African Civilizations

•

Variety of climate zones from
tropical to desert

•

Many rivers connect the interior & help the movement of goods & people.

•

Filled with natural resources:
salt, gold, iron, copper

• Also spelled Aksum ,

powerful East
African Empire from
350-600

• Converted to

Christianity and then
to Islam

•

Controlled trade among Africa, India,
& the Mediterranean

•

Use sailing ships called dhows to
expand trade in the Red Sea & Indian
Ocean

•

Trade ivory, tortoise shells, gold,
emeralds, silk & spices

•

Thrived from 800 to 1100’s

•

Islam introduced by Muslim merchants

•

The King collected taxes from
controlling the Gold-Salt Trade

• Thrived in

Southern
Africa
from 700
to 1450

• Society based on farming and

trading gold & ivory

• Great Zimbabwe is the seat of power

and home to the monarch

•

Flourished from
1200-1500

•

Took control of
Trans-Saharan Trade
routes

•

Visited by the great
explorer
Ibn Battuta

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• Led by Mansa Musa

• Made a massive

pilgrimage to Mecca

• Gave away gold along

his entire route

• Brought back scholars &

artists

•

Mali’s city of Timbuktu becomes
a center for trade & learning

•

Islamic university,
established as a scholarly
center for Africa

•

The city was forbidden to
foreigners

• Reached its

height from
1450-1600

• Conquered the

Mali Empire

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•

Continue the
Gold-Salt Trade

•

Make Gao their capital but
Timbuktu remains
a learning center

•

Succession problems
bring civil war and invaders

1.
What brought wealth
to these empires?

2.
What did they have in
common?

3.
What problems did
these empires face?
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