Posted by Chester Morton / Sunday 4 November 2018 / No comments
The factors that contributed to the rise of the kingdom of Kush
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| Traders in Khartoum, Sudan. |
THE FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO RISE OF THE KUSHITE KINGDOM
Introduction
The ancient kingdom of Kush was located near the Nile Valley
in the South of Sudan and Egypt. The modern location of the ancient kingdom is in modern-day Sudan. Several factors have contributed to the rise of the Kush as a
kingdom and some of these factors are discussed in the under listed
paragraphs.
THE FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO RISE OF THE KUSHITE KINGDOM
The brief fall of Egypt
One of the factors that contributed to the rise of the
kingdom of Kush was the brief fall of the kingdom of Egypt. With the Hyksos' conquer
of Lower Egypt and their subsequent rule over the same, the kingdom of Kush became
the superpower in Upper Egypt. In about 730, the leaders of Kush invaded Egypt and
ruled it for almost 70 years.
Iron deposits in Kush
Another contributing factor to the rise of the kingdom of
Kush was the presence of iron ore deposits. In addition to these
iron ore deposits, the people were skilled in the extraction of iron and using
same to manufacture implements for farming purposes and for making weapons.
Their various tools were in very high demand in the region and this turn the
kingdom of Kush into a hub where money, weapons, and farm implements exchanged
hands.
Agriculture
Also, agriculture played a major role in the rise of the
Kushite kingdom. The skills of their artisans in the iron industry helped them
to manufacture farm implements. These implements were employed in clearing,
tilling and ploughing fertile lands for cultivation of various cereals such as millet and sorghum. Agricultural production, therefore, increased the food security of the
kingdom. They also engaged in the raising of domestic animals to meet their
protein needs. Food security gave enormous stability to the kingdom.
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| Desert rocks in Sudan |
Trading activities
Again, trading activities contributed to the
rise of the kingdom. As a kingdom endowed with the skills of iron smelting and
manufacture of implements of various kinds, many people wanted to acquire some
of their products. The Kushites became traders in iron products used for either
farm work or for war. Apart from this, the Kushites went into the importation
of wood, used in firing the blast furnaces when their stock of wood started
dwindling. They also established trade with West Africa and engaged in buying
gold through the Sahara Desert. These trading activities contributed to the sustenance of the kingdom.
The military
In addition, one other factor which contributed to the rise
of the kingdom of Kush was their military. The Kushite leaders ensured the
training of Kushite hunters in the handling of weapons and how to engage in
warfare. These then formed the core of the Kushite military. The army was then
used to ward off invaders and to launch military attacks of other areas for
purposes of territorial expansion. They also built garrisons where soldiers were stationed to serve as a buffer in times of any invasion.
SAMPLE QUESTION(S)
1. Highlight five factors that contributed to the rise of the kingdom of Kush
