Africa to 1865 — Chapter 1 Notes

Africa to 1865 — Chapter 1 Notes

  • Overview of Africa as a subject in AFRAS 170A (Dr. Perry)

  • Key scope of Chapter 1: Africa

    • Africa’s diverse geography

    • Theories about where and how humans originated

    • Significance of ancient African civilizations

    • Significance of West Africa to African American history and culture

Geography and Population

  • Africa is a huge, diverse continent with a massive geographical footprint.

  • Quantitative highlights:

    • Area: 11.7extmillionsquaremilesext(30.37millionsquarekilometers)11.7 ext{ million square miles} ext{ (30.37 million square kilometers)}

    • 54 countries, plus one non-self-governing territory: Western Sahara

    • Population: 1.2imes1091.2 imes 10^9 people

  • Africa is larger than the combined land area of China, India, the continental United States, and much of Europe.

  • The Sahara Desert is extremely large (the slide notes it as larger than the continental USA in its claim).

  • The map on the slide (Page 3) catalogs major geographic regions and neighbors, illustrating Africa’s coastal and inland connections via bodies of water (Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean Sea) and major land borders.

Climate and Environments

  • There is no single climate label for Africa; multiple climate zones exist.

  • Major environments by zone:

    • Mediterranean climate (North Africa and southern tip)

    • Sahara Desert (north interior)

    • Savannah (grassland regions south of the Sahara)

    • Equatorial Forest Zone/Rain Forest (central Africa)

  • General north-to-south environmental progression:

    • Mediterranean → Desert → Savannah → Rain Forest → Savannah → Desert → Mediterranean

  • Primary environments described:

    • Mediterranean climate zones suitable for grapes, olives, barley, wheat, and apples in southern tip regions

    • Regions cited: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and the Cape Province area of South Africa

Mediterranean Climate (Details)

  • Northern edge and southern tip of Africa exhibit Mediterranean climate characteristics: hot, dry summers with restricted winter rainfall; overall mild climate.

  • Western region experiences a subhumid Mediterranean climate: mild, moist winters (Oct–Mar/Apr) and hot, dry summers (May–Sept).

  • Agricultural implications:

    • Crops such as grapes, olives, barley, wheat, and apples benefit from these conditions in the listed areas.

  • Geographical notes: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and the Cape Province in South Africa are highlighted as key examples.

Sahara Desert (Key Facts)

  • Etymology: Sahara means “desert” in Arabic.

  • Location: North Africa; among the world’s largest deserts.

  • Size: One of the world’s largest deserts; the slide states it as the third largest after Antarctica and the Arctic (contextual claim).

  • Land area: Very large; described as comprising a significant portion of earth’s land area; the slide notes 8% of earth’s land area as a rough reference for the Sahara’s scale.

  • Climate and rainfall: Very little rainfall; about half of the area receives less than 1 inch of rain per year.

  • Temperature: Average around 86extoextF86^ ext{o} ext{F} with night temperatures dropping to around 21extoextF21^ ext{o} ext{F} in some areas due to low humidity.

  • Landscape: Predominantly barren, rocky plateaus; also salt flats, sand dunes, mountains, dry valleys.

  • Hydrology: Rivers and streams are seasonal in the Sahara except for the Nile, which is an enduring watercourse.

Savannah (Grasslands)

  • Location: South of the Sahara.

  • Climate variability: Changes with proximity to the desert and the rainforest; climate varies by region.

  • Vegetation: Mixed trees and grasses (grasses with scattered trees).

  • Notable example: Serengeti — a vast plains region (~11,583 miles of undulating plain).

Equatorial Forest Zone / Rain Forests

  • Characterized by heavy rainfall.

  • Geographic extent: Spans from Sierra Leone to the great East African lakes, including parts of Liberia, the Ivory Coast, the Gold Coast, Nigeria, the Cameroons, French Equatorial Africa, and the Belgian Congo.

  • Economic outputs: Palm oil, rubber, cacao, coffee, and bananas are produced in this zone.

  • Note: Outside this central zone, Africa has relatively fewer large forest areas.

Birthplace of Humanity: Theories and Fossils

  • The origins of humans have produced several major theories:

    • Multiregional model

    • African Eve thesis

    • Out of Africa model

  • Notable fossil discoveries and dates:

    • Taung Child: roughly 2.8imes106extyears2.8 imes 10^6 ext{ years} old; a 3– to 4-year-old child; discovered in 1924 in South Africa

    • Dinkinesh ("Lucy"): 3.2imes106extyears3.2 imes 10^6 ext{ years} old; discovered in 1974 in East Africa (Ethiopia)

    • Ardi: 4.4imes106extyears4.4 imes 10^6 ext{ years} old; discovered in 1994 in Eastern Africa (Middle Awash and Gona, Ethiopia)

West African Civilizations (Overview)

  • Major civilizations in West Africa discussed: Ancient Ghana, Empire of Mali, Empire of Songhai, and the broader West African Forest Region and Central Africa.

  • Key regions and societies mentioned:

    • Nok (modern southern Nigeria)

    • Benin City; Senegambia; Akan states; Yoruba culture (modern Benin and western Nigeria); Oyo; Fon (Kingdom of Dahomey); Kingdom of Benin (southwestern Nigeria); Igboland

    • Angola and Kongo in Central Africa

  • Significance: These civilizations contribute to the broader history relevant to African American history and culture.

West African Civilizations — Ancient Ghana (c. 6th–13th centuries)

  • Territorial extent at height: Included parts of present-day Mali, Guinea, The Gambia, Senegal, and portions of Mauritania.

  • Economic drivers:

    • Growing demand for gold; gold trade was central and controlled by Ghana

    • Gold trade attracted North African and European gold coin economies, signaling power.

  • Trade dynamics:

    • Ghana controlled the trans-Saharan gold trade routes and was a leading gold source for Mediterranean societies.

    • Salt trade was also vital; salt was scarce in Ghana and traded for gold.

  • Religious and cultural exchange:

    • Islam introduced to Ghana via traders and merchants involved in the gold trade (including pepper, slaves, gold as goods).

  • Decline: Economic decline in the 13th century contributed to the decline of the Ghanaian empire.

Empire of Mali: 1230–1468

  • Origins: Mali traces political and economic power back to the 7th century, with significant power established by 1235.

  • Geographic extent: Encompassed present-day Senegal, The Gambia, Mali, parts of Nigeria, and Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso).

  • Islam:

    • Rulers embraced Islam; Islamic ties strengthened with the broader Islamic world.

    • Sundiata played a key role in blending Islam with traditional African beliefs; his rule symbolized religious and cultural synthesis.

  • Trade and geography:

    • Mali sat at a critical location along the trans-Saharan trade routes with outward connections to the broader Islamic world.

    • Timbuktu emerged as a major hub for gold, slaves, and salt trade.

Mali Leadership and Key Figures

  • Mansa Musa (reign around early 14th century)

    • Title: Mansa (king)

    • Succeeded Sundiata; raised Mali’s profile across Africa, the Middle East, and Europe

    • Pilgrimage (hajj) to Mecca in 1324, which fueled European interest in West Africa’s wealth

    • Scale of the pilgrimage: accompanied by 60,000 people (soldiers, personnel, servants) and carried 12 tons of gold on 80 camels

    • Cultural impact: Built the University of Sankore at Timbuktu; promoted the spread of Islam in West Africa

  • Decline: Mali Empire began to decline by around 1550

Empire of Songhai: 1464–1591

  • Nature of Songhai:

    • Considered the most highly advanced society in Africa during its time

    • Its decline and destruction paved the way for the Trans-Atlantic slave trade

  • Key leaders:

    • Sonni Ali: conquered and incorporated many cities/kingdoms from the former Mali empire and the Niger region

    • Askiya Muhammad: a Muslim general who continued Sonni Ali’s expansion; established the Askiya dynasty

  • Religious and intellectual trends:

    • Rise of Islamic scholarship and the spread of Islam within Songhai and its cities

West African Forest Region and Central Africa — Ethnic Groups and Civilizations

  • Diverse ethnic groups with shared cultural elements across forest and central regions.

  • Notable groups and states:

    • Nok (modern southern Nigeria)

    • Benin City; Senegambia; Akan states; Yoruba culture (modern Benin and western Nigeria); Oyo people; Fon (Dahomey); Kingdom of Benin (southern Nigeria); Igboland

    • Angola and Kongo

  • Significance: These groups and polities contribute to West African cultural and political history relevant to African American history.

Exchanging Our Country Marks: The Transformation of African Identities in the Colonial and Antebellum South

  • Source: Michael A. Gomez (1998)

  • Seven general regions used in Gomez’s framework (for tracing origins and migrations):

    • Senegambia

    • Sierra Leone (modern Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and the Ivory Coast)

    • Gold Coast (modern Ghana)

    • Bight of Benin (Togo, Benin, southwestern Nigeria)

    • Bight of Biafra (southeastern Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon)

    • West Central Africa (Congo and Angola)

    • Mozambique–Madagascar (southeastern Africa including present-day Mozambique, parts of Tanzania, and Madagascar)

Transatlantic Slave Trade: Routes and Scale (1650–1860)

  • Overall scale: Between 1650 and 1860, approximately 1.0imes107extto1.5imes1071.0 imes 10^7 ext{ to } 1.5 imes 10^7 enslaved people were transported from western Africa to the Americas (roughly 10–15 million mentioned on the slide).

  • Major destinations and routes:

    • The Americas included the West Indies, Central America, and South America as major regions of destination.

    • The map highlights major port cities/regions: New York, Charleston, New Orleans, Mexico City, Port of the West Indies, Cartagena, Lima, Recife, Salvador, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, etc., reflecting large-scale transatlantic movement.

    • The West Indies alone accounts for a large portion of the enslaved (illustrative figure listed as about 4.5 million in the map).

    • Brazil is highlighted with significant importation (illustrative figure around 5 million).

  • Implications:

    • The slave trade substantially shaped demographic, social, and cultural transformations in both Africa and the Americas.

    • The forced migration disrupted family structures, labor systems, and political entities in West Africa.

Origins of Africans Deportated to the United States (1628–1860)

  • Distribution by Gulf/Coast regions:

    • Senegambia: 2.0 ext{%}

    • Sierra Leone: 23.6 ext{%}

    • Windward Coast: 23.8 ext{%}

    • Gold Coast: 5.6 ext{%}

    • Bight of Benin: 2.4 ext{%}

    • Bight of Biafra: 14.4 ext{%}

    • West Central Africa: 16.6 ext{%}

    • Southeast: 11.6 ext{%}

  • This regional breakdown helps explain the diverse origins of enslaved people and the varying cultural repertoires they brought to the United States.

West Africa Maps and Regions (Key Regions Named in the Slides)

  • Senegambia

  • Sierra Leone

  • Windward Coast

  • Gold Coast

  • Bight of Benin

  • Bight of Biafra

  • West Central Africa

  • Southeast

  • Additional geographic references appear on the slides (e.g., Calabar, Loango, Cabinda) illustrating coastal and inland connections across the Atlantic slave trade network.

West African Tribes and Peoples Most Highly Represented in the Americas

  • Notable tribes and groups frequently transported:

    • Kongo

    • Mbundu

    • Bamileke

    • Bubi

    • Ibibio

    • Igbo

    • Tikar

    • Temne

    • Mende

    • Mandinka

    • Wolof

    • Fulani

    • Akan

    • Ewe

    • Yoruba

    • Hausa

  • These groups contributed to the cultural, linguistic, and religious landscapes in the Americas through diaspora communities.

West African Society and Culture: Roots of Black Culture (Key Themes)

  • Family structures: household composition, kinship patterns, inheritance.

  • Role of women: matrilineal or matrifocal aspects in various societies; leadership and economic roles.

  • Secret societies: social and political functions (rituals, governance, protection, social order).

  • Role of class and slavery: social stratification, slave status, and transformation under transatlantic slavery.

  • Religion: Islam and indigenous religious practices coexisting and interacting; conversion and syncretism.

  • Art and music: traditional instruments; call-and-response patterns; rhythmic and melodic structures.

  • Storytelling: griots (oral historians) and West African prose; the transmission of memory and history.

  • Technology: ironworking; textile production; architecture; rice cultivation technologies.

  • These elements collectively shaped African American cultural foundations in the United States through centuries of diaspora.

Connections to Broader Scholarship and Relevance

  • The material connects foundational geography, climate, and environmental constraints to the development of civilizations and trade networks in West Africa.

  • The evolution of empires (Ghana, Mali, Songhai) demonstrates how religion (Islam), commerce (gold, salt, slaves), and scholarship (Timbuktu) intersected with politics and identity.

  • The study of human origins situates African historical trajectories at the center of human evolution debates (Out of Africa, multiregional models, African Eve), highlighting Africa’s centrality to human history.

  • The transatlantic slave trade section links African civilizations to the Americas, illustrating the global consequences of forced migration and the cultural legacies that persist in African American communities.

  • Ethnography of West African societies and diaspora connections fosters understanding of roots, resilience, and continuity in Black culture across continents.

Ethical, Philosophical, and Practical Implications

  • Ethical reflection on the impact of the transatlantic slave trade on Africa and the Americas, including intergenerational trauma, cultural transformation, and economic exploitation.

  • Philosophical questions about identity, memory, and the dynamics of empire, religion, and trade.

  • Practical relevance for the study of African American history: tracing origins, migrations, and cultural continuities helps contextualize modern social, political, and cultural issues.

Notable Numerical References and Formulas

  • Area of Africa: 11.7extmillionsquaremilesext(30.37millionsquarekilometers)11.7 ext{ million square miles} ext{ (30.37 million square kilometers)}

  • Population: 1.2imes109extpeople1.2 imes 10^9 ext{ people}

  • Gold/Mansa Musa pilgrimage data: 60,000extpeople, 12exttonsofgold, 80extcamels60{,}000 ext{ people},\, 12 ext{ tons of gold},\ 80 ext{ camels}

  • Time spans:

    • Ghana and Mali empires span roughly from late antiquity through medieval periods (Ghana rise by early centuries, Mali 1230–1468, Songhai 1464–1591)

    • Transatlantic slave trade: 1650extto18601650 ext{ to } 1860 (with total enslaved estimates around 1.0imes107extto1.5imes1071.0 imes 10^7 ext{ to } 1.5 imes 10^7)

    • Human origins fossil records: Taung Child extabout2.8imes106extyearsagoext{about } 2.8 imes 10^6 ext{ years ago}; Lucy 3.2imes106extyearsago3.2 imes 10^6 ext{ years ago}; Ardi 4.4imes106extyearsago4.4 imes 10^6 ext{ years ago}

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