1984; Kenya; evidence of body evolution

Toumai

2002; Chad; 7 million year old bones found

Morocco

2017; bones found dated back 300,000 years indicate that modern humans were widespread across Africa earlier than previously thought

Nile Valley Civilizations

Kemet/Egypt, Nubia, Kush, Meroe, Axum; the earliest civilizations in the world were on the continent of Africa; situated around the Nile River

The Nile River

Extends 4,000 mi from east coast of central Africa to delta region in extreme north; Source: Blue and White Nile; flooding regularly irrigated its banks and left behind fertile soil;

provided transportation and communications; surrounding deserts protected from foreign invasion

Herodotus

Considered the "Father of History"; first historian to collect his materials systematically, test their accuracy to a certain extent, and arrange them in a well-constructed and vivid narrative; Greek who travelled extensively to document Greco-Persian Wars; said the people who inhabited Africa during this time were "Black"

Kemet/Egypt

Afrocentrists

Regarded ancient Egypt (Kemet) as black civilization closely linked to other indigenous African civilizations to the south;Egyptians influenced later African civilizations and ancient Greece and Rome;

African originated Western civilization in regards to philosophy and science (Scientific Method); Martin Bernal Black Athena

Traditionalists

Modern racial categories have no relevance to the world of ancient Egyptians;The ancient Greeks developed the Scientific Method and notions of individual freedom that characterize Western civilization; Mary Lefkowitz

No debate regarding Kemet/Egypt

Egypt's contribution to the spread of civilization throughout the Mediterranean region;

Egypt strongly influenced Greece and subsequent Western civilization in religion, commerce and art

Pyramid

A monumental structure with a square or triangular base and sloping sides that meet in a point at the top, especially one built of stone as a royal tomb in ancient Egypt

Zoser

Built Step Pyramid and Saqqara Complex

Giza Pyramids

Egypt's elaborate tombs expressed the personal immortality and immortality of the state merged in the person of the pharoah (king); best exemplified by pyramids at Giza

The Sphinx

Made of limestone; A mythical Egyptian beast with the body of a lion and the head of a human; situated in complex with Giza Pyramids

Pharoah

a king of ancient Egypt, considered a god as well as a political leader

Hatshepsut

1st female pharaoh; obelisks built in tribute (similar to obelisks in Washington, D.C.)

Amenhotep and Queen Tiye

Ruled Kemet at height of its military power; Queen Tiye ruled by his side

Amenhotep IV

Introduced concept of Aton as sole god (monotheism) to be worshipped in Kemet; Queen Nefertitit ruled by his side

Tutankhamen

Ascended throne at 9 yo and died at 19 yo; known for intact tomb find

Ramses II/Ramses The Great

Ruled Kemet for 67 years; Nefertari the Nubian queen reigns as his chief wife; under him

Kemet experiences prosperity, resurgence in temple construction, literature and art

Kemetic/Egyptian Inventions

Hieroglyphics; Cosmetics;Dams; The Calendar: 365 days/zodiac; Earliest form of bowling; Domesticated Cats; Mummification for the afterlife; Papyrus/ Sacred Texts; High Heels; Temples erected around pyramids were centers of learning

Kemet/Egypt Societal Structure

Patrilineal and Patriarchal; Kemetic (Egyptian) women held a high status compared to rest of ancient world

Patrilineal

Descent through the male line

Patriarchal

System of society and/government controlled by men

Nubia/Kush

Grain production and concept of monarchy may have spread from Nubia to Kemet (Egypt)

Meroe

Becomes Africa's 1st industrial center; development of smelting technology capable of exploiting local deposits of iron

Axum

Emerged as a nation 1st century BCE as Semetic people from Arabian Peninsula settled among local black population

1st Christian state in sub-Saharan Africa

Ancient Ghana

1st known kingdom in western Sudan; Founded by the Soninke people; Possessed superior iron weapons and dominated neighbors and forged empire through constant warfare

Commerce in Ghana

Kings known in Europe and southwest Asia as the richest of monarchs; trade produced wealth; key to trade was the camel; commodities:

From North: silk, cotton, glass beads, horses, mirrors,dates, salt

Exported: pepper, slaves, gold

Gold-Salt Trade

Trade from west to north Africa across the Sahara Desert; controlled by African kingdoms like Ghana, Mali and Songhai.

The Empire of Mali

Took over and expanded Ancient Ghana Empire

Sundiata Keita

Great warrior/strategist; Tranquility in Mali under Sundiata attracted merchants and traders to Niani (commerce center); gained direct control of gold mines of Wangara making empire more wealthy and populated than Ghana

Mansa Musa

When he ascended to throne Mali was at its height of power and expanded considerably; Mali was wealthy under his rule and had large army and calvary for protection; Highly sophisticated political state; At its height of power, Mali spearheaded the Golden Age; Devout Muslim who became famous worldwide while traveling to complete the hajj to Mecca; Annexed Timbuktu and established power over Gao

Timbuktu

Center of learning and religious practice; made more grand by Musa; addition of large library; people travelled from all over the world to study here; contained mosques

Songhai People

Captured Timbuktu and founded new empire

Sunni "the Great Ali

Leader in warfare, strategy and restoration;

required conquered people to pay tribute but let them run their affairs;

nominal Muslim;

said to be great magician who derived powers from traditional spirits;

died by drowning

Askia Muhammad Toure

Led successful revolt against Ali's son to make self king of Songhai;

extended empire;

centralized administration of empire;

devout Muslim;

deposed by family

Nok

Early settlers of the region known for ironwork, technology and terra cotta structures

Senegambia

People shared common history and spoke closely related languages; not politically united; parts of region had been in Ghana and Mali empires and had been exposed to Islamic influences; strictly hierarchical (royalty at top and slaves on bottom); most were farmers

Akan States

Southeast of Senegambia; rulers used gold from mines they controlled to purchase slaves who did the difficult work of cutting trees and burning refuse; rulers distributed the cleared fields to settlers; settlers gave rulers a portion of their produce and provided services; rulers used gold to purchase gold from Europeans; guns allowed Akan states to expand

Ashantee/Ashanti

An Akan state in 17th century; created a well-organized and densely populated kingdom comparable in size to to the modern country of Ghana; 18th century they dominated the central portion of the forest region and used its army to capture slaves for sale to Europeans

Yoruba People

Modern Benin and W Nigeria; gained ascendancy in area as early as 1000 CE; traded kola nuts and cloth to peoples of Western Sudan; artisans in Yoruba city of Ife gained renown for fine sculptures an prominent role women played in commerce

Oyo

17th century; employed a well-trained calvary and imposed political unity on part of the Yoruba region; like the Ashantee they became extensively involved in the Atlantic Slave Trade

Fon

West of the Oyo; formed Kingdom of Dahomey which rivaled Oyo as center for the slave trade; king was an absolute monarch who took thousands of wives for himself from leading families to ensure loyalty of potential rivals

Kingdom of Benin

Eastern end of forest region; controlled much of what is southern Nigeria today; people of this kingdom shared a common heritage with the Yoruba who played a role in kingdom formation in 13th century;throughout its history the Obas (kings) claimed divine status and struggled for power with the kingdom's hereditary nobility; formed army in 15th century and expanded to Niger River in east/Gulf of Guinea in south/into Yoruba country to west; peaked in late 16th century; European visitors noted the size and sophistication of its capital Benin City; wealthy class dined on beef, mutton, chicken and yams; streets had no beggars like European cities of the times; remained little influenced by Islam or Christianity; joined Atlantic Slave Trade; late 15th century the Oba allowed Europeans to trade for gold, pepper, ivory and slaves; Oba initially forbade sale of his subjects but large army (1st to have European firearms in forest region) captured others for trade as they conquered neighboring regions; by 17th century prosperity depended on slave trade; as kingdom declined during 18th century they began to sell their own to European slave traders

Igboland

East of Benin; densely populated but politically weak region along the Niger River; Igbo lived in stateless societies common in W Africa; in these societies families ruled rather than a central authority; village elders provided local government and life centered on family homesteads; had exported field workers and skilled artisans to Benin and other kingdoms; when Europeans arrived they expanded this trade which brought many Igbos to America

Kongo and Angola

A majority of African Americans originated from

TERM

The Continent of Africa

DEFINITION

54 countries

TERM

Nile Valley Civilization Region

DEFINITION

Kemet, Nubia/Kush, Axum