Sub-Saharan Africa by Emma Kimball

Ethiopia

emmak43 — 2023-11-03 16:24:20 UTC

Political system: Ruled by a monarch with centered on christianity.

Economic system: Economy based on trade of gold, ivory, and frankincense across the Sahara Desert and overseas.

Major Societies in Africa

emmak43 — 2023-11-03 16:25:19 UTC

Songhai: Greatest university for learning ideas of Astronomy, medicine, mathematics

• Kongo: Kingdom located in West-Central Africa, created trade with Portugal

• Asante: Located in West Africa, traded with Portugal with gold and slaves

• Zulu: Located in Southern Africa. Led by warrior Shaka, British Empire took them over

• Ethiopia: Traded with Portugal and other Europeans for weapons and maintained independence from Europeans

Geographical Features of Africa

emmak43 — 2023-11-03 16:25:24 UTC

Sahara Desert: World's Largest
Africa Desert
Niger River: Main river of Western Africa, moves through the countries of Niger and Mali
Congo River: Second largest river in Africa behind the Nile
Horn of Africa: Part of
Northeastern Africa includes the countries of Somalia and Southeastern Ethiopia
Cape of Good Hope: Located in the South Africa named after explorer Bartholomew Dias

Social and Cultural West Africa

emmak43 — 2023-11-03 16:25:28 UTC

Songhai: while Islam was practiced by rulers, most people remained loyal to their indigenous religions. Because of trade relationships with foreign nations an empires, Songhai was a cultural center of Africa, including cities like Timbuktu

Asante (Ashanti):

Practice of indigenous religion and use of indigenous language
Threats from European invasion and other African empires created a militaristic society

Social and Cultural East Africa

emmak43 — 2023-11-03 16:25:32 UTC

Ethiopia

Influence of Christionity,
Judaism, and Islam through trade
Differences in religion and European interaction caused conflict

Social and Cultural Patterns in Central and Southern Africa

emmak43 — 2023-11-03 16:25:36 UTC

Kongo

Portuguese missionaries were successful in converting rulers to christianity, resulting in the conversion of the entire kingdom.

The art of the kongo was elaborate, using wood, cloth, and terra-cotta

Zulu

Practice of indigenous religion, characterized by ancestral spirits and the use of magic occurred.
History passed through oral traditions in the indigenous language
History passed through oral traditons in the indigenous language

Songhai

emmak43 — 2023-11-03 16:25:41 UTC

Political System: The government took the form of an absolute monarchy headed by a sovereign who served as head of state, commander of the armed forces, and head of government
Economic System: The primary sources of the Songhai Empire's wealth continued to be agricultural production centered on the Niger floodplain and taxes on trade goods, especially gold and salt, both of which had also been key to the economy of the Mali Empire.

Kongo

emmak43 — 2023-11-03 16:25:44 UTC

Political system: Ruled by a monarch with centralized power a bureaucracy.

Economic system: Economy based on agriculture, metallurgy, and trees of ivory and slaves.

Asante

emmak43 — 2023-11-03 16:25:48 UTC

Political system: Elimination of clan tradition in favor of a unified government under a central leader.

Economic system: Economy based on trade of gold and slaves to north Africa across the Sahara Desert and overseas.

Zulu

emmak43 — 2023-11-03 16:25:54 UTC

Political system: Ruled by a monarch with centralized power over a bureaucracy.
Economic system: Economy based entirely on agriculture and livestock