Lesson 1 Rise of African Civilizations
How many geographic zones exist in Africa?
5
True or False: African rulers would host meetings to allow common people to share any complaints.
TRUE
True or False: Most people in African society lived in URBAN communities.
FALSE: They lived in RURAL communities.
Largest trading center in West Africa
Djenne-Jeno
Define GRIOTS.
Storytellers
Scientists believe that the first humans appeared in Africa between ____________ and _____________ years ago.
150,000 and 200,000 years ago
True or False: Ghana and Mali favored weak central governments.
FALSE
People in Africa often lived as ______________ (EXTENDED/NUCLEAR) families.
People in Africa often lived as EXTENDED families.
Mali doubled in size under the reign of
Mansa Musa
Islam was brought into West Africa by _________ and ___________ traders.
Berber and Arab traders
What were Africa's first two civilizations? (Hint: This is the first-ever civilizations, prior to the development of structured societies - the people in these civilizations were hunter-gatherers)
Egypt and Kush
List three ways African people showed respect when visiting the ruler/king.
- poured dust on their heads
- fell to the ground
- bowed
Extended families were part of a larger societal group. What were these groups called and what did it mean to be part of one?
Extended families were part of larger societal groups called LINEAGE GROUPS. Members of a lineage group could trace their family histories to a common ancestor.
Which king is credited for the rise of Mali? What does his name mean?
SUNDIATA KEITA, THE LION PRINCE
Which city-state conquered Ghana?
Mali
What were the two major river systems in Africa?
Niger River and Nile River
How did African rulers assert authority / dominance over their rivals?
They would appoint the sons of their rival lords as part of their royal court.
Who were the Bantu? What is one example of their present-day impact?
The BANTU were migrants from West Africa who migrated to East and South Africa. Today, about 220 million African people speak BANTU languages.
Until what age were children in Africa raised by their mothers?
SIX
Define MATRILINEAL.
AXUM > GHANA > MALI > SONGHAI > ZIMBABWE
What were three responsibilities that African rulers had in states like Ghana and Mali?
- settle disputes
- control trade
- defended the empire
Who took the first Africans to be part of the slave trade that later impacted millions? How many of them were there?
The first Africans to be a part of the slave trade were 12 captives taken by the Portuguese.
Explain the National Honor of the Trousers. Which king created this honor, who was it for, and why was it significant.
After the death of Mansa Musa, Mali became weak. Which smaller state broke away from the rule of Mali and went on to become the largest empire in West Africa?
SONGHAI