Notes

differences b/t americas/africa and rest of world:
-population unevenly distributed in classical era (250 million or 80% in Eurasia)
-metallurgy less developed in americas
-less writing in americas (many still undeciphered but Mayan had most developed; mainly in MesoAmerica) and restricted to N & NE africa
-americas relied mostly on maize and squash (?) and only had the llama as a domesticated animal while africa had to import everything once trade became available
-africa has huge diversity of climates and biomes; more susceptible to diseases/pathogens which still affect the same areas today
MEROE:
-originally part of Nubia (which conquered/was conquered by Egypt), then became a city-state
-had an all-powerful and scared monarch (sometimes buried with human sacrifices)
-reknown for trade, had connections to Mediterranean and linked w/ Roman Empire, had less Egyptian influence
-farming based on rainfall, paid tributes to leaders, less power in central gov't
-declined b/c deforestation, conquest, and spread of Islam/Christianity
AXUM:
-reknown for Christianity, led a military conquest through Meroe/Yemen (captured all land) to Mecca (where conquest ended); declined partly b/c spread of Islam messed w/ trade routes and decreased gov't influence (also erosion/deforestation/desertification)
-highly productive plow-based agriculture; trade and commerce taxes were main sources of income
-capital had loose control (mainly had power thru collection of taxes/tributes)
NIGER VALLEY:
-loose collection of city-states with no real central gov't or political group controlling things
-iron smithing was earliest/best profession but many people (including rural areas) specialized in diff things
-had network of W Africa commerce
BANTU:
-collection of people who speak Bantu-related languages and shared the same culture
-migrated southwards, settling and displacing hunters/gatherers; brought along diseases and advanced tech which made settlement easier
-traded/interacted w/ hunters/gatherers (like them taking agriculture and metallurgy)
-had a large culture, celebrating the spiritual w/ emphasis on witches, constant messages from God, sacrifices, respecting power of ancestors (no missionary impulses)
-strongly affected history (led to unity/kingdoms and rival city-states in the past centuries)
MAYA:
-series of politically fragmented city-states w/ king(s) on top; kings usually had strong control and city-states were an extension of rituals/ceremonies (kings had strong religious control)
-very advanced (good at mathematics w/ work with zero and calculations, good at science w/ astronomy and calendar and plotting sun/moon/stars/planets, had most advanced system of writing)
-very brutal society (heavy focus on human sacrifices and using blood to please the gods; many people volunteered to be sacrificed)