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Traditions & Encounters - Chapter Three: EARLY AFRICAN SOCIETIES AND THE BANTU MIGRATIONS
Cultivation and domestication of animals transformed African cultures, like cultures in southwest Asia, into distinctive
societies with more formal states, specialized labor, and more elaborate cultural traditions. The region around the Nile River,
Egypt to the north and Nubia to the south, supported the fastest growing and most complex societies in Africa. These
societies were noted for their:
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Centralized political authority embodied in the absolute ruler the pharaoh in Egypt and the person of the King in the
region of Kush (Nubia)
Imperialist expansion in the second millennium B.C.E. as the Egyptian army pushed into Palestine, Syria, and north
Africa and south into Nubia and as the Kushites later conquered Egypt and expanded their influence to the south
Highly stratified and patriarchal societies based on an agricultural economy
Development of industries, transportation, and trade networks that facilitated economic growth and the intermingling
of cultural traditions
Writing systems: hieroglyphic, hieratic, demotic, and Coptic scripts in Egypt and the yet-to-be-translated Meroitic
inscriptions in Nubia
Organized religious traditions that include worship of Amon and Re, sun gods, the cult of Osiris, pyramid building,
and in Egypt, mummification of the dead
At the same time that Egypt and Nubia were becoming increasingly complex societies, the Bantu-speaking peoples to the
south were undertaking gradual migrations from their homeland in west central Africa and displacing or intermingling with
the foraging peoples of the forests. These migrations, and others, helped to spread both agricultural technology and, after
1000 B.C.E., iron metallurgy throughout sub-Saharan Africa.
Intro
Describe Egyptian funerary rituals.
Climatic Change and Development of Agriculture
in Africa
Section One: Early Agricultural Society in Africa
Intro – How did civilization in Nubia differ from civilization in Egypt?
Early Sudanic Agriculture – How did domestication of crops and animals in the Sudan impact the area by 5000 B.C.E?
Climatic Change – How did climate change influence social organization and agriculture in northern Africa?
The Nile River Valley – Describe what was left behind in the Nile river valley after annual floods receded?
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Egypt and Nubia: “Gifts of the Nile”
Why are Egypt and Nubia called “gifts” of the Nile?
Early Agriculture in the Nile Valley – How did climate change impact early agriculture in the Nile Valley?
Political Organization – Describe early Egyptian and Nubian states.
The Unification of Egypt
Menes – What type of government was established after Menes unified Egypt? What did Pharaohs claim to be?
The Archaic Period and the Old Kingdom – What evidence is left to suggest that the power of the Pharaohs was greatest
during these time periods?
Relations between Egypt and Nubia – Why did Egyptians have strong interests in Nubia?
The Early Kingdom of Kush – Why was the kingdom of Kush established in southern (upper) Nubia?
The Middle Kingdom – What caused the old kingdom to come to an end? How did the power of the Pharaoh differ in this
period from the Old Kingdom?
Turmoil and Empire
The Hyksos – Describe the Hyksos. Where did they come from? How were they overthrown?
The New Kingdom – Describe Egyptian society during the period of the New Kingdom.
Egyptian Imperialism – How did Egyptian Pharaohs try to prevent new invasions?
The Revived Kingdom of Kush – How were the falls of Egyptian and Mesopotamian civilization similar?
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Section Two: The Formation of Complex Societies & Sophisticated Cultural Traditions
The Emergence of Cities and Stratified Societies
Intro – Which characteristics of civilization are mentioned in this introductory paragraph?
Cities of the Nile Valley – How did Nile Valley cities compare with Mesopotamian cities? Describe the importance of Memphis
and Thebes.
Social Classes – How did social classes in Egypt compare with social classes in Mesopotamia?
Patriarchal Societies- Define patriarchal societies . Explain the role of royal Egyptian women.
Intro – Which distinct occupations arose in the Nile Valley
Economic Specialization and Trade
Bronze Metallurgy – When did Egypt finally begin outfitting their armies with
Iron Metallurgy – What allowed for large scale iron metallurgy in Africa?
Transportation – How did boats go from Upper Egypt to Lower Egypt? How did they go from Lower Egypt to Upper Egypt?
Trade Networks – Why was Egypt so dependent upon trade? What types of goods were traded between Egypt and Nubia?
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Early Writing in the Nile Valley
Hieroglyphic Writing – Where were hieroglyphics found? What were hieroglyphics used to record? What other forms of
writing were prominent in Egypt?
Education – according to “The Satire of the Trades,” why was a scribe’s life privileged?
Meroitic Writing – How did Nubian scribes use Hieroglyphics?
The Development of Organized Religious Traditions
Amon and Re – How were these two gods (together Amon-Re) honored at Heliopolis?
Aten and Monotheism – Who was Aten? How did Akhenaten’s belief in Aten differ from those who belonged to the cult of
Amon-Re?
Mummification – How did views of immortality change during the Middle and New Kingdoms?
Cult of Osiris – Who was Osiris? Why was he important to those recently deceased?
Nubian Religious Beliefs – Which Egyptian gods were adopted by the Nubians?
Section Three: Bantu Migrations and Early Agricultural Societies of Sub-Saharan Africa
The Dynamics of Bantu Exansion
Intro – Where in Africa did the Bantu-speaking peoples live?
The Bantu – Who were the Bantu? Describe their lifestyle.
Bantu Migrations – to where did the Bantus migrate? What were the possible causes of the migrations?
Iron and Migration – How did the use of iron tools quicken the pace of Bantu migration?
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Eaarly Agricultual Societies of
Sub-Saharan Africa
Spread of Agriculture – Briefly describe society and cultural traditions in Bantu communities.
Religious Beliefs - briefly describe the religious beliefs of Sudanic and Niger-Congo peoples (including Bantu speakers)
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