History of the United States I / Unit 1 USH1 0024 short lesson, about 20 seconds
West Africa Before the Trade
Captions available
The idea
West Africa ran from modern Mauritania to the Congo, with rainforest at the equator and savannas on either side. Five rivers connected coast to interior, and most people lived inland.
In practice
Villages of extended families where wives, children and dependents signified wealth.
Where people slip
Sub-Saharan Africans had minimal maritime experience. Hundreds of dialects emerged, and nearly five hundred are still spoken in modern Nigeria.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
Builds on
- Nothing. This is a starting point.
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