Chapter 18 States and Societies of Sub-Saharan Africa ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.1

Effects of Early African Migrations Bantu-speaking peoples settle south of equator Established agriculture & herding societies that displaced hunter/gatherers Mastered techniques of Iron metallurgy Result:  Increased agricultural production  Rising population  Pressure for continued migration ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 2

About 2/3 of all Africans speak a form of Bantu. Swahili is the dominant Bantu language. About 50 million people in Africa speak Swahili. Bantu Bantu woman

Cultivation of Bananas Malay sailors introduce bananas, yams, chickens Well-adapted to African climate Results in:  Increased supply of food for Bantu  Enriched their diets  Allowed expansion ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 4

Population Growth ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 5 Difficult for hunter/gatherers as Bantu populations surged

Kin-Based Societies Stateless, segmented societies No elaborate hierarchies, bureaucracies Average population of village: one hundred Ruled by elders (ruling council) Higher government authorities rare ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 6

Chiefdoms Population pressures after 1000 C.E. increase competition, disputes Small chiefdoms appear, overrule kin-based groups Small city-state kingdoms form ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 7

Example: Kingdom of Kongo Basin of the Congo (Zaire) river Conglomeration of several village alliances Most tightly centralized of early Bantu kingdoms ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 8 Ruled fourteenth to seventeenth century, until undermined by Portuguese slave traders

Islamic Kingdoms and Empires Islam spreads to west Africa  Intro of Arabian camel revolutionizes travel across Sahara – 70 to 90 days  Trans-Saharan caravans ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 9

The Kingdom of Ghana Not related to modern State of Ghana Developed fourth to fifth century C.E. Center of African gold trade  Imported from south to Ghana Also sold ivory, slaves ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 10

The kings of Ghana controlled the salt and gold trade between northern and western Africa. Soninke woman Rock salt Gold nuggets

Islam in West Africa Kings of Ghana convert, tenth century Positive impact on trade, relations with north Africa Synthesized Islam with local traditions ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 12

By the 8 th century, there were large populations of Muslims throughout northern Africa. The Berbers of Northern Africa brought Arab scholars to teach at centers for Islamic learning in cities like Timbuktu.. Timbuktu

Sundiata (r ) Empire of Mali extends over kingdom of Ghana  Neighboring kingdoms as well Took greater advantage of trans-Saharan trade Nominally Muslim, but did not force conversions ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 14

Mansa Musa (r ) Grand-nephew of Sundiata Fervent Muslim Performed hajj in  Constructed numerous mosques  Supported Muslim scholars Empire declines after his rule, replaced by Songhay ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 15

In 1324, he made a pilgrimage to Mecca with up to 50,000 people. It is said that he traveled to Mecca with about 100 camels, each carrying 100 pounds of gold dust. Mali’s wealth was known throughout the European and Muslim worlds. Mansa Musa Map of Mali Mansa Musa

The Indian Ocean Trade and Islamic States in East Africa Bantu peoples populate coast  Agriculture, herding, metallurgy Swahili (“coasters”) engage in trade with Arabs Developed city-states ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 17

Kilwa City-state on east African coast Fishing, limited trade, C.E. Turn to agriculture, increased trade in pottery and stoneware Major trading center by fourteenth century  Exporting over a ton of gold per year by fifteenth century C.E. ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 18

Zimbabwe “Dwelling of the chief” Stone complex called “Great Zimbabwe” built early thirteenth century C.E., capital Population 18,000 in late fifteenth century Managed trade between internal and coastal regions ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 19

African Society and Cultural Development Some kingdoms, empires, city-states with well- defined classes  Ruling elites  Merchant class  Peasant class Other areas in sub-Saharan Africa continue to use traditional kin-based groups ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 21

Gender & Age Relations Men work with specialized skills Both genders work in agriculture Male rule more common, but some expanded roles for women  Merchants, some military activity Islamic norms slow to penetrate African society Many societies group people into age grades  Task according to development ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 22

Slavery Practiced since ancient times Most slaves were captives of war, but  Debtors  Suspected witches  Criminals Used principally in agricultural labor Slaves a form of personal wealth, social status ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 23

Slave Trading Increased trans-Saharan and Indian Ocean trade stimulates slave trade, ninth century C.E. Africa replaces eastern Europe as principal source of slaves Creates internal African slave trade  More powerful states attack smaller kinship-based groups  10,000-20,000 slaves per year ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 24

The Zanj Revolt Slaves from Swahili coast exported to work in Mesopotamia  Sugarcane plantations  Salt deposits 869 C.E., slave Ali bin Muhammad mounts revolt of 15,000 slaves Captures Basra Later crushed by Abbasids ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 25

African Religion Great diversity of religious belief Common element: single male creator god  Lesser deities associated with natural phenomena Ancestor worship ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 26

African Religion Diviners  Religious specialists, principally men  Oracle reading, spells, other rituals Limited emphasis on theology  Both Islam and Christianity had a blend of local tradition with the religion Morality, balance of nature important ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 27

Early Christianity in North Africa First century: popular in Egypt, north Africa  Initially weak in sub-Saharan Africa The Christian Kingdom of Axum, fourth century C.E.  Ethiopia  Merchants, then kings convert  Bible translated into Ethiopian  Isolated during Islamic period, renaissance during twelfth century C.E.  Massive churches carved out of solid rock ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 28

The Obelisk at Axum ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 29

Ethiopian Christianity Isolation from other Christian areas until sixteenth century Independent development ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 30