The geography of Africa helped to shape the history and development of the culture and civilizations of Ancient Africa. The geography impacted where people could live, important trade resources such as gold and salt, and trade routes that helped different civilizations to interact and develop.

Early Communities Early societies in West Africa were family-based communities. Some of these communities joined together to form villages. Some villages became important trading sites and grew into cities. Others developed into large communities near important resources, such as iron ore or gold.

Geography and Trade Geography was a major factor in the development of West African societies. Settled communities grew south of the Sahara, where the land permitted farm- ing. Geography also influenced trading patterns. Communities traded with one another for items they could not produce locally.

Terms in this set (9) How did the environment affect the development in societies in Africa? People hold less money and more bonds. It led to wealth creation and opportunities for African society to expand and grow.

How did an individuals lineage affect his or her life in African societies? Lineage affects someone life as it depicts where and what you come from. Lineage can affect your career.

How did migration affect the development of African cultures? Migration helped spread ideas and skills, such as farming, iron-working, and domesticating. Influences, such as the rule of the Phoenicians, Romans, and Muslim Arab brought changes in culture, religion, government, and agriculture.

Archaeologists believe that early peoples from the north moved into West Africa as desertification forced them south to find better farmland. Discoveries in the areas of modern Mali and Nigeria reveal that West Africans developed advanced societies and cities long before outsiders came to the continent.