Geography
A dry, semiarid region south of the Sahara. It is a transition zone between the desert and the savanna and often has droughts.
Sahel
Groups of people who share the same culture, language, and traditions.
The movement of Bantu-speaking people across Africa over many years. They spread farming, language, and new technologies.
Bantu Migration
The ocean along the east coast of Africa where trade routes connected Africa to Asia and the Middle East.
Indian Ocean
An ancient African kingdom in East Africa known for trade, strong rulers, and early Christianity.
Axum
A grassland region with warm temperatures, scattered trees, and both wet and dry seasons. Good for farming and grazing animals.
Savanna
Short, wise sayings that teach lessons about life and behavior.
Proverbs
Reasons why people move.
→ Push = problems that force people to leave (like drought)
→ Pull = reasons that attract people to a new place (like better land)
Push/Pull Factors
Kilwa, Zanzibar
Important East African trading city-states known for wealth and international trade.
The title given to the ruler of Axum, meaning a powerful king who ruled over other kings.
Negusa Nagast (King of Kings
A group of large lakes in East Africa, including Lake Victoria, Lake Tanganyika, and Lake Malawi.
The Great Lakes
Storytellers in West Africa who keep history alive by telling stories, songs, and traditions.
Griots
When too many animals eat grass in one area, causing the land to lose plants and become damaged.
Overgrazing
Maritime trade / Commodities
Trade over water. Commodities are goods that are bought and sold, like gold, ivory, and spices.
Axum was the capital city of the kingdom. Which was its important port used for trade?
Adulis
A large rainforest region in Central Africa. It contains the Congo River and is one of the wettest places in Africa.
Congo Basin
Simple homes made from natural materials like mud, wood, and grass, often found in villages.
Huts(think of PizzaHut：必胜客/披萨小屋)
A powerful African city and trading center known for its large stone buildings, located in southeastern Africa.
Great Zimbabwe
Seasonal winds that change direction, helping sailors travel across the Indian Ocean.
Monsoons
The use of metal coins as money, which helped Axum trade more easily with other regions.
Coinage
Two of Africa’s most important rivers. They provide water for farming, transportation, and helped early civilizations grow.
Nile & Niger Rivers
A family group that includes not just parents and children, but also grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins living together or nearby.
The spread of ideas, customs, and technologies from one group of people to another.
Cultural diffusion
Traditional sailing boats used by traders in the Indian Ocean, designed to use the monsoon winds.
Dhows
The written language used in Axum, mainly for religion and official records.
Ge'ez