Key features - Benin
Already
in existence as far back as 40 BC, and known as Ubini, the Portuguese
explorers who visited the kingdom in the 1460s renamed it Beny and today, it is
known as Benin.
Benin craft workers cast
superb bronze figures which were used to record the achievements of the Oba and significant events of the day. These
are still famous world wide today.
http://www.edofolks.com/html/osahon_oba_dynasty.htm
Key features – Mali
The
Mali (1235 - 1645) empire was famous for the wealth of its rulers who had
exclusive rights to the gold mined within his borders.
The
first mosque was built in the 13th century and was a great citadel of learning
for Islamic students who came from different parts of the world.
The mosque remains one of the most famous landmarks in Africa.
Mansa
Musa was Mali's most famous ruler. He ruled the empire between 1312 and 1337,
at the time when Mali had over half of the world's gold. During his reign,
Sankora University in Timbuktu reached it's height. Islamic scholars came from
all over the world to receive free education. He commissioned Spanish craftsmen
to decorate his palace. When he went on a pilgrimage to Mecca in 1324, he took
an entourage of 60,000 followers and he gave away vast amount of gold as he
went. When he reached Cairo in Egypt which was the centre of world gold trade, he gave away so much gold tips that Cairo's economy collapsed and this did not recover for another ten years. This single act put him, Mali and Africa on the world map: The Catalan atlas of 1375. Find out more here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalan_Atlas
By the 14th century, Mali provided two thirds of the gold in
Europe.
Task:
Imagine that you are an explorer, write a play script of your first meeting
with His Majesty.
Ethiopia
was a Christian empire in the heart of Muslim
Africa.
Ethiopian
Christians built their churches by hollowing through solid rocks to form cross
shapes. Fifteen of these churches survive today.
Task:
Plan an excursion to Ethiopia to see this church and other landmarks. What will
you take with you?
Great
Zimbabwe is now the name given to the remains of the stone walls built around
structures in the settlement, they took over 400 hundred years to complete
(11th to 15th centuries).They remain some of the oldest and largest structures
in Southern Africa.
The
people used copper and iron and traded in gold with the rest of the world.
Great
Zimbabwe was at its height around 1450 in central Africa.
Task:
There is a lot of speculations about this civilisation. What do you
think
makes good historical evidence?
Find out more here: http://www.britishmuseum.org/learning/schools_and_teachers/resources/all_resources/wealth_of_africa/african_civilisations.aspx
Find out more here: http://www.britishmuseum.org/learning/schools_and_teachers/resources/all_resources/wealth_of_africa/african_civilisations.aspx
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