Ancient African

Civilizations
Warm-Up:
What made
America such a
powerful
nation?
What’s the most famous African
Civilization you know?
The Nile Valley Civ.= The Egyptians
When?

(Began around 5000 BC)

Where?

The Nile Valley

 What Should We Know About the
Nile Valley Civilization?
 Their Gov was ruled
by ...PHARAOHS
 They were like…
GODS

King TUT
The Egyptian’s religion RA, the Sun God
revolved around
worshipping MANY gods.
Religion
What do we call this type of
religion???
POLYTHEISM…
Poly means many!
They believed in LIFE
AFTER DEATH

Pyramids were burial

tombs.
They held everything for
the Pharaoh’s next life!
Kingdom of Kush
 When?
 (750 BC-200 AD)
 Where?
 Along the Nile, south
of the Egyptians

 Who do you think

influenced them the
most?
 Influenced by the Egyptians and
Assyrians
 How do we know?
– Adapted Egyptian
Pyramids
– Adapted Egyptian
hieroglyphics into their
own alphabet
Also, they learned from
the Assyrians.
What do you think they
learned??

Iron-making
 Religion of the Kush
 Polytheism
 Like the Egyptians, the Kush worshipped
the sun-god, Ra
 Kingdom of Axum
 When?
 Began around the
Located in the modern day
early 300’s AD. country of ETHIOPIA
 Where?
 Describe the relative
location of this
kingdom.
 They conquered the
Kush
 How about their Religion?
 Try to guess…
 Hint: the kingdom
began in early 300’s
AD
 Hint: location

Oldest community of Christians in Africa.

 Kingdom of Ghana

 When?
 500 AD – 1076 AD

 Where?
 Western Sahara and
along the Niger River
 What made them
wealthy?
 Controlled the GOLD
mines in the region
 Empire of Mali

 When?
 1300’s
 Where?
 West Africa
 They conquered the
former kingdom of
Ghana.
 Why?
They took over and controlled the
SALT trade.
Salt??? What’s so important about
Salt?
Salt preserves meat!
How about their religion??
Guess…..
ISLAM
 Were they successful?
 For awhile
 They were wealthy from
the salt trade
 Had a system of laws based
on…
– The Qu’ran

TIMBUKTU became an
important center of
learning!
Yes, Timbuktu is a real place!
 Eastern city-states
Approx. 600 ad – 1500 ad (900 years!!)
Why are they all located
along the coast?

TRADING! Of course!

Wait, what’s a city-state?

A city, wealthy and

powerful enough to
control a large territory.

City-states had their own

governments and even
ARMIES!!
 Know any famous city-states?
Venice, Florence and
Athens and Sparta Milan
What were they trading?

Slaves, Spices,
Ivory and Gold

Who did they trade

with?

MIDDLE EAST AND

EVEN AS FAR AS
INDIA AND CHINA
 How did all this interaction with the Middle East
effect their culture?
•They adopted Islam as their religion.
•A new language developed there.
•Swahili = Arabic + African language (Bantu)
Diffusion
•Swahili is a great example of cultural____________?
CLICKERS!!
HIT: GO-4-1-GO
 The Nile Valley Civilization is
most commonly known as these
people
A. Assyrians 25% 25% 25% 25%

B. Egyptians
C. Phoenicians
D. Khalifians

Response
Counter A. B. C. D.
 The Egyptians government was
ruled by who?
A. Kings 25% 25% 25% 25%

B. Presidents
C. Pharoahs
D. Ra

Response
Counter A. B. C. D.
 What did the Nile Valley
civilization believe happens to
you when you die?
A. Nothing 25% 25% 25% 25%

B. Reincarnation
C. Go to heaven
D. Go to the afterlife

Response
Counter A. B. C. D.
 Pyramids were made for what?
A. Buriel Tombs 25% 25% 25% 25%

B. Temples
C. Monuments
D. Entertainment

Response
Counter A. B. C. D.
 The Kingdom of Kush existed
when?
A. 5-10 B.C. 25% 25% 25% 25%

B. 200 – 300 B.C.

C. 1950-1965
D. 700 B.C. – 200 A.D.

Response
Counter A. B. C. D.
 Where was the Kingdom of
Kush located?
A. Kalahari Desert 25% 25% 25% 25%

B. Along the Nile,

south of Egyptians
C. South Africa
D. Mediterranean Sea

Response
Counter A. B. C. D.
 The Kingdom of Kush was
influenced by who?
A. Egyptians & 25% 25% 25% 25%
Assyrians
B. Sumerians &
Malians
C. Crystal Lakians &
Algonquians
D. Ghanaians &
Nigerians
Response
Counter A. B. C. D.
 Kingdom of Kush learned this
skill from the Assyrians
A. Ceramic-making 25% 25% 25% 25%

B. Iron-making
C. Copper-making
D. Gold-making

Response
Counter A. B. C. D.
 The religion of the Kingdom of
Kush was?
A. Polytheistic 25% 25% 25% 25%

B. Tritheistic
C. Monotheistic
D. Hectatheistic

Response
Counter A. B. C. D.
 The Kingdom of Axum was
located in which modern day
country
A. Nigeria 25% 25% 25% 25%

B. France
C. South Africa
D. Ethiopia

Response
Counter A. B. C. D.
 Who did the Kingdom of Axum
conquer
A. Mali 25% 25% 25% 25%

B. Egyptians
C. Kush
D. Ghana

Response
Counter A. B. C. D.
 The Religion of the Kingdom of
Axum was?
A. Islam 25% 25% 25% 25%

B. Christian
C. Jewish
D. Tribal

Response
Counter A. B. C. D.
 When was the Kingdom of
Ghana created?
A. 200 B.C. 25% 25% 25% 25%

B. 10000 A.D.
C. 500 A.D.
D. 20000 B.C

Response
Counter A. B. C. D.
 Kingdom of Ghana had wealth
because of which resource?
A. Oil 25% 25% 25% 25%

B. Diamonds
C. Iron
D. Gold

Response
Counter A. B. C. D.
 Empire of Mali started when?
A. 1300’s 25% 25% 25% 25%

B. 2000’s
C. 200’s
D. 5000’s

Response
Counter A. B. C. D.
 Kingdom of Mali was located
where?
A. South Africa 25% 25% 25% 25%

B. North Africa
C. West Africa
D. East Africa

Response
Counter A. B. C. D.
 Kingdom of Mali became
successful because of which
resource?
A. Oil 25% 25% 25% 25%

B. Gold
C. Salt
D. Iron

Response
Counter A. B. C. D.
Kingdom of Mali had laws based
which religion?
A. Christianity 25% 25% 25% 25%

B. Islam
C. Tribal Religions
D. Judaism

Response
Counter A. B. C. D.
 This city was the central city of
the Kingdom of Mali
A. Timbuktu 25% 25% 25% 25%

B. Johannesburg
C. Cairo
D. Nairobi

Response
Counter A. B. C. D.
Swahili is a language that mixes
African Bantu with…
1. English 25% 25% 25% 25%

2. Hindi
3. Egyptian
4. Arabic

Response
Counter 1 2 3 4
 The East African city states
became wealthy because of …
1. Farming 25% 25% 25% 25%

2. Fishing
3. Trading
4. Conquering

Response
Counter 1 2 3 4
 One more thing…
 On the map provided, draw a circle in the region where
each of these 5 ancient civilizations were located.
 Label each region.
 Then, on the back answer these questions.
– 1. What did the people of the Kingdom of Axum have
in common with the people of the Kingdom of Ghana?

– 2. What did the people of the Empire of Mali have in

common with the people of the Kingdom of Kush?

– 3. Besides being in different time periods, what would

contribute to these cultures being so different from
one another? Be specific. List three things.