Chapter 6

Central and
Southern Africa
 The Land and Its People
• Central and southern Africa has a great variety of
geography features (rain forests, savannahs, and
deserts).

• Most people from central and southern Africa are from a

single group known as the Bantu.

• The Bantu spoke one of more than 450 Bantu languages.

• The first Bantu lived near the Niger River (present-day

Nigeria and Cameroon).

• At around 1,000 B.C.E. during the Bantu migration the

many Bantu groups began to move south and east
toward the Congo River, Limpopo River, and Lake
Victoria.

• 1,500 years after the Bantu migration first started (500

C.E.), the Bantu reached southern Africa
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 Coastal City-States Emerge
• By 1,100 C.E., large numbers of the Bantu migrated to
the eastern coast of Africa to farm and trade.

• Merchants from Eastern Africa traded across the Indian

Ocean with people from Arabia, India, and China.

• By the 13th century (1201-1300 C.E.), Kilwa became one

of the most important city-states in East Africa because
ships could travel between Kilwa and India in one
monsoon season.
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• The city-states in East Africa did not join together

because they competed against each other for profits
from trade.

• The lack of unity between East African city-states made

it easier for Europeans to invade and conquer Africa in
the 1500s.
WATCH and DISCUSS Kimba the White Lion vs. Simba the
Lion King
 The Influence of Islam
• Arabic culture, language, and religion spread to
East Africa because of trade between Arabia
and East African city-states.

1) Bantu and other groups in East Africa became

very wealthy by trading gold.

2) A new language known as Swahili developed in

East Africa that was a blend of Arabic and
Bantu.

3) The religion of Islam influenced governments

and laws in East Africa.

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Immigration
“Immigrants…we get the job done!”
 Empire Built on Gold and Trade
• During the 19th century (1801-1900), a Bantu group
called the Shona settled near the Limpopo River in
southern Africa.

• The Shona empire controlled present-day countries of

Botswana, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe.

• The center of Shona empire was Great Zimbabwe,

which was important because it was located near key
trade routes.

• The Great Zimbabwe had 3 main sections

① Valley Ruins,
② Hills Complex
③ Great Enclosure

WATCH UNESCO Great Zimbabwe

 Gold Brings Great Wealth
• Great Zimbabwe was more than 100 acres and had a
population of 10,000 to 20,000 people.

• Great Zimbabwe became wealthy because it was located

between the mines in West Africa and trading cities in East
Africa.

• Leaders of Great Zimbabwe became wealthy by taxing

traders that traveled on their trade routes.

• Scholars estimate that about 2,000 pounds of gold were

transported through Great Zimbabwe every year.

• During the 15th century (1401-1500 C.E.), Great Zimbabwe

began to decline, and by 1500 Great Zimbabwe was
abandoned.

DISCUSS Why was Great Zimbabwe abandoned?

COMPARE AND CONTRAST Roy Romer Middle School and school
in Africa
 A New Kingdom Emerges
• As Great Zimbabwe declined, an empire known as Mutapa grew strong
by controlling the trade of gold.

• According to Shona oral tradition, a man named Mutota left Great

Zimbabwe at around 1440 C.E. searching for a new source of salt.

• Mutota found a valley with fertile soil, good rainfall, and ample wood.
In this valley, Mutota would create a new state called Mutapa.

• Mutota built an army, and took control of the surrounding lands.

• The people Mutota conquered him “Mwene Mutapa,” which means

“Great Pillager.” Mutapa became the name for both the kingdom and
its ruler.

• In the 16th century (1501-1600 C.E.), Portugal conquered lands that

were controlled by the Mutapa.

• Portugal was one of many European nations that would conquer the
lands of Africa.

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DISCUSS Why did they name the movie Blood Diamond?
 A Kingdom Arises on the Atlantic
• The village was the basic political unit, a group of villages
made up a district, districts were grouped into six provinces,
and the king appointed leaders known as governors to rule
each province.

• During the 14th century (1301-1400 C.E.), a Bantu-speaking

group called the Kongo settled north of the Congo River.

• By the 15th century (1401-1500 C.E.), the Kongo moved south

of the Congo River.

• The capital of Kongo was Mbanza.

• Kongo mined iron and copper to use and trade.

• During the early 1480s C.E., explorers from Portugal

discovered the Kongo kingdom.

• Kongo traded copper, iron, ivory, and slaves for guns, horses,
and manufactured goods from Portugal.

WATCH European Imperialism

 The Rule of Afonso and the Slave Trade
• In 1506 C.E., Nzinga Mbemba became the ruler of Kong and
took the European name Afonso I.

• Afonso made Roman Catholic the official religion of Kongo.

• Afonso changed the name of Kong capital of Mbanza to

Portugese name Sao Salvador.

• Kongo traded African slaves to the Portuguese for European

goods.

• Over time Portugal’s demand for slaves increased, and

thousands of African were enslaved each year.

• As a result of the slave trade, the population of Africa

decreased.

• In 1561, the Kongo stopped trade with Portugal, but in the late
1560s Kongo had to ask Portugal for help to defeat the
neighboring kingdom of Jaga in a war.

WATCH, CITE, AND DISCUSS Africa Slave Trade