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African Empires Facts & Worksheets

Great Empires and Kingdoms reigned across vast parts of Africa before the first European settlers emerged. Their emperors oversaw opulent courts where dance, music, and art thrived.

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Great Empires and Kingdoms reigned across vast parts of Africa before the first European settlers emerged. Their emperors oversaw opulent courts where dance, music, and art thrived. With distant nations, their traders exchanged things like salt, gold, and other commodities. 

See the fact file below for more information about African Empires, or you can download our 28-page African Empires worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

  • Northern Africa. The Kingdom of Egypt was the earliest in Africa. It was also among the first civilizations in human history. The Kingdom arose around 3000 BCE in the Nile River Valley.
  • The accomplishments of the ancient Egyptians are phenomenal. They were administered systemically. The ancient Egyptians created gigantic pyramids, temples, and other stone constructions. Most significantly, they established a writing system.
  • Southern Africa. The Kingdom of Mapungubwe was a historical state in South Africa that existed near the junction of the Shashe and Limpopo rivers, south of Great Zimbabwe. One of the two sources of the name is Tshivenda or TjiKalanga. 
  • The Kingdom had connections to Rhapta and Kilwa Kisiwani through the gold trade, and it was the precursor to the eventual formation of the Kingdom of Zimbabwe in the thirteenth century. The Kingdom lasted approximately 140 years, with a population of around 5,000 people in the capital at its peak.
  • Central Africa. In West-Central Africa, there were multiple kingdoms by the year 1500 BCE. Kongo was the most significant and potent of them; it was situated south of the Congo River and included portions of what is now the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Angola.
  • However, the Portuguese quickly found themselves looking for new partners due to disputes about governing the slave trade. The Portuguese worked in conjunction with the Mbundu kingdom of Ndongo, which was based in the highland east of Luanda, Angola, for a while, but conflicts over the slave trade soon surfaced once more.
  • Western Africa. The Western African empires of this period reached their pinnacle of dominance in the late 18th century, coinciding with the apex of the Atlantic trade of enslaved people. These empires developed a culture of continual warfare to generate the necessary number of prisoners to meet the demand for enslaved people by the European colonies.
  • Furthermore, the progressive abolition of enslaving in European colonial empires during the nineteenth century made the slave trade less profitable, and the West African empires began a period of decline, eventually falling by the end of the century. The center of these empires was in what is now Mali, yet it used force to extend its rule widely to the east and west.

INFLUENTIAL AFRICAN EMPIRES

  • The Land of Punt.  The Kingdom begins in 2500 BCE when it first appears in Egyptian archives as a “Land of the Gods” abundant in gold, ebony, myrrh, and exotic creatures like leopards and apes. During the 15th century BCE, the Egyptians dispatched massive flotillas and caravans to Punt on trade trips. Yet, they never determined its location—even during Queen Hatshepsut’s reign.
  • The Kingdom of Kush. For more than a millennium, the Kingdom of Kush dominated the African regions. In addition to being Egypt’s military adversary and economic partner, the kingdom also took up numerous customs of its neighbor and even governed Egypt under the 25th Dynasty.
  • Carthage. Carthage prospered as a commercial city for more than 500 years in North Africa. It was first developed as a Phoenician town in Tunisia, but it eventually expanded into a vast maritime empire that controlled trade in gold, textiles, copper, and silver.
  • The Songhai Empire. The devout King Muhammad I Askia took the Empire to its zenith in the early 16th century when it partnered with the Muslim Caliph of Egypt and opened numerous Islamic schools in Timbuktu. 
  • The Kingdom of Aksum. One of the world’s first empires to embrace Christianity in the 4th century was Aksum, which prompted the Byzantines to form a military and political alliance. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church is a remnant of the empire’s religious tradition that endures to this day, but the empire eventually declined, most likely in the 7th or 8th century.
  • Great Zimbabwe. Much of what is now Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique were under the authority of this kingdom. Situated on a trading route that linked the region’s gold fields with ports on the Indian Ocean coast, the area was especially abundant in cattle and precious metals.
  • The Mali Empire. The Mali Empire was one of the treasures of Africa and was renowned worldwide for its richness and power when it peaked in the 16th century, but it eventually fell apart.

FEMALE WARRIORS IN AFRICAN EMPIRES

  • Queen Amanirenas, circa 40 BCE. The Queen governed the Kingdom of Kush in Nubia from 40 BCE until 10 BCE. Three Roman-ruled cities were successfully taken by Amanirenas, who led an army of 30,000 soldiers from the frontlines. Nevertheless, Rome struck back quickly, conquering Kush, demolishing the capital, and enslaving thousands of people.
  • Queen Nzinga Mbande (c. 1583-1663). Queen Nzinga Mbande was the Mbundu people’s ruler in Angola. She was a brilliant politician and military strategist. Also, she was a skilled negotiator. Nzinga established a strategic partnership with Portugal in 1622.
  • Under her direction, the Portuguese soldiers were successfully defeated for decades, and Nzinga even led her troops into combat when she was in her sixties. The Portuguese made several attempts but were never able to take Nzinga.
  • Queen Nanny (c. 1685-c. 1750). Queen Nanny was the ruler of the Jamaican Maroons, a group of once-enslaved Africans who battled the British for freedom. She managed to free almost a hundred enslaved people. Her cunning tactics made it possible to ambush the highly armed British and defeat their force.
  • Yaa Asantewaa (c. 1840-1921). Yaa Asantewaa was the monarch of the wealthy Ashanti Empire, formerly known as Asante, a modern-day Ghana. The most revered artifact in the empire, the Golden Stool, was formally protected by her in her capacity as Queen.
  • In addition, she was imprisoned and banished to the Islands until she died in 1921. Yaa Asantewaa fought beside her people to the end. She is still regarded as one of the most well-known warrior Queens in history because of her bravery and perseverance in the face of overwhelming odds.

African Empires Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about the African Empires across 28 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about the African Empires. With distant nations, their traders exchanged things like salt, gold, and other commodities. 

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

  1. African Empires Facts
  2. Flavor it Up!
  3. Under the Line
  4. Collect. Wash. Clean
  5. Clip Click
  6. The Main Dish
  7. Watch Which
  8. Maxi-magination
  9. Pass and Past
  10. BTB: Best of the Best
  11. Pick It Up!

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the significance of the Mali Empire?

The Mali Empire, which thrived from the 13th to the 16th century, was one of the wealthiest and most powerful empires in West Africa. It was renowned for its control over the trans-Saharan trade routes, particularly in gold and salt. Under rulers like Mansa Musa, Mali became a center of culture, commerce, and Islamic scholarship.

What characterized the political structure of the Songhai Empire?

The Songhai Empire, which emerged in the 15th century in West Africa, had a centralized political structure. It was ruled by a powerful monarch known as the Askia. The empire was divided into administrative regions governed by appointed officials. The military played a crucial role in maintaining control over the vast territory, and the empire reached its zenith under leaders like Askia Muhammad.

How did the Axum Empire influence the region of East Africa?

The Axum Empire, located in present-day Ethiopia and Eritrea, was a major player in the trade network of the Red Sea. It controlled important trade routes connecting Africa, Arabia, and the Mediterranean. Axum was one of the first African empires to adopt Christianity as its official religion, significantly shaping the cultural and religious landscape of East Africa.

What role did the Ghana Empire play in the trans-Saharan trade?

The Ghana Empire, which existed from the 8th to the 11th century in West Africa, was instrumental in facilitating trade between North Africa and West Africa. It controlled the gold and salt trade routes, which were vital commodities at the time. Ghana’s position as a middleman in this trade network allowed it to amass considerable wealth and power.

How did the Kingdom of Kush contribute to the history of ancient Egypt?

The Kingdom of Kush, located in present-day Sudan, was a significant regional power that frequently interacted with ancient Egypt. At times, it ruled over Egypt as the 25th Dynasty, leaving a notable mark on Egyptian history. Kushite rulers, known as the pharaohs of the 25th Dynasty, adopted many Egyptian customs and contributed to the revitalization of Egyptian culture during their rule.

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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