Changes

In eastern Africa, the Arabic language was influential.  When the Bantu language collided with Arabic, the result was the Swahili for the peoples of east Africa.

In eastern Africa, the Arabic language was influential.  When the Bantu language collided with Arabic, the result was the Swahili for the peoples of east Africa.

There was no private property in these settlements, as property was shared among the community.  Typically a family member served as the leader of each family or “kinship group” and there was no formal government.

There was no private property in these settlements, as property was shared among the community.  Typically a family member served as the leader of each family or “kinship group,” and there was no formal government.

Fruits, particularly bananas, initially imported from Southeast Asia by traders, were a major source of nutrition that helped increase the health and population.  Malay sailors brought the banana over the Indian Ocean to an island known as Madagascar, where the people still speak a language similar to that spoken in Malaysia.

Fruits, particularly bananas, initially imported from Southeast Asia by traders, were a major source of nutrition that helped increase the health and population.  Malay sailors brought the banana over the Indian Ocean to an island known as Madagascar, where the people still speak a language similar to that spoken in Malaysia.

The primary African religion was “animism”, or a belief that spirits exist in nature similar what some American Indians believe.  The religion was handed down from generation to generation not in writings, but in oral stories.  The storytellers are called “griots”.  There was a little bit of farming along the edges of the rain forests, but most of the activity was a “hunting-gathering” type.  In central Africa there was some cattle raising.

The primary African religion was “animism”, or a belief that spirits exist in nature similar what some American Indians believe.  The religion was handed down from generation to generation not in writings, but in oral stories.  The storytellers are called “griots”.  There was a little bit of farming along the edges of the rain forests, but most of the activity was a “hunting-gathering” type, in when men hunted for food rather than growing it on farms.  In central Africa there was some cattle raising.

By 700 B.C. the Bantu speakers in West Africa discovered iron smelting, and began using it to make tools and weapons.  The distribution of knowledge of that invention followed the path of the spread of the Bantu language itself through central and southern Africa.

By 700 B.C. the Bantu speakers in West Africa discovered iron smelting, and began using it to make tools and weapons.  The distribution of knowledge of that invention followed the same path as the Bantu language itself in spreading through central and southern Africa.

There was an active slave trade in Africa long before Americans began importing slaves in the early A.D. 1600s.  Muslims engaged in African slave trade across the Indian Ocean to the Far East and South Asia.  Africans captured fellow Africans and sold them into slavery, where they would work in households in faraway lands.  Typically the slaves sold to Muslim traders were from central and eastern Africa.  Slaves were the only type of private property that existed, so personal wealth depended on how many slaves one owned.

There was an active slave trade in Africa long before Americans began importing slaves in the early A.D. 1600s.  Muslims engaged in African slave trade across the Indian Ocean to the Far East and South Asia.  Africans captured fellow Africans and sold them into slavery, where they would work in households in faraway lands.  Typically the slaves sold to Muslim traders were from central and eastern Africa.  Slaves were the only type of private property that existed, so personal wealth depended on how many slaves one owned.

The term “age grade” refers to how people around the same age would gather in African tribes to perform work or share stories.  Both men and women shared in farming work.

The term “age grade” refers to how people around the same age would gather in African tribes to perform work or share stories.  Both men and women shared in any farming work.

There were several empires in Africa.  In West Africa, the kingdoms thrived based on transporting and trading gold and salt across the Saharan desert.  Once the Berbers discovered how to use camels to take them across the desert in the A.D. 200s, trade across the desert began.  Ironically, salt became so important to preserving food and promoting health that it became almost as valuable as gold!  These empires in West Africa raised money by taxing the goods as they passed through their empires.  Islam was popular in West Africa and children were taught to read the Qu’ran in Arabic.

There were several empires in Africa.  In West Africa, the kingdoms thrived based on transporting and trading gold and salt across the Saharan desert.  Once the Berbers discovered how to use camels to take them across the desert in the A.D. 200s, trade across the desert began.  Ironically, salt became so important to preserving food and promoting health that it became almost as valuable as gold!  These empires in West Africa raised money by taxing the goods as they passed through their empires.  Islam was popular in West Africa and children were taught to read the Qu’ran in Arabic.

The Kingdom of Kongo was a Bantu-speaking society that lasted from sometime after A.D. 1000 to the 1500s.  It consisted of present-day Congo and Angola.  It declined once the Portugese explored and invaded the east coast of Africa in the mid-1500s, and introduced the Catholic religion to the Kongo.   

The Kingdom of Kongo was a Bantu-speaking society that lasted from sometime after A.D. 1000, to the A.D. 1500s.  It consisted of present-day Congo and Angola.  It declined once the Portuguese explored and invaded the east coast of Africa in the mid-1500s, and introduced the Catholic religion to the Kongo.   

The Kingdom of Aksum, located in present-day Ethiopia, traced its roots of Aksum to the migration of Arabs across the Red Sea into Africa in 1000 B.C.  It had a written language called “Ge’ez” (a Semitic languge using Arabic characters) and controlled the southwestern portion of the Arabian Peninsula.  The peak of its power was under the strong ruler named Ezrana in A.D. 325-360.  Ezrana conquered Kush and destroyed the city of Meroe.  He also converted to Christianity and a Coptic Church formed in the Aksum kingdom.  Aksum developed a coin currency and a unique architectural style called a “stele”, which consisted of large stone pillars.  But in A.D. 710, the Muslims conquered Aksum and destroyed its big trading city known as Adulis.

The Kingdom of Aksum, located in present-day Ethiopia, traced its roots of Aksum to the migration of Arabs across the Red Sea into Africa in 1000 B.C.  It had a written language called “Ge’ez” (a Semitic languge using Arabic characters) and controlled the southwestern portion of the Arabian Peninsula.  The peak of its power was under the strong ruler named Ezrana in A.D. 325-360.  Ezrana conquered Kush and destroyed the city of Meroe.  He also converted to Christianity and a Coptic Church formed in the Aksum kingdom.  Aksum developed a coin currency and a unique architectural style called a “stele”, which consisted of large stone pillars.  But in A.D. 710, the Muslims conquered Aksum and destroyed its big trading city known as Adulis.