ABSTRACT
The Africa they encountered was a land of dozens of sophisticated kingdoms and hundreds of ethnic groups, each with distinct and separate cultures and languages. African kingdoms and peoples north of the Sahara Desert largely practiced Islam and had regular contact with Europeans and the Middle East. In both cultures, a singular chief or king ruled over a population with a clear division of labor between men and women. In most Native American cultures, political power was divided between civil and military leaders who had authority only so long as they had the support of their people. Subsequent explorers also discovered native civilizations rich with gold, setting off frenzy of exploration and exploitation. During the 16th century, Spain shipped back so much gold that the resulting inflation caused problems with the European economy.
