AfricaWildly Beautiful

Geography Savannas-vast

stretches of grasslands

Tropical rain forests- receive over 100 inches of rain a year and include areas of jungle

Jungles- dense tangles of plants and trees that grow wherever sunlight reaches

Lakes Lake Chad Lake Victoria-

the source of the Nile in northern Uganda

Bantu Bantu originated

in west-central Sub-Saharan Africa

Linguists have determined the migration of Sub-Saharan people by following the growth of Bantu

Power of Words

The history and culture of Africa has been discovered through oral traditions.

Storytelling, poems, and songs passed by word of mouth.

Kush and Kush and AksumAksum

Kingdoms of AfricaKingdoms of Africa

Kingdom of the Nile

Kush was located in the Egyptian region called Nubia

Culture very close to Egyptian

Major trading center from Red Sea to the Nile

Gold, ivory, ebony, and ostrich feathers

1600 B.C., Karmah emerged on the Nile

Nubian roots may be tied to Karmah

Kush Is Annexed

Kush became a distinct kingdom

1520 B.C., Egyptian rulers brought Nubia and Kush under their control for 500 years

Between 1100 B.C. and 1000 B.C. Egypt and Kush were less involved with each other

710 B.C.-Kush conquered Upper Egypt and ruled for 50 years

Weak, but still holding on…

Kush attacked by Assyrians

Defeated by Egyptian force

Reorganized the military and fought back

New age in culture and economy emerged

Meroë became new capital

Many diverse cultural influences

Believed in Greek gods

Aksum Takes Over the Hood

Aksum took over the weakening kingdom of Kush

Located in Ethiopian Highlands

Thriving by A.D. 100’s based on ivory

King ‘Ezānā conquered the remains of Kush

Aksum Prospers

Aksum prospered under King ‘Ezānā

Taxes collected, coins minted

Converted Aksum to Christianity

Christianity grew throughout the eastern region of Africa

Like Constantine in Rome

Foundations for the thriving Ethiopian Church

Nothing Lasts Forever

A.D. 300 to 600, Aksum was greatest trading kingdom in eastern Africa

Erosion from excessive land use caused land to become ruined

By A.D. 700, the Persians gained control of trade on both sides of the Red Sea