Societies and Empires of Africa 500 -1500 A.D. Sankore mosque in Mali Hausa intelligent mask

Early History of Sub Saharan Africa

Social/Political Features of Early Groups Lineage. The members of a lineage believe they are descendants of a common ancestor. Livelihood included hunter gathering in semi nomadic conditions. Decentralized and Stateless Societies: authority in a stateless society was balanced among lineages so that no one family had too much control. in the fields while men tended cattle or hunted.

Defined Gender Roles Matrilineal societies. Young men inherit land and wealth from their mother’s family. However, even in a matrilineal society, men usually hold the positions of authority. Defined Roles based on sex and age. Ceremonies mark the passage to each new stage. Men and women have different life stages, and each stage has its own duties. Women were usually subordinate to men. Women often worked in the fields while men tended cattle or hunted.

Education Education. A rigid education process existed to prepare members Stage 1. boys and girls were raised by their mothers until six. Stage 2. At age six, girls went to the "house of the women" and boys went to the "house of the men.“ Stage 3. young people reached an age at which they were expected to enter the community fully.

Religious Beliefs Single creator god. Many believed that the creator had lived on Earth but left in disgust at human behavior. The god was also merciful and could be pacified by proper acts. Rituals and Divination. Rituals carried out by a special class of diviners, people claiming to foretell events Ancestors. Ritual ceremonies were dedicated to ancestors because they were believed to be closer to the gods Ashanti god akwaba

Slavery. Europeans did not introduce slavery to Africa. In fact, it had been practiced there since ancient times. North African Berber groups may have raided villages south of the Sahara for captives. The captives were then taken north and sold throughout the Mediterranean. Slaves included people captured in war, debtors, and some criminals.

The Efe Society Forest Dwellers of the Ituri Forest in central Africa Nomadic. Their search for food causes them to be somewhat nomadic. Defined Social Roles and Diet. women are the gatherers. They walk through the forest searching for roots, yams, mushrooms. men do all the hunting. Political Structure A respected older male, such as a father, uncle, or father- inlaw, serves as group leader. Although members of the group listen to and value this man’s opinion, he does not give orders or act as chief.

Muslim Influence

Muslim Expansion While stateless societies developed south of the Sahara, Islam played a vital role in North Africa. By 670, Muslims ruled Egypt and had entered the Maghrib, the part of North Africa As Islam spread, some African rulers converted to Islam. These African Muslim rulers then based their government upon Islamic law. Muslim rulers often relied on religious scholars as government advisers.  

Berbers Among those who converted to Islam were the Berbers. Fiercely independent desert and mountain dwellers, the Berbers were the original inhabitants of North Africa. While they accepted Islam as their faith, many maintained their Berber identities and loyalties.

Almoravid Reformers In the 11th century, The movement began after devout Berber Muslims made a pilgrimage to Mecca Their leader was Ibn Yasin. he founded a strict religious brotherhood The Almoravids conquered parts of West Africa and southern Spain, where they were called Moors.

Almohads Take Over began as a religious movement in Morocco in the mid 12 century. After a pilgrimage to Mecca, Ibn Tumart criticized Almoravid rulers for moving away from the traditional Islamic practices fought and overthrew the Almoravids Kept Marrakech as their capital they had conquered much of southern Spain broke up into individual Muslim dynasties Minaret of the Koutoubia Mosque

Western African Empires

Ghana: Gold Salt Trade Gold came from a forest region south of the savanna at least two-thirds of the world’s supply of gold came from West Africa Although rich in gold, West Africa’s savanna and forests lacked salt, Arab and Berber traders crossed the desert with camel caravans loaded down with salt. They also carried cloth, weapons, and manufactured good

Ghana’s Kings By the year 800, Ghana had become an empire. Ghana’s king controlled trade and commanded a large army. he could demand taxes from his chiefs. Only the king had the right to own gold nuggets The king acted as religious leader, judge, and general. He headed a large bureaucracy and army.

Ghana: Religion and Downfall While Islam spread through North Africa by conquest, in the south, Islam spread through trade. Eventually, Ghana’s rulers converted to Islam. Yet, many people in the empire clung to their animistic beliefs and never converted. In 1076 the Muslim Almoravids of North Africa completed their conquest of Ghana.

Mali: Empire of The Sundiata By 1235 the kingdom of Mali had emerged Mali’s wealth, like Ghana’s, was built on gold. Mali’s first great leader, Sundiata came to power Through a series of military victories, A period of peace and prosperity followed. He put able administrators in charge of Mali’s finances, defense, and foreign affairs. From his new capital at Niani, he reestablished the gold-salt trade.

Mali’s Mansa Musa Some of Mali’s next rulers became Muslims, but Mali experienced turmoil Mansa Musa ruled from about 1312 to 1332 Mansa Musa exercised royal control over the gold-salt trade and put down every rebellion Under Mansa Musa, the empire expanded to roughly twice the size of the empire of Ghana A devout Muslim, Mansa Musa went on a hajj to Mecca from 1324 to 1325. When he returned, he ordered the building of new mosques at the trading city of Timbuktu. Timbuktu became one of the most important cities of the empire.

Mali and the end By the mid 14th century, the empire had international renown. One world traveler, ibn Battuta spread Timbuktu’s greatness. Yet despite the publicity, Within 50 years, the empire began to weaken. Most of Mansa Musa’s successors lacked his ability to govern well. In addition, the gold trade shifted eastward as new goldfields were developed elsewhere.

Other West African Kingdoms As Mali declined in the 1400s, people who had been under its control began to break away. Among them the Songhai built up an army and extended their territory. They gained control of the all- important trade routes. Gao was the capital. In other areas, city-states developed in West Africa, such as the Hausa city states of Nigeria. As in Ghana, Mali, and Songhai, Muslim traditions influenced some of these city-states. Other city-states held to their traditional African beliefs.

East Africa

Aksum East African Kingdoms From the 3rd century A.D., the Christian kingdom of Aksum had taken part in an extensive trade network. From its Red Sea port, Aksum ivory, shells were traded with Arabia, Persia, India, and the west. After the 600s, Muslim forces cut off the Aksumites from their port. The Aksumites moved their capital south, leaving the eastern cities to Muslim influence King Ezana

East Coast Trade Cities As the Aksum moved south, Bantu speaking groups from West Africa moved east. Slowly, coastal villages grew into bustling seaports, built on trade between East African merchants and traders from Arabia, Persia, and India. Arab traders sold porcelain bowls from China and jewels and cotton cloth from India. They bought African ivory, gold, tortoiseshell, leopard skins, and rhinoceros horns to carry to Arabia.

Islamic Influences commerce caused Islam to spread. A sultan governed cities. Most officials and wealthy merchants were Muslims. However, many held on to their traditional religious beliefs which was in conflict with Islam. As trade increased, many Muslim Arab and Persian traders settled in these port cities. Arabic blended with the local language to create Swahili. Along with luxury goods, Arab Muslim traders exported enslaved persons from the East African coast.

The Bling and the beauty of Kilwa

Portuguese Conquest In 1488, Portuguese ships rounded the southern tip of Africa, looking for a sea route to India. When they saw the wealth of these city- states, they conquered. The Portuguese kept their ports and cities on the East African coast for the next two centuries. Slave Trade increased dramatically in the 17th and 18th century. At that time, Europeans started to buy captured Africans for their colonial plantations.

Southern Africa

Great Zimbabwe In southeastern Africa the Shona people, a Bantu group, established a city called Great Zimbabwe which grew into an empire built on the gold trade. From the 1200s through the 1400s, Its leaders taxed traders. They also demanded tribute from chiefs. But by 1450, Great Zimbabwe was abandoned. No one knows for sure why it happened. According to one theory, cattle grazing had worn out the grasslands.

the Mutapa Empire origins According to Shona oral tradition, a man named Mutota left Great Zimbabwe about 1420 to find a new source of salt. Traveling north, he settled in a valley with fertile soil and good rainfall As the state grew, its leader Mutota used his army to dominate the northern Shona people living in the area. He forced them to make payments to support his army.

Rise and Fall of Mutapa By 1480, the Mutapa Empire had conquered most of Zimbabwe. Mutapa rulers forced people in conquered areas to mine gold. Unhappy with mutapa rule, the south broke away. Later, the Portuguese became involved in manipulating and controlling mutapa politics This signaled increasing European interference in Africa in centuries to come.

African Kingdoms