Aksum In Ethiopia

Trade was an important achievement to Africa, especially Aksum. Aksum, one of Africa’s major trading cities, is a justification for Africa’s achievements. Its site is near important trade routes such as the Red Sea, the Nile River, and the Gulf of Aden made it a key international trading center (Doc 1). Another important city of trade was Kilwa. Kilwa controlled the trade overseas between Africa because of location near the coast. (Doc 8)

Throughout history, many can see differences in the empires of America and the empires of Africa, but some fundamental similarities exist among these empires that make them successful. While each of these empires is deeply rooted in promoting economic growth and spiritual connectivity, they go about these tasks in different ways due to their individual and unique circumstances.

The history of West Africa has its inhabitant traces is almost 6000 years ancient, but the earliest human beings who came here first were almost 12000 BCE. The enhancement in the farming took place after the arrival of a modern ancestor in the fifth millennium. After making connections with other civilizations like Mediterranean ones, the development of iron industry took place in every use of daily life. The common or traditional business of trade for them consisted of cotton, leather, metals, gold against horses, clothes, copper, salt, etc. They were modifying their lifestyles and politics as more as they were coming closer to other communities of the world (Ajayi, 1970).

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.

People of the early African kingdoms were able to create successful trade routes with Europe and Asia, become very wealthy from conquering and gaining land, and were able to have a strong central government. All of this was done before the Europeans had reached Africa. Trade flourished on the East African coast, especially when trading was established with India and Arabia. African kingdoms were prosperous, because of their success with not only trading but also with their ability to conquer land. A governmental structure is key to allowing any kingdom to thrive, and the African people were able to achieve this.

There is no other way to look at what the African People had for advancements in technology had that kingdom tribes. Europeans arrived in the 15th-16th century, but before that the African people had so many achievements under their belt.These cities became emperors in the 300s. Each empire had their hand in the control of the salt and gold trade. The cities got power from trade and became centers of living. Throughout the 300s cities turned into empires and also fell.The three most known empires in the west are Ghana, Mali, Songhai. Ghana rose to control the power of the trans-saharan gold and salt trade between 700-1067. The Empire of Mali rose around 1235. Within this empire was the city of Timbuktu. Finally the Songhai empire lasted from

36. What factors represent the most significant cause of the growth of cities in Afro-Eurasia in the period 1000–1450 ?

We begin with the early origins of Africa, and the civilizations in place before, the Western world had an influence on them. Africa like the other continents had its array of civilizations set up in the different nation states, their own power systems, economy, and way of living, ways that differed, but resembled other civilizations as well. In validating this claim, I will be looking and analyzing the source, Ibn, Battuta, Visit from Mombasa and Kila, Rhila (c. 1358). The source is an account by Ibn Battuta, who was a scholar from Morocco, who is known for his travels to different lands, over a 30-year period of time. In this source, he visits the Swahili coast of Mombasa and ends his trip in Kilwa, a city in modern-day Tanzania. It is here we see the initial state of some of the nation-states in Africa, Battuta described the two cities “the city of Kulwa is amongst the most beautiful of cities, and most elegantly built” (57). The description

Africans developed an extensive trade route through Aksum. Aksum became an important trading center because of its location. It is located to the South of the Red Sea. Since Aksum’s location was so close to the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and the Nile River, it was a prime area to travel and trade goods not only faster but also easier (Document 1). Merchants would trade lots of items including salt, gold, ivory, gems, cloth, glass, and olive oil. Because of Aksum's location and role in international trading, the Aksum’s culture became a blend of many different cultures throughout the region.

On my second day, I have visited Axum, in Eastern Africa. A place that in the first century CE, became the wealthiest, most influential market city on the coast of Ethiopia, it finally became a kingdom in the third century CE. I also learned from the locals there that in fourth century CE, missionaries had introduced Christianity to the city of Axum and King Ezana became the first known Christian king in all of Africa, and finally in seventh century CE, Axum has come to a close end. Arabs eventually came and conquered Adulis and cut off Axum’s Red Sea trade route. Also, Axum became successful by trading gold, glass, ivory, metal and agricultural gods with African, Mediterranean and Asia trade networks, along with the Roman Empire, Egypt, Arabia and India.

The motivations behind the civilization of Africa are viewed in documents 1, 4, 7 and 11. Economic motivations and political global power such as the advantages of

The Kingdom Ghana in western Africa flourished. Ghana gained control of the salt-and-gold trade (Doc. 2). This was important because Gold was used as a currency,

The cultural diversity and advancements portray the progression developed in African history. The growth of these two subcontinents prove that American and European historians were incorrect on how advanced and civilized Africa was.

The trans-Saharan trade network changed Northern and Western Africa from an isolated hunting-gathering society to a major trade center that boasted economic and political power headed by Islamic empires and city-states.