Explain the factors which lead to the decline of early urban centers in Africa.
Answer:
- Exhaustion of mineral deposits. Areas which depended on minerals collapsed when the minerals were exhausted e.g.Meroe, Axum e.t.c.
- Decline of trading activities. The areas which depended on trade declined following the
disruption of trade.
- War of conquest/ invasion by external forces. When urban centres were invaded
and conquered by other states/ people they were destroyed and collapsed
e.g. Gedi which was attacked by the Portuguese.
- Decline of empires/centres which sewed as administrative posts collapsed when the powers
of their emperors diminished e.g. Gao and Songhai.
- Change in trade routes. When trade routes were diverted from particular centres, such centres collapsed e.g. Timbuktu in West Africa.
- Water -shortage led to outbreak of epidemics and diseases, leading decline of such urban centres e.g. Gedi along the East African coast.
- Decline of trading activities. The areas which depended on trade declined following the
disruption of trade.
- War of conquest/ invasion by external forces. When urban centres were invaded
and conquered by other states/ people they were destroyed and collapsed
e.g. Gedi which was attacked by the Portuguese.
- Decline of empires/centres which sewed as administrative posts collapsed when the powers
of their emperors diminished e.g. Gao and Songhai.
- Change in trade routes. When trade routes were diverted from particular centres, such centres collapsed e.g. Timbuktu in West Africa.
- Water -shortage led to outbreak of epidemics and diseases, leading decline of such urban centres e.g. Gedi along the East African coast.
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