Chapter 15: Societies & Empires in Africa • Organized in diverse ways to meet political, economic & social needs • varied climate & topography influenced how each community developed
Jan 13, 2016
Chapter 15: Societies & Empires in Africa
• Organized in diverse ways to meet political, economic & social needs
• varied climate & topography influenced how each community developed
How did Geography & Climate influence Development in Africa?
• Great variety– Climate– Topography– Landforms
North & Central African Societies: Hunter-Gatherer
• Oldest in world• Still around but
very small percentage of population
• unique languages, unique hunting techniques
• Semi-nomadic• Few possessions • Provide clues
about ancient times
“Stateless” Societies• South of Sahara
• Power not centralized; shifts over generations
• Based on lineage groups not individual ruler
– Family groups based on common ancestor
– Living members
– Past generations
– Future generations
– Strong loyalty
• balance authority among lineages of equal power
• may be
– patri-lineal
– matri-lineal
• Men usually hold positions of authority
Muslim States
• Islam spread across N. Africa-
• Rulers converted• Government
based on Islamic Law (Sharia)
• Muslim rulers relied on religious scholars as government advisors
Islamic Law
• Religious obligation to follow the law
• Sharia Law regulates all aspects of life
• Brought stability, wealth but not uniformity
Berbers• Desert, mountain dwellers• Indigenous to N. Africa• Accepted Islam• Maintained Berber Identity• Almoravids & Almohads found empires that united N. Africa
(Maghrib)
Impact of Berber Rule
• Spread N. African culture
• Stability & order• Unity through
Islamic teaching
• North/South Trade flourished
West African Civilizations
• Three powerful empires flourished in West Africa in Sahel-the savanna region just south of the Sahara
• Grew strong by controlling trade
Empire of Ghana
• Around 200 AD, trade across Sahara was infrequent
• Berbers began to use camels
• Travel great distance without water
• Taxed trade-grew wealthy
Gold-Salt Trade
• Arab & Berber traders crossed desert w/salt, cloth, weapons, manufactured goods
• African traders brought gold north
• Merchants met in trade cities, exchanged goods, officials collected tax & ensured fair weights and provided protection from bandits
Land of Gold• By 800, Ghana was an
empire• King controlled trade, large
army, demanded taxes & gifts from chiefs of surrounding lands
• King controlled supply of gold, kept price high
• King was religious leader, judge, military commander
• Head of government bureaucracy
Islamic Influences
• Islam spread through trade
• Ghana’s rulers/elites converted to Islam
• Common people kept traditional beliefs/practices
• Islam spread literacy• Ghana lost power when
Almoravids disrupted gold-salt trade
Empire of Mali
• By 1235 the kingdom of Mali had emerged
• Its founders were Mande-speaking people, who lived south of Ghana.
• Mali’s wealth was also built on gold
Sundiata Conquers an Empire
• A powerful king named Sundiata ruled Mali from around 1230-1255 AD. He became known as a mansa, or emperor
• He led the people in conquering & expanding his kingdom to be as great as Ghana had been
Mansa Musa Expands Mali (1312-1337)
• Greatest king of Mali• developed gold/salt
trade-• kingdom became very
powerful & rich• Made hajj to Mecca-
upon return built many mosques in Timbuktu
• Attracted Muslim judges, doctors, religious leaders scholars
Ibn Battuta: 1352• Muslim legal scholar • Traveled throughout
Muslim world -27 years• Wrote a journal • Praised people of Mali
for their study of Qur’an• Criticized lack of strict
practice (women did not veil)
• Within 50 years, gold trade shifted to new fields in East
• Mali weakened
Empire of Songhai
• As Mali declined, Songhai east built an army & extended territory-gained control of trade routes. Gao was the capital.
Songhai’s Powerful Muslim Leaders• Sunni Ali
-Built a professional army
• Askia Muhammad -stable government -Encouraged learning
Other Peoples of West Africa: Hausa City-States
• Named for spoken language• Rulers depended on crops of
farmers, traded salt, grain, cotton cloth
• Profit from caravans• Slave trade thrived as well• Rivalry, conflict prevented
creation of empire
Other Peoples of West Africa: Yoruba Kingdoms
• Forest dwellers• United by language• King was religious
and political leader• Secret group limited
kings power-reviewed his decisions
Other Peoples of West Africa: Benin• Forest dwellers• King claimed legitimacy from “first king
of life”• Powerful army controlled large area• Built walls around Benin City, broad
streets • Huge palace w/courtyards• Sophisticated metalworkers
Eastern African City-States: Trade Creates Power/Wealth
East Coast Trade Cities• Villages developed into trade cities• By 1100 Bantu-speaking peoples
migrated across central Africa • Trade developed between East
African merchants & traders from Arabia, Persia & India
• Muslim Arab & Persian traders settled in these port cities
• Arabic blended w/ Bantu language; created Swahili
• By 1300, 35 trading cities thrived• Grew wealthy by controlling all trade
Kilwa• In 1331, Ibn Battuta
visited • Admired all aspects of
society• Strategic location led to
great power & wealth• Conquered by
Portuguese in 1488
Islamic Influences • Growth of commerce caused Islam to spread
• Even small towns had mosques
• Ruler, government officials, & merchants were Muslim
• Majority held to traditional beliefs
Muslim Enslavement of Africans • not prohibited by Islam• Slaves acquired by
kidnapping, war• Relatively small
percentage • Used for heavy labor on
docks, ships,• soldiers & household
servants
Southern Africa & Great Zimbabwe
• Southeast Africa• Established by Shona
people• Built on gold trade to
Sofala• By 1450, abandoned
due to overgrazing, overuse of soil, salt, timber
• Mutapa Empire took its place