Africa

1
Chapter 3

• Africa

2
How Big is Africa?
3
Egypt and Nubia
4
African Kingdoms
5
Ancient Egypt

• Developed along the Nile River, where the soil
  was rich and the agricultural opportunities were
  plentiful.
• Egypt was reorganized into three kingdoms, Old,
  Middle, and New.
• Height of Egypt civilization was 1400 BCE (New
  Kingdom).

6
Unified Egypt

• 3100 BCE King Menes united all of Egypt.
• He established the capital of Memphis, 100 miles
  from the Mediterranean Sea.

7
Old Kingdom

• 2660 2180 BCE was the time period referred to
  as the Old Kingdom.
• Kings of Egypt are known as pharaohs. They
  directed the construction of the pyramids, tombs
  for afterlife.

8
Egyptian Achievements

• Hieroglyphics system of writing to communicate.
• Interested in astronomy. Which led them to a
  fairly reliable calendar.
• Mummification came about due to their belief in
  life after death.
• They were convinced they could take earthly
  belongings with them to the afterlife.
• Egyptians were polytheistic.

9
Status of Women

• Queen Hatshepsut First female ruler in history.
  Credited with expanding Egyptian trade routes.
• Women enjoyed more rights than in Mesopotamia.
• Women could buy and sell property inherit
  property choose to will their property and
  dissolve their marriages.

10
Egypts Social Structure
11
Ancient Egypt in Decline

• The wealthy civilization was often so big it
  couldnt adequately protect all its borders, so
  over a period of time it began to weaken. This
  began in Egypt around 1100 BCE.
• Assyrians invaded and conquered Egypt in 671 BCE.
• A century and a half later, the Persians took
  over Egypt.

12
West Africa Bantu Migrations

• Around 1500 BCE farmers in the Niger and Benue
  River valleys in West Africa began migrating
  south and east, bringing with them their
  languages and their knowledge of agriculture and
  metallurgy.
• Migration was spurred on by climate change the
  Sahara Desert was too dry to live in.