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Period: Jan 1, 700 to Jan 1, 1100
The Empire of Ghana
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Period: Jan 1, 800 to Jan 1, 1550
Kingdom of Mali
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Period: Jan 1, 1300 to
Kingdom of Songhai
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Jan 1, 1400
Exploration of Africa
Around the 1400's, the Portugese explored Africa's coast, in hope of finding a trade route that bypassed the mediterranean. They began in Western Africa, building forts as "bases of operation." To store food and repair ships. As they explored, they drove out Arabs with cannons and slowly began to take over and dominate the trade in the area. -
Jan 1, 1487
Age of Exploration
As the mongol empire began to collapse in the late 14th century, and land travel was more likely to end poorly, the need for new water routes was strong, resulting in many men seeking out new, faster, better trade routes. Through this, many new places were discovered. -
Period: Apr 1, 1500 to
Atlantic Slave Trade
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Asante/Ashante
Asante is a western African state that lies in what is Southern Ghana in the 18th and 19th centuries. In the 18th century, Asante was prominent in slave trade, but came to a halt in the 19th, when it failed to resist British occupation. -
Period: to
The Industrial Revolution
Arkwright's creation of the water frame in 1769, accompanied by its vast success, resulted in a boom of machines being created to perform tasks, resulting in an entire revolution of advancements, lasting as long as until 1900. -
Arkwright's Water Frame
Arkwright's water frame was a water powered machine that created warp-suitable cotton yarn. His invention was superior to James Hargreave's spinning jenny in that the cotton made from the water frame was stronger. -
The Origin of Species
In 1859, Charles Darwin published his book The Origin of Species, in which it is generally laid the groundwork for the belief in evolution. It states that over time, an organism will adapt and change to suit the environment it lies within. Darwin's studies vastly influenced westem science and culture, and still does, even today. -
Social Darwinism / Survival of the Fittest
This theory stated that over time, the weaker, less fortunate groups and cultures dimished, while the stronger, wealthier groups grew and gained control over the less fortunate. Similar to the theory of natural selection, but applies to society. -
Period: to
Partition of Africa
Between 1881 and 1914, European occupation of Africa grew substantially, be it for trade routes, curiosity, or other reasons. The Europeans began to view slaves as Africa's most important item, and as a result, slave trade in Africa exploded.
