Essay about Africa Before European Arrival - Summary

Africans knew how to grow rice, tend to cattle, harvest the naval stores (tar, pitch and turpentine) and lumber from the forests.This all led to great trading with Barbados and England. This cash crop system and increasing plantation land increased and continued to need for more

Africa, like many other continents, was a very tremendous and a very diverse civilization that is very complicated to introduce due to all its wonderful but also diverse features and beliefs. From the differences between its society and language to its religion and politics, Africa always had the reputation that its empires, cities, and kingdoms never progressed in the developments and achievements for their civilization. Many people believed that the Europeans were actually the cause of Africa’s achievements and advanced developments for their civilizations. However, this is further than the whole truth. Before the arrival of the Europeans between the 15th and 16th century, African kingdoms, empires, and cities had many achievements and accomplishments

Throughout the ages, Africa has been populated by a diverse array of peoples, whose cultural, ethnic, and sociological differences have been shaped by the continents varied landscape ( ). Known for being the three magnificent trading territories in West Africa. Ghana, Mali, and Songhay were three very closely associated, but separate African civilizations that prospered and dominated West Africa for more than 300 years. Ancient Ghana was a rich and powerful empire. Despite the name Ancient Ghana is not related to the country we know today.

One reason that the geography helped the development of the kingdom of Ghana was because of trade. According to Document A, there were gold and salt mines surrounding Taghaza and Timbuktu. This shows that those cities were very likely to be involved in trade and that it would have been an effective trade, as one city wanted salt and the other city wanted gold. According to Document B, “The Arab traders of this region wanted gold as much as the Wangara wanted salt…” This shows that trade

West Africa was more wealthy than anyone today some say, they devoted themselves to religion, had a great economy, and were exceedingly educated. During the 15th and 16th centuries in West Africa it was prosperous and hopeful. People were extremely faithful and loyal towards their religion, and trade was making people tremendously wealthy, people like Mansa Musa, the king of Ghana. He is considered the wealthiest man to ever step foot on earth. Ghana was also super educated and valued education. They loved books and would pay a hefty amount for them, in the end they would become doctors, priests, and other jobs that you have to be highly educated to do. Education, economy, and religion contributed most to the prosperity and greatness of West

In Africa, there were achievements in the empires and their cities before the Europeans arrived and maintained control. In the Kingdom of Ghana they had characteristics of powerful nations today and made fortunes due to the gold and salt trade. In the city of Timbuktu they had great stories, and developed the center of Art. There are also many other things that Africa achieved in.

Africans achieved a lot before the Europeans arrived. Aksum, Ghana, and Mali are examples of well supported empires. In Aksum they developed a trade route, in Ghana they had advanced political structures, and in Mali there is evidence of a wonderful society. Trade and wealth were important parts for all three of the empires. The achievements of the people of Africa before the arrival of the Europeans included an extensive trade network, an abundance of wealth, and a highly sophisticated political structure.

The gold abundance in Africa gave them great power and increased international trade. The main route of trade is the trans-Saharan route which was monopolized by the Ghana, Mali and Songhai empires creating great economic success. This route transported many different type of goods including gold exporting their good while importing foreign goods. Soon instead of using this route the Europeans began to start trading at the coast of West Africa. The coast known as the gold coast to European traders. This name did not for long being renamed the Slave Coast as the human trafficking market spread. The different kings of the African Empires were thought of as godlike, their spiritual views greatly influenced the politics in Africa. Believing their kings to have special abilities made religion a strong influence to those in power. Many different African cultures believed in religions that worshipped many gods and spirits that they believed lived in the earth. There was a great respect for their ancestors and great honor shown to their elders. The West African people also had gender based secret societies where the women celebrated their fertility. While the men are encouraged to have many children with their multiple wives. Monotheism also spread throughout Africa Islam spread being told by Muslim leaders and Arab merchants. Cities around the Niger River became places for learning Islam

Africa went from being a continent with few land and faction owners to almost complete European rule within a matter of years. The main reason behind this was that King Leopold II (the king of Belgium.) Suddenly claimed the Congo as his own territory. Not his countries, but his own personal land. This influenced other European powers such as France, Belgium and England to claim and land that they could from Africa. Not long after, once valuable resources were discovered on claimed European land, the natives were used as workers and slaves by their land owners.

The empire's had many achievements within their reigns such as political structure. Which was important with the trade routes and the salt-gold trade. The political structure that the empire's had allowed them to control the trade routes and reign for much longer. The strong governments allowed citizens to feel safe, which limited rebellions and with the strong army’s it discouraged attacks. Governments were crucial to the aid in controlling the trade routes because the gold-salt trade was important and were a main income within the kingdoms. The kingdoms and cities of Africa did all these massive accomplishments without the aid of the European. Which is impressive because the Europeans had these things within their governments, but the African people were starting from

The Atlantic Slave Trade contributed to the instability as well as the expansion of politics in Africa. There was the distribution of ammunition in Central and West Africa helped with the military and political supremacy of tribes in Africa. Political alliances were betrayed between slave traders and African leaders. These alliances enabled the rulers to establish authority over their counterparts. Also some kings prospered and entire kingdoms developed around this

The rulers of Ghana controlled the trade of their kingdom and collected taxes on salt from the north. From the south of the kingdom came gold that fed the king's wealth. This gold came from the Senegal and Niger rivers and was in great demand across the Sahara. Ghana was a sort of meeting place in which the north and the south traded. From the north came ceramics, glass, oil lamps, and salt, from the south came kola nuts,palm oil, copper, and gold. Ghana became a wealthy trading empire. Mali and Songhai were also affected because they neighbored Ghana so they were in similar circumstances. When they were at war and Mali took over the Ghana gold mines, they tried to establish salt trades. Several kings later the Songhai took over the gold mines

Consider how Africa’s geography has changed over time. What positive and negative effects would these changes have had on human populations on the continent? As their new homes changed they were able to adapt due to their innovative mindset. This can be attributed to the new found organization thanks to language. Allowing Africans to grow and expand throughout the entire continent. Other factors that can be attributed are the change in geography for some parts such as the Sahara drying out and swamps and lakes disappeared.

The achievements of the African kingdoms and cities were better before the arrival of the Europeans. The Niger River created a place where all the kingdoms could trade, since the kingdoms were all around it and made a way to transport goods. The salt and gold trade was a way so one place that had to much gold and had very little of salt would get the salt they need and the opposite for the other city-state. Mansa Musa was so generous that he made the gold worth go down by giving out so much gold. The western African kingdoms had achievements like the salt and gold trade, the Niger River to help them trade along with, and Mansa Musa that gave out gold and helped Mali become twice the size it was.

Before the arrival of Europeans in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, the African kingdoms and cities had a multitude of achievements. These come from different areas, like trade and wealth, and added to the quality of life and functionality of the respective kingdom. The African empire’s achievements were successful in the advancement of civilization. In West Africa, the kingdoms Ghana, Mali, and Songhai gained wealth and power through their achievements. Significantly, this would change during the fifteenth and sixteenth with the introduction of the slave trade. However, prior to the arrival of Europeans, the African empires had prevalent achievements in traditional societal and political structures, wealth and luxury, and trade and harvesting.