African Empires

African Empires presents a comprehensive and in depth analysis of the major empires of the African continent over thousands of years. This book penetrates into the various kingdoms and and rich cultures of Africa including East Africa, West Africa, North Africa, South Africa and Central Africa. African Empires brings to life a colorful cast of historical characters including African kings, queens, scholars, religious leaders, artists, warriors and merchants which helped to shape the direction of these great African civilizations. The epic landmark events of Africa are captured and explained in detail to provide a full understanding of this dynamic continent and it's contribution to world history.

This history-rich volume details the sociopolitical, economic, and artistic aspects of African kingdoms from the earliest times to the second half of the 19th century. Africa has a long and fascinating history and is a place of growing importance in the world history curriculum. This detailed encyclopedia covers the history of African kingdoms from antiquity through the mid-19th century, tracing the dynasties' ties to modern globalization and influences on world culture before, during, and after the demise of the slave trade. Along with an exploration of African heritage, this reference is rich with firsthand accounts of Africa through the oral traditions of its people and the written journals of European explorers, missionaries, and travelers who visited Africa from the 15th century and onward. Alphabetically arranged entries cover a particular kingdom and feature information on the economic, cultural, religious, political, social, and environmental history of the regime. The content references popular culture, movies, and art that present contemporary reenactments of kingdoms, emphasizing the importance of history in shaping modern ideas. Other features include primary source documents, a selected bibliography of print and electronic resources, and dozens of sidebars containing key facts and interesting trivia.

Learn about the daily life and culture of the people who lived long ago in Africa.

African Empires presents a comprehensive and in-depth analysis of the major empires of the African continent over thousands of years. This book penetrates into the various kingdoms and rich cultures of Africa including East Africa, West Africa, North Africa, South Africa, and Central Africa. African Empires brings to life a colorful cast of historical characters including African kings, queens, scholars, religious leaders, artists, warriors, and merchants which helped to shape the direction of these great African civilizations. The epic landmark events of Africa are captured and explained in detail to provide a full understanding of this dynamic continent and its contribution to world history.

In a radically new account of the importance of early Africa in global history, Gomez traces how Islam's growth in West Africa, along with intensifying commerce that included slaves, resulted in a series of political experiments unique to the region, culminating in the rise of empire.

Explores empires of medieval west Africa.

Illustrated by Monetta Barnett. Tells the story of the rise of the great African empires - Ghana, Mali, and Songhay - and charts their progress from the eighth to the sixteenth century.