Empires of Africa and the Americas
Artwork from the Mesoamerican city of Teotihuacan
By the mid-1400s, Europeans began trading with the kingdoms of West Africa. They came in search of ivory, stone beads, slaves, salt, and gold. This interaction broadened the cultural and culinary horizons of the medieval Europeans, and the financial horizons of the medieval African kingdoms. While there had already been a millennium of contact between the two cultures, it had not proven as beneficial or profitable.
On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, a different story was unfolding, which involved the powerful Native American Empires of the Aztec, Mayan, and Incan Empires. This complex history would become even more complicated when the Europeans and Africans began exploring in 1492.
In this module, you will explore civilizations from across the globe. Take a moment to see if you can identify the continents and oceans of the world. Click the player button to get started.
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