10th Grade World History

AFRICAN KINGDOMS

I. AFRICAN GEOGRAPHY

A. Sahara- largest desert in the world located

B. Savanna- grassland, largest feature

C. Rainforest around equator

II. Impact of Geography

A. Few good lands for farming

B. Pastoralist lifestyle

C. Few written accounts

E. Trans-Saharan Trade Route- Trade and cultural

diffusion between North and West Africa across Sahara

III. MAJOR KINGDOMS

A. Axum- Christian kingdom

B. Great Zimbabwe

C. Ghana (300-1230) West Africa, exported gold,

imported salt

D. Mali (1230- 1400) Replaced Ghana, Muslim

1. Mansa Musa doubled size of empire, Hajj (inflation)

IV. SLAVE TRADE

A. All early civilizations

had slavery: From war,

tribute, debt, or

offspring

B. Arab Muslims

(Islamic Empires) first

non-Africans to trade

for slaves

C. Europeans were

later a new market for

African slaves