AFRICAN CIVILIZATIONS

The continent of Africa is three times bigger than the United States. This vast landmass provides a varied
landscape of forests, river valleys, deserts and grasslands. Over the centuries, many different peoples and
cultures have made Africa their home. Indeed, it is believed by many archeologists that Africa is the
birthplace of the human race. Early African peoples did not usually leave a written record. Instead, they
passed on their histories through oral traditions and stories.

This lack of written histories has made the task of studying these peoples more difficult. Archeologists have
had to learn as much as they can by collecting these oral traditions and by studying ancient artifacts.
Nubia

The first civilization to appear in northern Africa was that of the Nubians. The Nubians lived in villages
along the Nile River just south of Egypt around 3000 B.C. The fertile soils and endless fresh water from
the Nile made Nubia the perfect location to build a city. The city they built was one of the most sophisticated
of the time. Nubian kings, noblemen, and merchants grew wealthy through trade with Egypt and other
peoples. Elaborate Nubian tombs have been found, showing that the kings of the time were as wealthy as
the Egyptian kings of the same era.

The Kingdom of Kush

After a thousand years Nubia gradually evolved, becoming larger and more powerful. By 2000 B.C., Nubia
was known as the Kingdom of Kush. The people of this kingdom traded ivory and other treasures from
southern Africa with the peoples who lived further north.

Around 1500 B.C., Egyptian leaders sent armies in to overpower Kush. For nearly 500 years, Kush would
be controlled by the Egyptians, and would be forced to pay the Pharaoh a tribute. Eventually, however,
around 1000 B.C., Kush was able to turn the tables, winning their freedom from Egypt. Then, in 724 B.C.,
led by a Kushite king named Piankhi, a large and well trained Kushite army was able to invade Egypt and
control it.

In 671 B.C., the Assyrians, who had superior weaponry, were able to run the Kushites out of Egypt, and
rule it for themselves. The Assyrians used iron weapons, which were harder and more powerful than the
bronze weapons that the Kushites used.

After leaving Egypt and returning to their original borders, the Kingdom of Kush entered a golden age. For
the next 150 years, the Kushites grew wealthy. They were able to build large comfortable homes, and plan
beautiful cities. This golden age was, however, brought to an end by a people known as the Axums, who
invaded around 500 B.C. from the East.

Axum
The Axums controlled a territory along the Red Sea that allowed them to prosper from trade. After defeating
the Kingdom of Kush, Axum was able to control trade into and out of much of Africa. Cargo ships from
Rome, India, Persia, and Egypt brought goods in, and took ivory and other goods out to the rest of the
known world.

Around 330 A.D., the king of Axum was converted to Christianity by a pair of shipwrecked missionaries.
This king declared that Christianity was to be the official religion of the nation.
The Christian nation of Axum thrived until the A.D. 600s when Muslim raiders and bandits began seizing
Axum goods and territory. Unable to adequately fight back, the Kingdom of Axum became smaller and
less influential. Gradually, the people of Axum began calling their kingdom Ethiopia.
The People of Nok

Around 700 B.C., a small civilization emerged in the Niger River Valley known as the Nok People
civilization. Very little is known about this people or about their culture. They were not as wealthy as the
kingdoms of the North. They led a quiet life of farming and family. The few artifacts that have been found
show that they used iron tools to plow and farm the land.

The Bantu Peoples

Around 1000 B.C., much of Africa was covered in small villages of primitive peoples who shared languages
that were similar to one another. Because the languages they shared are known as Bantu, these people are
referred to as the Bantu peoples.

The Bantus lived in small villages that were governed by a chief, council, or by elders. These villages were
typically made up of extended families, but marriage among people of different villages was common.

The locations of Bantu villages was temporary. They tended to remain in one location until the resources
in that area were exhausted. As life became more difficult, or the ground less fertile, they would move on
to a new location.

The Kingdom of Ghana

Around 300 A.D., a new and powerful kingdom emerged in West Africa. This kingdom was known as
Ghana. Between 300 and 1200 A.D., Ghana controlled the export of salt and gold. They were also able to
prosper from the collection of taxes on the many merchant caravans that traveled through their territory as
they brought goods from one area to another.

Ghana controlled a vast area of over 100,000 square miles. A Ghanan king was referred to as the Ghana,
just like a Egyptian king was referred to as the Pharaoh.

The Kingdom of Mali

Around 1200 A.D., a small city-state controlled by Ghana was able to win its independence. This city-state
was named Mali. During the 1300s A.D., Mali expanded its territory and influence. By the late 1300s A.D.,
Mali controlled all of the former Kingdom of Ghana as well as much of the territory around it.

This new kingdom faced many threats from both its neighbors as well as the people they had conquered.
By the mid 1500s A.D., the peoples they had conquered began to rebel against their control. At the same
time, attacks from outside forces weakened the armies of Mali, causing the kingdom to split into several
smaller city-states.

The Kingdom of Songhai

Around 1400 A.D., a strong military leader by the name of Sunni Ali led his forces in a succession of battle
victories. Through these victories, Sunni Ali conquered much of the former Kingdoms of Ghana and Mali.

Upon his death, Sunni Ali left rule of his kingdom to his son. Sunni Ali was Muslim, but his son was not.
The people rebelled against their new non-muslim king, and instead installed their own king, a man named
Askia Muhammad.

In 1528 A.D., Muhammad was overthrown by his son. Following this event, the Kingdom of Songhai
entered a period of war and decline. This war weakened the kingdom so that by 1589 A.D. they were unable
to defend themselves against invading armies from Morocco.