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Africa is a land of vast contrasts, from deserts to rainforests, with diverse societies adapting to challenging environments. Early humans transitioned from nomadic to settled lifestyles, developing agriculture and forming organized societies based on family groups. Local religions and oral traditions passed down histories. The West African Iron Age revealed advanced cultures like the Nok and Djenne-Djeno, showcasing early urban development and trade networks.
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A Land of Geographic Contrasts • Geography of Africa • Large continent, but coastline has few ports, harbors, or inlets • Challenging Environments • Africa has many deserts, including huge Sahara • The southern edge of expanding Sahara is called the Sahel. • Rainforests are found near the central part of the continent.
A Land of Geographic Contrasts • Welcoming Lands • Northern Coast and southern tip of Africa have Mediterranean Climates • Savannas, or grasslands cover most of Africa
Early Humans Adapt to their Environments • Nomadic Lifestyle • Earliest peoples are nomadic hunter-gatherers. • Herders drive animals to find waters and graze pastures. • Transition to a Settled Lifestyle • Agriculture probably develops by 6,000 B.C. • As the Sahara dried up farmers move to West Africa or Nile Valley. • Agriculture allows permanent settlements and governments to develop
Early Societies in Africa • Societies organized by Family Groups • Extended families made up several generations • Families with common ancestors form groups known as clans • Local Religions • Early religions usually include elements of animism-belief in spirits inhabiting objects • Keeping a History • Few African societies have written languages • History, literature, culture passed on by story tellers called griots. • Cultures in West Africa are advanced long before outsiders arrive.
West African Iron Age • Learning about the past • Artifacts reveal how people lived in the past. • Evidence of sub-Saharan cultures producing iron around 500 B.C. • Nok Culture • Nok—West Africa’s earliest known culture—made iron tools and weapons
West African Iron Age • Djenne-Djeno • From 600-200 B.C., cities began to develop near rivers and oases • Djenne-Djeno, Africa’s oldest known city, was discovered in 1977. • It was a bustling trade center that was linked to other West African towns through camel trade routes.
