| Society | Dates | Location | Economic Activity | Cultural Achievements | Reasons for Decline |
| Cush | 1100BC to
325 AD |
East Africa, south of Egypt | Control trade routes, iron working | built pyramids and temples, earliest center for iron
workings crafted pottery and ornaments |
unknown, but coincides with rise of Axum |
| Axum | 300 to 700 | East Africa Ethiopian Highlands | control of Red Sea trade routes | Ezana converted to Christian | influence ended with rise of Islam |
| Kilwa | 1100 to 1400 | coast of East Africa | port for shipment of goods | trade center and large mosque | |
| Karanga | about 800 to 1400 | Central Africa in plateau land of modern Zimbabwe | control
mining shipment of gold to the coast |
built large fortress such as Great Zimbabwe | Mystery-may have been ecological disaster |
| Ghana | 200 to 1235 | West Africa | control desert trade routes | invaded by Berber tribes | |
| Mali | 1200 to 1400 | West Africa | control desert trade routes | Mansa Musa supported art education capital became center of learning | weakened by dynastic problems disputes Tombouctou captured by Sunni Ali |
| Songhai | 1468 to 1600's | West Africa | control desert trade routes | Sunni Ali |