Chapter 4: North and West Africa 1000 B.C. - A.D. 1500 PDF

CHAPTER 4 North and West Africa 1000 B.C. – A.D. 1500 © 2025 Cengage Learning, Inc. “National Geographic”, “National Geographic Society” and the Yellow Border Design are registered trademarks of the National Geographic Society ® Marcas Registradas 1 Lesson 1 ©...

CHAPTER 4 North and West Africa 1000 B.C. – A.D. 1500 © 2025 Cengage Learning, Inc. “National Geographic”, “National Geographic Society” and the Yellow Border Design are registered trademarks of the National Geographic Society ® Marcas Registradas 1 Lesson 1 © 2025 Cengage Learning, Inc. “National Geographic”, “National Geographic Society” and the Yellow Border Design are registered trademarks of the National Geographic Society ® Marcas Registradas 2  Chapter 4: 1.1 A Vast and Varied Land 1 of 2 ❖ The Largest Desert In the World The Sahara is the largest desert in the world. Covers over 3.5 million square miles. One of the hottest and driest places on Earth. Two mountain ranges, the Ahaggar and Tibesti, rise in the Sahara’s interior. For thousands of years, the Sahara was almost impossible to cross, so the people of North Africa developed independently from those living on the rest of the continent. © 2025 Cengage Learning, Inc. “National Geographic”, “National Geographic Society” and the Yellow Border Design are registered trademarks of the National Geographic Society ® Marcas Registradas 3  Chapter 4: 1.1 A Vast and Varied Land 2 of 2 ❖ The Green Sahara The Sahara was not always a desert. Fossils of fish and rock paintings of lakes, forests, and herds of cattle are evidence of this. An ocean full of fish and whales 30 million years ago. A savanna, or lush tropical grasslands, developed when the seas drained over time. The Sahara was green, and people farmed and lived there, herding cattle. Around 5300 B.C., the rains shifted southward causing the lakes, rivers, and grasslands to dry up. Rain became scarce, and temperatures soared. Desertification, or the process of the soil drying, baking, and becoming unproductive, created the desert that exists today. People started migrating to better land with steady water supplies. © 2025 Cengage Learning, Inc. “National Geographic”, “National Geographic Society” and the Yellow Border Design are registered trademarks of the National Geographic Society ® Marcas Registradas 4  Chapter 4: 1.2 Trans-Saharan Trade 1 of 3 ❖ Berber Traders Trade in North Africa began with the people native to the region, the Berbers. Around 800 B.C., Phoenicians and Greeks arrived in North Africa and founded cities on the coast, in order to trade with Spain Many clashes between Berbers and foreign rulers; however, trade relationships developed between the people of the desert and the people of the North African coast. Berbers transported enslaved people, salt, semiprecious stones, and other goods for the Mediterranean market. Berbers received food, cloth, horses, weapons and other goods in exchange for their transportation of items to market. Today, some Berbers live in urban areas and have lost touch with their traditions. Others live as they have for centuries in the Atlas Mountains of North Africa. © 2025 Cengage Learning, Inc. “National Geographic”, “National Geographic Society” and the Yellow @ Cengage Learning, Inc.Design are registered trademarks of the National Geographic Society ® Marcas Registradas Border 5  Chapter 4: 1.2 Trans-Saharan Trade 2 of 3 A Difficult Passage Taking goods across the desert was difficult and dangerous. Introduction of camels around A.D. 300 transformed trade. Camels could carry heavy loads over long distances with little need for food and water. Many merchants traveled in groups or caravans and most often at night. Merchants did not travel across the entire Sahara they exchanged goods at an oasis with other merchants who would take goods to the next oasis. Oases grew into towns and cities that became large centers of trade. Dangers of caravan travel were great from the possibility of dying, getting lost or caught in a sandstorm or attacked by desert nomads. © 2025 Cengage Learning, Inc. “National Geographic”, “National Geographic Society” and the Yellow Border Design are registered trademarks of the National Geographic Society ® Marcas Registradas 6 Chapter 4: 1.2 Trans-Saharan Trade 3 of 3 North and West African Trade Routes, A.D. 800–1500 © 2025 Cengage Learning, Inc. “National Geographic”, “National Geographic Society” and the Yellow Border Design are registered trademarks of the National Geographic Society ® Marcas Registradas 7  Chapter 4: 1.3 Gold, Salt, and Enslaved People 1 of 2 ❖ Precious Resources Two of Africa’s most valuable commodities, or trade goods, were gold and salt. They were traded for hundreds of years. Western Sudan was especially rich in gold deposits. Gold crossed the Sahara to Europe and Asia and helped in the flow of silk from China and spices from India. Salt was worth almost as much as gold. It was used to preserve meat and other foods before refrigeration. The scarcity, or small supply, of salt made it valuable. When the shallow sea that is now the Sahara dried up, large salt deposits were left. Laborers extracted 200-pound slabs of salt and carved them into blocks. Camels carried salt blocks hundreds of miles to be traded for large profits. © 2025 Cengage Learning, Inc. “National Geographic”, “National Geographic Society” and the Yellow Border Design are registered trademarks of the National Geographic Society ® Marcas Registradas 8  Chapter 4: 1.3 Gold, Salt, and Enslaved People 2 of 2 ❖ African Slave Trade Labor for mining gold and salt came from enslaved people. In the 1500s, the trading of enslaved people was a harsh and awful business. Captives were chained together and forced to march across the desert. Many died during the journey. Survivors were traded for goods, especially horses, which cost a large number of captives. Some enslaved people were sold for labor. Others were likely to become domestic servants, soldiers, artisans, or even important government officials. Enslaved people were taken from their families, treated cruelly, and had little hope of ever returning home. This was a brutal part of Africa’s history. © 2025 Cengage Learning, Inc. “National Geographic”, “National Geographic Society” and the Yellow Border Design are registered trademarks of the National Geographic Society ® Marcas Registradas 9  Chapter 4: 1.4 Islam Spreads to Africa 1 of 2 ❖ Conquest and Trade By 642, Arab armies had conquered Egypt. In time, most North Africans were Muslim. ◆ During the 1000s the Almoravids and Almohads founded Berber dynasties that united northwestern Africa. Arab invasions of North Africa greatly expanded trans-Saharan trade with West Africa. Camel caravans allowed Berber merchants to carry their goods and religion across the Sahara. West African merchants saw a trading advantage and converted to Islam. By 1500, Islam had spread across North and West Africa, and along the coast of East Africa. © 2025 Cengage Learning, Inc. “National Geographic”, “National Geographic Society” and the Yellow Border Design are registered trademarks of the National Geographic Society ® Marcas Registradas 10  Chapter 4: 1.4 Islam Spreads to Africa 2 of 2 ❖ The Impact of Islam Traditional mosque architecture was adapted to Africa’s climate and materials. Mud and even salt blocks were used to create impressive buildings like the mud-built mosque in Djenné. Builders designed rectangular mud-brick houses that had flat roofs. Arabic language spread, and literacy increased through the teaching of the Qur’an. Cities like Timbuktu and Djenné became famous centers for Muslim art, literature, and science. Scholars in Timbuktu wrote down teachings in many fields such as astronomy, medicine, law, and mathematics. © 2025 Cengage Learning, Inc. “National Geographic”, “National Geographic Society” and the Yellow Border Design are registered trademarks of the National Geographic Society ® Marcas Registradas 11 © 2025 Cengage Learning, Inc. “National Geographic”, “National Geographic Society” and the Yellow Border Design are registered trademarks of the National Geographic Society ® Marcas Registradas 12  Discussion Questions What role do cultural resources and heritage sites play in modern day life? What responsibility do individuals have to maintain cultural resources and heritage sites? © 2025 Cengage Learning, Inc. “National Geographic”, “National Geographic Society” and the Yellow Border Design are registered trademarks of the National Geographic Society ® Marcas Registradas 13 © 2025 Cengage Learning, Inc. “National Geographic”, “National Geographic Society” and the Yellow Border Design are registered trademarks of the National Geographic Society ® Marcas Registradas 14  Discussion Questions How did Timbuktu’s location make it a target for conquerors? Why do you think the texts were in such high demand? What threat did the scholars and their libraries pose for the Moroccan king? © 2025 Cengage Learning, Inc. “National Geographic”, “National Geographic Society” and the Yellow Border Design are registered trademarks of the National Geographic Society ® Marcas Registradas 15 Lesson 2 © 2025 Cengage Learning, Inc. “National Geographic”, “National Geographic Society” and the Yellow Border Design are registered trademarks of the National Geographic Society ® Marcas Registradas 16  Chapter 4: 2.1 Nok Culture and Iron Technology 1 of 2 ❖ The Nok West Africa is part of Sub-Saharan Africa, which stretches south of the Sahara to the southern tip of the continent. The Nok people settled in what is now the country of Nigeria. The Nok people were the first in West Africa to make tools from iron, a metal found in rock. Nok artists also used terra cotta, or fired baked clay, to create unusual sculptures of humans. ◆ These sculptures have elaborate hairstyles, triangular eyes, oversize features and exaggerated expressions. ◆ For centuries, this style greatly influenced West African art. © 2025 Cengage Learning, Inc. “National Geographic”, “National Geographic Society” and the Yellow Border Design are registered trademarks of the National Geographic Society ® Marcas Registradas 17  Chapter 4: 2.1 Nok Culture and Iron Technology 1 of 2 ❖ Africa’s Iron Age The Iron Age was the period during which the use of superior iron tools and weapons began and spread. The Nok were most likely the first sub-Saharan people to smelt iron. ◆ Smelting is the process used to extract iron from a type of rock known as iron ore. They developed a process to melt the iron and poured the liquid iron into stone molds to make strong iron tools and weapons. The Nok used iron axes, picks, and hoes to clear large areas of land for farming. At its peak, Nok culture covered about 350,000 square miles. The culture declined after about A.D. 200 as a result of deforestation damaging the ecosystem and overuse leaving the soil infertile. © 2025 Cengage Learning, Inc. “National Geographic”, “National Geographic Society” and the Yellow Border Design are registered trademarks of the National Geographic Society ® Marcas Registradas 18 © 2025 Cengage Learning, Inc. “National Geographic”, “National Geographic Society” and the Yellow Border Design are registered trademarks of the National Geographic Society ® Marcas Registradas 19 Chapter 4: 2.2 The Kingdom of Ghana 1 of 2 ❖ The Kingdom of Gold An area south of the Sahara consisted of grasslands that were ideal for agriculture. Iron tools helped farmers grow more food, which fed more people and led to an increase in population. Villages banded together and formed the kingdom of Ghana. Ghana’s capital was halfway between Africa’s main sources of salt and gold, which made the traders ideal middlemen for trans-Saharan trade. The trade brought much wealth and power. Ghana’s kings made money by taxing salt and other goods as they entered and departed Ghana. Gold was controlled by the kings and only gold dust could be traded, which kept gold prices high. © 2025 Cengage Learning, Inc. “National Geographic”, “National Geographic Society” and the Yellow Border Design are registered trademarks of the National Geographic Society ® Marcas Registradas 20 Chapter 4: 2.2 The Kingdom of Ghana 2 of 2 ❖ The Coming of Islam In the 700s, Arab traders brought Islam, Islamic laws, and the Arabic language to West Africa. Around 1050, the Almoravids tried to force the leaders of Ghana to become Muslims. Ghana’s soil was worn out and could no longer support the population. In the 1200s, the traders and farmers were migrating to richer lands to the south and west, ending the kingdom of Ghana. Ghana’s gold played a major role in the development of trade and civilization in West Africa. © 2025 Cengage Learning, Inc. “National Geographic”, “National Geographic Society” and the Yellow Border Design are registered trademarks of the National Geographic Society ® Marcas Registradas 21  Chapter 4: 2.3 The Empire of Mali 1 of 2 ❖ The Emergence of Mali With the decline of Ghana, a new power arose—the empire of Mali. Mali built its wealth on gold but also had achievements in culture and the arts. Much of Mali was a savanna. It received plenty of rain, so farmers could grow rice, millet, and other grains, which led to surpluses. The surpluses allowed Mali to trade, acquire art, and construct impressive buildings. © 2025 Cengage Learning, Inc. “National Geographic”, “National Geographic Society” and the Yellow Border Design are registered trademarks of the National Geographic Society ® Marcas Registradas 22  Chapter 4: 2.3 The Empire of Mali 2 of 2 ❖ Mali’s Great Leaders Mali had some very strong leaders. Sundiata Keita brought peace and tolerance, as well as law and order, to his lands. He became quite rich by taxing trade. Mansa Musa introduced Mali to the world and became mansa, or king. Musa enlarged the empire and controlled much of the trans-Saharan trade. Kings paid him tribute and merchants paid him taxes. Also, he owned all of Mali’s gold. Musa provided strong support for the arts, learning, and Islam. ◆ He encouraged Timbuktu to develop as a center of Islamic learning. Musa ruled his vast empire, but his successors were weak, causing Mali to shrink as kingdoms broke off and Berber nomads captured Timbuktu. © 2025 Cengage Learning, Inc. “National Geographic”, “National Geographic Society” and the Yellow Border Design are registered trademarks of the National Geographic Society ® Marcas Registradas 23  Chapter 4: 2.4 The Oral Tradition 1 of 2 ❖ Oral History Africans passed on histories orally, a method known as oral tradition. This allowed history, culture, and social values to be passed from one generation to the next. Griots were a special class of storyteller that spent years memorizing family trees and learning stories. Griots told their stories at public ceremonies. They told stories about their ancestors and the exploits of kings. Much of what is known about African history has been passed down through oral history. It was not until the early 1900s that scholars started writing down the stories. © 2025 Cengage Learning, Inc. “National Geographic”, “National Geographic Society” and the Yellow @ Cengage Learning, Inc.Design are registered trademarks of the National Geographic Society ® Marcas Registradas Border 24  Chapter 4: 2.4 The Oral Tradition 2 of 2 ❖ Griot Tradition Griots were highly respected and carried out many different roles, such as historians, educators, advisors, and genealogists. Griots were able to captivate their audiences and often played drums or stringed instruments. Some griots wore costumes and masks, and actors and dancers sometimes interpreted the action of the stories being told, helping to make them memorable. In West Africa, the griot tradition is still alive. Griots are treated like rock stars and have heavily influenced modern West African music. © 2025 Cengage Learning, Inc. “National Geographic”, “National Geographic Society” and the Yellow Border Design are registered trademarks of the National Geographic Society ® Marcas Registradas 25  Chapter 4: 2.5 Document-Based Question: Trans-Saharan Travelers ❖ Document-Based Question Written accounts of early Africa have come from Muslim sources. The accounts have been written by people who were actually there and offer insights into early Africa and its place in the world. Document One Primary Source: Historical Account from Al-Umari’s account of Mansa Musa’s visit to Cairo in 1324 Document Two Primary Source: Atlas from the Catalan Atlas, c. 1375 © 2025 Cengage Learning, Inc. “National Geographic”, “National Geographic Society” and the Yellow Border Design are registered trademarks of the National Geographic Society ® Marcas Registradas 26