CIV Final AFRICA

Bantu Migrations Begin

4000 BCE

Beginning in West Africa, around the Nile-Congo River Basin, the Bantu people began to migrate into the greater African region. These migrations were irregular, and the people would move as soon as they had exhausted their resources. This was possible largely due to the fact that the Bantu people were extremely adept at metallurgy. Forest in their way? Cut it down and use the timber!
Pictured: Map of Bantu migrations from Ancient History.

Menes Unites Upper and Lower Egypt

3100 BCE

This begins the first kingdom: the Old Kingdom.
His conquests are what historians refer to as the beginning of the Archaic period.
Pictured: Palette of Narmer, circa 2950 BCE. Depicts Narmer (who might also be Menes, that's still debated) unifying Upper and Lower Egypt, aided by Horus who is holding a mummification tool in His talon. On both sides of the palette, Narmer is depicted wearing the crown of Upper and then Lower Egypt, alluding to his future conquest.

First Intermediate Period

2100 BCE

As Egypt was unified under one pharoah, it became a challenge to rule efficiently. The pharaoh, who was thought to be a living god, appointed family members to oversee the smaller city-states which eventually caused for a bunch of infighting amongst the rulers over "who was qualified to lead where" and it sent Egypt into civil war for 100 years.
Pictured: Khafre, a statue of gneiss about 5'5. He's depicted sitting on a throne with his back guarded by Horus, the god of pharaohs.

Middle Kingdom Begins

2040 BCE

The Middle Kingdom period was one of extreme prosperity for Egypt. The pharoah was seen now as a father figure as opposed to a living god, and Egypt managed to expand into Nubia to the south, as well as Palestine and Syria.
Pictured: Head of Senusret III, part of a larger sculpture that's been lost. Senusret III was responsible for the success of Egypt expanding into Nubian territory, and helped overhaul the central administration of Egypt, limiting pharoah's godly power.

Second Intermediary Period

1782 BCE

In between the Middle and New Kingdoms was 100 years where Egypt was under Hyskos rule, and it's known as the Second Intermediate Period. The Hyskos came into Egypt with technologies Egypt had never seen, namely chariots and bronze. When Egypt could recreate and use those technologies against them, the Egyptians drove the Hyskos out.

Amenhotep IV Changes The Religious Hierarchy

1350 BCE

For hundreds of years prior, Egyptians had worshipped their deities with Ra, the Sun God, sitting at the top of the religious tier list. In 1350, Akenhaten, (who at this point was still Amenhotep) switched the order a little bit, so that Aten, the sun disc god was at the top instead. This, paired with moving the capital, caused a bunch of chaos within Egyptian society, eventually leading to his demise.
Pictured: Colossal Statue of Akenhaten. Currently located in Museum of Cairo.

Bantu Migrations End

1000 BCE

By this point, the Bantu people had ended up at the southern tip of Africa, and had begun many smaller civilizations throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. This migration helps populate areas enough for Africa to begin it's age of great city-states that lead into later kingdoms.
Pictured: Art recovered from Benin that depicts warriors.

Knock Knock, it's Alexander the Great

332 BCE

In the later parts of 332, Alexander and his armies come into Egypt, and even though Alexander is Extremely Upset with the Persians, he puts those emotions away long enough to respect Egyptian culture, and be welcomed into their country as a pharaoh, soon a god.
Pictured: a statuette of Horus, made out of basalt. Thought to be from the Ptolemaic period, so it would've been made during the rapid Hellenization of Egypt. Currently resides at Museum of Toledo.

Alexander Leaves Egypt To Absolutely Destroy Persia

331 BCE

With his newfound god-pharoah status and his well-rested troops (who did not really like the newfound god-pharoah status,) Alex moves on from Egypt, swiftly wrecking the Persian forces at Gaugamela. This ends the reign of the Achaemenid Dynasty, more on that in the Middle East timeline.
Pictured: "Bricks with a palmette motif." Likely created during the Achaemenid period, the end of which was when Alexander decided to swing by. Currently housed at the Met.

Punic War #1

264 BCE

Initially founded by the Phoenicians as place of trade, Carthage had recently decided that they wanted complete control over Sicily. Rome did not like that at all, so they go to war, A Punic War! The first one, to be exact. It was long, Rome won, a lot of people died, and a general's son named Hannibal would become so enraged by all of the violence that he would hold that rage inside him for years, until he could exact some vengeance.
Pictured: Carthaginian coin.

Punic War #2

218 BCE

Hannibal's back, and this time, with elephants! That's right, folks: Hannibal crossed the Alps with an army of people as well as elephants and absolutely wrecked some Roman cities. Everything was going great until Rome countered by sending troops to Carthage to attack the locals there. Hannibal soon rushed back to Carthage to help his people, and the whole thing ended up in a legal battle where Carthage had to sue for peace, but afterwards, things were calm between the two for around 50 years.

Kingdom of Ghana Rises

4

Historians believe that the Kingdom of Ghana began around 4 CE, however that's not completely sure. What is known is that Ghana was a huge power when Islam arrived, and through their adoption of Islam, Ghana was able to build up their trade market and really rake in the money. Their legacy fell after raids from outsiders and drought made them a target.
Pictured: A terra cotta memorial head (nsodie) from the Cote d'Ivoire, depicting a ruler of a West African kingdom. Currently at the Met.

Ghana Falls, Mali Rises

1235

Sundiata, the founder of the Kingdom of Mali, absorbed not only the now-weakened Ghana, but other smaller kingdoms in West Africa to be part of his kingdom. He taxed trade routes and traded with the Islamic traders, which helped bring in lots of cash. That surplus of gold was very apparent when Sundiata's grandson, Mansa Musa, made his pilgrimage to Mecca and had to bring special camels with him to transport all of his cash.
Pictured: Medieval art of Mansa Musa, depicting him in a gold crown.

Saladin's Heir is Murdered and Now It's the Mamluks' Turn To Control Egypt

1249

Saladin gained control of Egypt back in 1169, but when it came time for his heir to take the lead after his passing, the slave class of Mamluks rose up, murdering said heir in the process. The Mamluks would end up controlling Egypt for a few hundred years, and doing a darn good job, even stopping Genghis Khan's forces at one point.
Pictured: a glass vase made during Mamluk reign. It features stylized Arabic calligraphy!

Henry the Navigator Raids Cuerta

1415

As a trading town, Cuerta was filled with riches like gold, salt, & slaves, and Henry's interest in Africa was heightened. He started what would eventually be a successful sailing school that would accept most anyone with the knowledge to help expand his own, and after it's success, more and more people started sailing down to explore Africa including the Portuguese sailors who would meet and trade with those in Songhai. This would later begin the Atlantic Slave Trade.
Pictured: Our boy, Henry!

Decline of Mali, Rise of Songhai*

1464

*Also spelled as "Songhay"
Mali was struggling with internal and external issues around 100 years after Mansa Musa. On the inside: there was plenty of governmental infighting, and externally there were plenty of raids and other governments ready to take over. In 1464, Mali fell under these pressures, and the next kingdom to rise in Africa was the Kingdom of Songhai.
Pictured: a three-footed pottery bowl, discovered in a past Mali city in present-day Mali. Currently at the Met.

Kingdom of Songhai in Decline

1591

Much like the past kingdom of Mali, infighting amongst the empire caused enough chaos for outsiders to make their move, and make it successfully. In 1591, outside forces were able to weaken Songhai to the point of collapse.
Pictured: Tomb of Askia, in the Songhai capital of Gao.