Ancient America and Africa

1. 1 Ancient America and Africa

2. Ancient America and Africa • The Peoples of America Before Columbus • Africa on the Eve of Contact • Europe on the Eve of Invading the Americas • Conclusion: The Approach of a New Global Age

3. The Peoples of AmericaBefore Columbus

4. Origins • Earliest arrivals about 35,000 b.c.e. • Paleo-Indian era: 14,000 to 10,000 years ago • Hunting Pleistocene mammals • Archaic era: 10,000-2,500 years ago • Agricultural revolution • c. 5000 b.c.e. • By about 500 b.c.e. hundreds of small groups

5. Mesoamerica • Olmec, Toltec civilizations • Aztecs • Capital at Tenochtitlán • Hierarchical society

6. Expansion of the Aztec Empire

7. North America • Diversity, many small groups • Pueblo people, by 1200 C.E. • Farming, irrigation • Northwest • Fishing, less agriculture • Plains Indians

8. An Anasazi Village

9. River Valley People • Early Mound Builders • Massive complexes • Mississippian culture, from about 600 • Centered at Cahokia • Wide influence, contacts • Disappearance

10. Mississippian Culture Shrine Figures

11. Eastern Cultures • Northeast Indians • Mixed agriculture, hunting, fishing • Waterside villages • Southeast • Long-distance trade • Iroquois • Near Lake Ontario • Loose confederation • Longhouses

12. Worldview • Indian and European attitudes differ markedly • Relationship with nature • Land ownership • Social hierarchy – except for Aztec, Inca • Matrilineal versus patrilineal organization • Gender roles • Role of trade • Religious conceptions

13. Africa on the Eve of Contact

14. Central and West Africa • Varied landscape, varied cultures • Nok peoples, modern Nigeria • Ironworking by 450 B.C.E.

15. Spread of Islam in Africa, c. 1500 C.E.

16. West African Kingdoms • Ghana • Trade empire • Trade with North Africa • Islam – spreads into Sub-Saharan areas by 1000

17. West African Kingdoms (continued) • Mali • Grows under Mansa Musa • Timbuku • Songhai • Kongo and Benin

18. The African City of Loango

19. African Society • Slavery as a result of warfare or crime • Slaveowning a mark of status • Slaves have rights, not always slaves for life • Slavery not automatically passed on to children • Family the root of individual identity

20. African Society (continued) • Religion • Animist • Importance of the dead, and intercessors • King at the top of society

21. Europe on the Eve ofInvading the Americas

22. Europe on the Eve ofInvading the Americas • Renaissance • Based on trade • Recovery after Black Death of 1300s • Political centralization • But limitations, e.g. Magna Carta • Peasant class in the process of transformation

23. A Procession in Venice

24. Centralizing & Expanding • Stronger monarchs create bigger armies • Exploration • Driven by trade motives • Find source of African gold • Portuguese lead exploration • With royal support • Technological advances

25. Religious Wars

26. Cahokia

27. Conclusion:The Approach of a New Global Age

28. Conclusion:The Approach of a New Global Age • The 1500s in West Africa, Europe, Americas • Development of West African empires • Renaissance Europe • Maritime technology • Aztec and Inca Empires • Mound-building societies decentralizing

29. Timeline