Kingdom of Aksum Located by the Red Sea = modern day Ethiopia - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Kingdom of Aksum

Located by the Red Sea = modern day Ethiopia Took over many important areas and became an important center of trade

Trade in Aksum

• Items traded: salt,

rhinoceros horns, tortoise shells, ivory, emeralds, and gold

• Imported cloth,

glass, olive oil, wine, brass, iron and copper

Aksum Religion

• Traditionally monotheistic
• God called Mahrem and

their king Ezana was a direct descendent of him.

• Offered sacrifices- animals
• King Ezana converted to

Christianity

• In 451 A.D., Ethiopia and

Egypt with become Orthodox and split from Roman Catholic

Aksumite Architecture

• Developed unique

architecture using stone instead of mud bricks to build palaces and buildings

• Used NO MORTAR
• Instead they carved stones to

fit together tightly

• Built huge stone pillars called

to celebrate king’s conquests

Fall of Aksum

• Aksum lasted

for 800 years

• Fell to

invaders who practiced Islam

Southeast Africa Zimbabwe

• Zimbabwe- Near Zambezi and Limpopo

rivers and Indian Ocean

• Great Zimbabwe- capital of wealthy and

prosperous empire

Ghana

• Ghana is the land of

gold

• Two most important

trading goods:

– 1. Gold – 2. Salt

• Gold came from the

Savanna

• Salt deposits were

found in the Sahara Desert

• This important

trade of gold and salt took place on the trans-Saharan trade

• The king was the
• nly one allowed to

keep gold nuggets. This way he could keep the price of gold high.

Mali

Mali

• Like Ghana, Mali became wealthy because of

gold.

• A man name Mansa Musa became leader of Mali.

He was a devout Muslim.

• Because of Mansa Musa, Mali grew to become

twice the size of Ghana.

• The city of Timbuktu became a center of trade

and learning because Mansa Musa ordered mosques and universities to be built.

• Timbuktu is the location of the House of Wisdom

Songhai

Songhai

• After Mali declined,

people broke away and formed a new civilization near the Niger river.

• Two great rulers

name:

–1. Sunni Ali –2. Askia Muhammad

Songhai

• Sunni Ali captured the

city of Timbuktu.

• Askia Muhammad was

an excellent

• administrator. He set up

an efficient tax system and chose able officials.

• Later they were taken
• ver by the Moroccans

who were fighting with guns.