Early civilization

The Ancient Egyptian Empire began to weaken in about 700 BC. It was conquered by a number of other civilizations. The first to conquer Egypt was the Assyrian Empire, followed a hundred or so years later by the Persian Empire. In 332 BC, Alexander the Great of Greece conquered Egypt and set up his own ruling family called the Ptolemaic Dynasty. Finally, the Romans came in 30 BC and Egypt became a province of Rome.

Early Civilization cont.

The civilization of Ancient Egypt was located along the Nile River in northeast Africa. The Nile was the source of much of the Ancient Egypt's wealth. Great Egyptian cities grew up along the Nile as the Egyptian people became experts in irrigation and were able to use the water from the Nile to grow rich and profitable crops.

Early Civilization cont.

The capital city of Ancient Ghana was Koumbi Saleh. This is where the King of Ghana lived in his royal palace.

I thought i was the king.

Early Civilization cont.

Ancient Ghana ruled from around 300 to 1100 CE. The empire first formed when a number of tribes of the Soninke peoples were united under their first king, Dinga Cisse. The government of the empire was a feudal government with local kings who paid tribute to the high king, but ruled their lands as they saw fit.

Natural Reasources

The African continent is home to an abundance of natural resources that include diamonds, gold, oil, natural gas, uranium, platinum, copper, cobalt, iron, bauxite, silver, and more.

Natural Reasources cont.

Forestry, the management of trees and other vegetation in forests, is an important economic activity in Africa. On average, forest products account for 6 percent of Africa’s gross domestic product (GDP), more than any other continent. This is a result of Africa’s abundant forest cover, with 0.8 hectares (2 acres) per person, compared with 0.6 hectares (1.5 acres) globally. In central and western Africa, where forest cover is heaviest, the forest sector contributes more than 60 percent of GDP.

Natural Reasources cont.

Africa’s two most profitable mineral resources are gold and diamonds. In 2008, Africa produced about 483 tons of gold, or 22 percent of the world’s total production. South Africa accounts for almost half of Africa’s gold production. Ghana, Guinea, Mali, and Tanzania are other major producers of gold.

Natural Reasources cont.

Africa dominates the global diamond market. In 2008, the continent produced 55 percent of the world’s diamonds. Botswana, Angola, South Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Namibia are Africa’s largest producers of diamonds. 

Culture

Greeting people in Africa is one of the most important things you can do. A quick “hello,” paired with a handshake is a sufficient way to make a positive first impression with anyone. 

Culture cont.

Pointing at something or someone with the index finger is usually considered rude or just straight offensive. 

Culture cont.

To call the attention of someone is often performed with a hissing or loud smack of the lips. If you are not expecting it, the sounds might come as a surprise, but it’s totally acceptable and very common.

Culture cont.

Africans are one of the biggest contributors to sculptural art. The art form of African sculptures dates back thousands of years with some of the earliest sculptures being found in Egypt. 

Historical Figures

Mansa Musa (c. 1280 – c. 1337) Mansa Musa was the ruler of the African country Mali. At the time, the country produced 50% of the world’s gold and salt. These rich natural resources enabled him to become the richest person of all time. One study suggests, adjusted for inflation he amassed a fortune of $400 billion.