BBC
Bbc: The Story of Africa West African Kingdoms
The story of the Songhay Empire is discussed on this website. From its origins, to its expansion under the rule of Sonni Ali the Great, to its height in power under Mohammed Ture, and finally to the collapse of the empire - it is all...
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Kingdom of Ife: Sculptures From West Africa
Ife ( pronounced ee-feh) is today regarded as the spiritual heartland of the Yoruba people living in Nigeria, the Republic of Benin and their many descendants around the world. It is rightly regarded as the birthplace of some of the...
PBS
Pbs: Wonders of the African World
A site from PBS allows the student to discover Africa through pictures and stories. Explore Black Kingdoms of the Nile, The Swahili Coast, The Slave Kingdoms, The Holy Land, The Road to Timbuktu, Lost Cities of the South. The site also...
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: West African Society at the Point of European Contact
Prior to European contact, western Africa's powerful kingdoms supported the arts, technology, and thriving economies. Read about the areas from which slaves were transported before the transatlantic trade began.
Library of Congress
Loc: Ancient Manuscripts: From the Desert Libraries of Timbuktu
This is a collection of primary, historical documents from Timbuktu, Mali during the the 16th through 18th century. The documents cover all aspects of this advanced African civilization.
Read Works
Read Works: Mali & African Empires the Legend of Sundiata
[Free Registration/Login Required] The legend of how Sundiata became the leader of the Mali people. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Read Works
Read Works: Mali & African Empires the Mali Empire
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about the Mali Empire of Western Sudan. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Digital History
Digital History: The Black Man's African Past [Pdf]
Read the narrative of Oladuah Equiano (or Gustavas Vassa) who described the culture of Benin as he was growing up in mid-18th century. On this site there is also a brief, general history of Africa at this time. [pdf]
PBS
Nova Online: The Lost Tribes of Israel
This site provides an exploration of what may have happened to the "Lost tribes of Israel," including a modern scholar's study of a southern African tribe with possible ties to the lost tribes.
Association of Religion Data Archives
Association of Religion Data Archives: National Profiles: Saint Helena
Learn about religion in the West African island territory of Britain, Saint Helena, in this Association of Religion Data Archives country profile; includes general facts, history, and religious data.
Art Institute of Chicago
Art Institute of Chicago: Benin: Kings and Rituals: Court Arts From Nigeria
Learn about the history of the royal art of the Benin Kingdom in Africa. An overview of the art is provided and with further explanation given according to themes. View maps and selected works of art. A video, charts, glossary, and a...
Other
Budding Foreign Influences
Buganda--or Uganda as it is now known--was a formidable African kingdom in the 19th century as described in this history.
Other
The Salmons: Timbuktu
This site provides information on the legendary city of Timbuktu in the West African Mali Empire.
PBS
Pbs: The Swahili People
This is a site from the PBS series "Wonders of the African World." This brief but detailed article gives information about the origins and history of the Swahili people.
Travel Document Systems
Tds: Benin: History
A brief discussion of Benin's early history. A majority of the information is on its recent history since 1972, including the most recent elections in 2007. Information is from the U.S. State Dept. Background Notes.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: An Introduction to Africa's Arts and Cultures
The British Museum shares the background of its ancient pieces from Egypt, Aksum, ancient Ghana, Mali, Songhoy, Ile Ife, and the Benin kingdom. Also provided is information about its later pieces from the Asante Confederation, the...
University of Chicago
University of Chicago: The Giza Plateau Mapping Project
Resource focuses on the the geology and topography of the Giza plateau, the construction and function of the Sphinx, the Great Pyrimids, the associated tombs and temples, and the Old Kingdom town in the vicinity.
Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation
Guggenheim Museum: Africa: Central Africa
A simple explanation of the Central Africa region of Africa, with information on the cultural history and examples of artwork.
Other
American University (Cairo): Theban Mapping Project
Explore the ancient city of Thebes at this amazing website that brings together zoomable maps, video, images, text, a glossary and timeline, and other resources to help learners understand the significance of the ongoing archaeological...
Countries and Their Cultures
Countries and Their Cultures: Zande
The Zande, whose homelands lie within three modern African states (Republic of the Sudan, Zaire, Central African Republic), constitute a large and complex amalgam of originally distinct ethnic groups, united by culture and, to a...
PBS
Pbs: Historic Gedi
The archaeological site from PBS of Gedi in Kenya is a unique place to see what life was like for the Swahili in East Africa. Scientists have no idea why this prosperous site was abandoned in the early 17th century, but during its peak...
Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Learning Lab: What Is Currency? Lessons From Historic Africa
From the Smithsonian, this site offers lessons and resources on currency, its use (in the form of gold dust, salt, or metal objects) as an instrument of trade in historic Africa, and its requirements as an instrument of trade in the...
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