After Asia, africa is the largest continent. Its nearly 5000s long from the mediterranean sea in the north to that cape of good hope in the south. Africa is nearly completely surrounded by two oceans and two seas. Africa's mediterranean coast is mostly mountainous, south of the mountains lies earth's largest desert, the sahara. It stretches from the atlantic to the indian ocean. Far east there is very different terrain of snow capped mountains, upland plateaus, and lakes. Savannas exist on both north and south of the rainforest and is perhaps is 40% of africa's land area. Early african societies included those of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai. In this essay will be talking about Africa and the things that went on in Africa between the years 500-1500 …show more content…
Most african societies shared some common religious ideas, including a belief in a single creator god. The Ashanti people of Ghana believed in the supreme being Nyame, whose sons were lesser gods. Ashanti gods could not always be trusted, so humans needed to appease them to avoid their anger. However the god was also merciful and could be pacified by proper behavior. Rituals were a way to communicate with gods. They did they rituals by calling upon a special class of diviners, which were people who were believed to have the power to foretell events, usually through supernatural forces. Another important element of african religion is ancestry. Ritual ceremonies were dedicated to ancestors because they were believed to be closer to god. They had the power to influence the lives of their descendents. In the early african kingdoms of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai, the arts-whether painting, literature, or music- were means of serving religion. A work of art was mean to express religious conviction. Woods carvings throughout Africa make remarkable mask and statues. The cravings would oftentimes represent gods, spirits, or ancestral figures. Believed to embody the spiritual powers of the subjects. In the 14th and 13th centuries metal work produced handsome bronze and iron statues at Ife the capital of the Yoruba people. African music like wood carvings and sculpture often served a religious purpose. Dance was a way to communicate …show more content…
This kingdom was the first great trading state in west africa, as early as A.D. 500. Ghana was located in the upper Niger River valley, which was a grassland region between the sahara and the tropical forest along the west african coast. Most people in this area were farmers that lived in villages under the authority of a local ruler. The kings of Ghana were strong rulers who governed without written laws, the kings had vast wealth. The people that lived in Ghana for centuries prospered from their abundant supply of iron ore. Blacksmiths of Ghana were valued because of their ability to turn this ore into tools and weapons. Ghana has an abundance of gold. Muslims coming into north africa brought metals, textiles, horses, and salt. Salt was super important to the Ghanaians, it had many different uses like preserving food, improve foods taste, and it was needed to replace what they lost in their body in hot climates. The trading merchants became wealthy. Kings in Ghana were also prosperous because they imposed taxes on goods that entered and exited the kingdom. Ghana was flouring for several hundred years, they were weakened by wars, they eventually collapsed during the 1100s. Next in its place is the kingdom of Mali, which was a trading state. Established during the mid 1200s by Sundiata Keita. Keita defeated Ghana and captured their capital n 1240. His empire extending from the atlantic coast inland to the trading city of Timbuktu.
The African empires, kingdoms, and cities had many achievements before the arrival of the Europeans. Some of these achievements had influences many other places in the world. Three major achievements were the trading systems, their military forces and strengths of its people, and the wealth and success.
African society used bodies of water such as the Nile, the Red Sea, and many more to transport goods across the continent and generate profit. For example, the city of “Aksum reached its height between 325-360. Aksum’s location made it an important international trading center.” After analyzing the map of trade routes in Document 1, it is clear Aksum was strategically built to have ties to the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. These two bodies of water give the city the freedom to import and export goods. Additionally, this work of trade did not come without reward. Cities who succeeded in the business became overly wealthy and had surpluses of gold and other riches. A king, Mansa Mansa, who expanded the Mali kingdom to be twice the size of Ghana, was not afraid to show his wealth as he showered other cities in riches out of generosity. In Cairo, Egypt, “there was no person, officer of the court, or holder of any office of the Sultanate who did not receive a sum of gold from him.” This is just one of the many examples of wealth in african cities and empires. What is impressive is the fact that before European trade became an influence, African people had already created a successful and very profitable system of
In Africa, there were achievements in the empires or kingdoms and their cities before the Europeans arrived and took control. In the Kingdom (Empire) of Axum they developed a trade route. In the Kingdom of Ghana they had characteristics of powerful nations today. In the city of Timbuktu they had great morals and developed the center of Islamic Art. There are many other things that Africa achieved in.
To begin, most Africans have come from societies with traditional African religious backgrounds unrelated to Islam or Christianity. As a whole, African religious traditions combine belief in a Supreme Being with the worship of other gods and ancestors and use ritual and magic to mediate between human beings, nature, and the gods. In many African languages, there is no word for God, because in their tradition every thing and place embodies God. Many African religions have common tenets. They share a belief in a community of deities, the idea that ancestors serve as a way to communicate with these deities. They also share the belief...
Religion was and remains a vital part of the lives of most Africans. For some it encompassed their entire existence. It substantiated and explained their place in the universe, their culture, and their relationship to nature and humankind. It also dictated their roles in the community and society at large. Religion among most African ethnic groups was not simply a faith or worship system, it was a way of life, a system of social control, a provider of medicine, and an organizing mechanism.
The first West African state of record was Ghana which had been ruled by over forty kings by the year 300 A.D. The early Ghanaians were a peaceful and prosperous people who developed an economy based on agriculture and...
A common aspect of African culture is our mediating of deities, ancestors, and spirits, by performing rituals and contacting ancestors or historical ideals. This spiritual combination creates a non-Western idea of movement in art. I enjoy this part of our culture, where we create a less static environment. We become other beings, through our usage of art, dance, and costume with mask and headwear. Our artistic creators are forgotten. Our original artwork are eventually forgotten. The work goes back to the Earth, for the only true matter is how the spirits are manifested in the objects at the current time; eventually even this wears out. At the time of the spiritual manifestation in the objects, they are some of the most powerful aspects in our society.
Ghana’s government was a monarchy government with local kings that paid thanks to the Ghana’s king. Moreover, Ghana had a king to rule/control them and they were thanked from local kings. 300 CE. was the beginning of Ghana, this was also when they gained the control of salt and gold! Later on, in 300 CE, they made the discovery of iron. In 610 CE. the Muslims took over Ancient Ghana. Not long after, in 800 CE. Ghana was officially founded, but many stories/documentations say it was founded in 300 CE. Around 200 years later Ghana captured Aoudaghost and was the height of the Ghanaian
Dance was also a big part in the music of West Africa. Dance was performed at ceremonies surrounding fertility, death, worship, adulthood, and other kind of certain concerns of the village.
Nigeria contains more historic cultures and empires than any other country in Africa. People were first known to inhabit Nigeria as early as 5 B.C. They first constructed a kingdom in the center of Nigeria, which is named Jos Plateau. This was the first of many widespread kingdoms of that region, but two centuries later it would extend to Bornu, which is located on the western region of Nigeria (Gascoigne 1). Nigeria was made up of mostly kingdoms until British colonized in the 1800’s. The Soko Jotojhad and Yotruba wars encouraged slave trade at the time the British were trying to abolish the slave trade. Slaves were normally traded for European goods such as guns and gun powder. At this time, the British encouraged trading palm oil over trading slaves. Many of the slaves that were exported to Britain were intercepted by naval ships and shipped to Sierra Leone to collect palm oil. Some Nigerians began to migrate back from Sierra Leone in search of their homes and trade. British missionaries were invited to follow the slaves back, and in the 1840’s they wer...
It attained a high level of political organization. In the 17th through 19th centuries, European traders established coastal ports for slave traffic to the Americas. Commodity trade, especially in palm oil and timber,
Accra, the capital of the beautiful and welcoming nation Ghana, is located in West Africa, West Africa’s Gulf of Guinea. It is known for its wildlife, beauteous attractions, and richness in gold and secluded beaches. Ghana also known as the “Gold Coast,” gained their independence on March 6th 1957 from the British. The nation was led to independence by the first president Kwame Nkrumah, who altered the country to a republic. Ghana continues to grow each day as a nation, Though Ghana is growing each day they face many economic and social problems, such as poverty, health issues, education, corruption, and economic challenges.
The African continent is rich with natural and intellectual resources. Northern Africa has rich oil deposits that, once discovered, have made billions of dollars. Sub-Sahara Africa is rich with deposits of precious minerals such as gold and diamonds. Throughout much of history Africa has been thought of as a rich land. But the Africa we know today as being plagued by famine, poverty and war came about at a much later date.
Traditional African Religion The Religious Sphere There is widespread belief in a supreme God, unique and transcendent. Africans have a sense of the sacred and a sense of mystery; there is high reverence for sacred places, persons and objects; sacred times are celebrated. Belief in the afterlife is incorporated in myths and in funeral ceremonies. Religion enfolds the whole of life; there is a difference between life and religion.
Ghana: The Gold Coast of Africa The Gold Coast, now known as Ghana, is one of many civilizations of Africa. It was a British Colony until March 6, 1957, when it became independent as the State of Ghana. In 1471, the Portuguese invaded this area and became involved in gold trade, giving the region the name, The Gold Coast.