Download Kingdoms of Ancient Africa

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Egyptians, Kush and Axum

The earliest civilization in Africa
History
 People settle next to the Nile
between 10 - 7000BC
 Upper (south, upriver) and Lower
(north, downriver) Egypt develop

Egyptian civilization begins
around 3000BC when Menes
unites Upper and Lower Egypt

End of ancient Egypt occurs
with Roman conquest after
death of Cleopatra in 27BC.


The Nile – life centered on the yearly flooding
of this river
Cycle of Inundation, Emergence, and
Drought
 While flood occurred, farmers helped to construct
pharaoh’s building projects
 After waters recede, farmers plant and harvest
crops

**Good flood and harvest = stability

Ruled by the
Pharaoh – owned all
the land, issued and
collected taxes
 Was considered a
god, then a
representative of god

Society structured
according to classes
 Viziers, governors,
scribes, artisans,
farmers/laborers,
slaves
Polytheistic –
worshipped and believed
in many gods
 Amon Re, the Sun God,
was most important

 Many other gods
▪ Osiris, god of the underworld.

Belief in afterlife Elaborate burial rituals
included pyramids
Egyptian belief in how the dead would be
judged.

“Sacred writing”; Picture form
of writing developed by the
Egyptians
 May have been the first form of
writing (ca. 3200BC)

Over 2000 characters; ignored
or omitted vowels
 Pronunciation was key

Often written on the walls of
temples or on papyrus
 Cartouche – a “name tag”,
believed to protect the name of
the pharaoh
Kush and Axum

Located south of Egypt
 Conquered Egypt in 750 BC
for a short time
 Influenced by Egyptian
writing and religion


Built capital at Meroe
Achievements
 Iron tools and weapons
 Traded with many parts of
Mediterranean

By AD 200, Kush
collapsed

Located south of
Kush (Ethiopia)
 Emerged around
time of Kush decline

King converts to
Christianity
 First Christian
nation in Africa
 Become cut off
when Islam travels
to North Africa from
Mid East

Own written
language (Ge’ez)

Stelae (stone slab carved
for certain purposes
 Probably carved around
400AD
 Markers for underground
burial chambers
“Bent
book”
bookends
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