1. 15 Societies and Empires of Africa, 800–1500
QUIT 15
CHAPTER
Societies and Empires
of Africa, 800–1500
Chapter Overview
Time Line
SECTION 1
North and Central African Societies
MAP
SECTION 2
West African Empires and Civilizations
GRAPH
SECTION 3
Eastern City-States and Southern Empires
Visual Summary

2. 15 Societies and Empires of Africa, 800–1500
HOME 15
CHAPTER
Societies and Empires
of Africa, 800–1500
Chapter Overview
Africans develop different types of societies, including hunting-gathering and stateless societies south of the Sahara and in Muslim states in North Africa. Other African peoples form powerful empires and states in West, East, and southern Africa, growing rich through trade with Muslim merchants, who spread Islam.

3. 15 Societies and Empires of Africa, 800–1500 HOME Time Line 800 1500
CHAPTER
Societies and Empires
of Africa, 800–1500
Time Line
800 Empire of Ghana thrives on trade.
1076 Muslim Almoravids conquer Ghana.
1235 Sundiata founds Mali Empire.
1464 Sunni Ali begins Songhai Empire.
800
1500
1000 Hausa city-states begin to emerge.
1100 Ife established as a Yoruba kingdom.
1324 Mali king Mansa Musa goes on hajj to Mecca.

4. North and Central African Societies Key Idea 1
HOME 1
North and Central
African Societies
Key Idea
South of the Sahara, African peoples form hunting-gathering societies and stateless societies. In North Africa groups of Muslim reformers form two successive Muslim states, the Almoravid and Almohad empires.
Overview
Assessment

5. North and Central African Societies Overview 1 • lineage
HOME 1
North and Central
African Societies
TERMS & NAMES
Overview
• lineage
• stateless societies
• patrilineal
• matrilineal
• Maghrib
• Almoravids
• Almohads
MAIN IDEA
WHY IT MATTERS NOW
North and central Africa developed hunting-gathering societies, stateless societies, and Muslim states.
Modern African nations often must find ways to include these various peoples and traditions in one society.
Assessment

6. North and Central African Societies 1 1
HOME 1
North and Central
African Societies
Section 1
Assessment
1. Look at the graphic to help organize your thoughts. List characteristics of stateless societies.
Stateless Societies
Lineages share power
Elders negotiate conflict
No centralized authority
Age-set system
continued . . .

7. North and Central African Societies 1 1
HOME 1
North and Central
African Societies
Section 1
Assessment
2. In what ways are hunting-gathering societies and stateless societies similar? THINK ABOUT
• family structures
• social structures
• methods of handling conflict
ANSWER
Possible Responses:
• Both are based on extended family systems.
Neither has a chief or centralized authority.
• Both try to talk out conflicts.
End of Section 1

8. West African Empires and Civilizations Key Idea 2
HOME 2
West African Empires
and Civilizations
MAP
Key Idea
In West Africa three empires—Ghana, Mali, and Songhai—thrive by controlling the trade of gold and salt. Muslim merchants and teachers bring Islam to West Africa. Other major states develop there, including the Hausa city-states, the Yoruba kingdoms of Ife and Oyo, and Benin.
Overview
Assessment

9. West African Empires and Civilizations Overview 2 • Ghana • Mali
HOME 2
West African Empires
and Civilizations
MAP
TERMS & NAMES
Overview
• Ghana
• Mali
• Sundiata
• Mansa Musa
• Ibn Battuta
• Songhai
• Hausa
• Yoruba
• Benin
MAIN IDEA
WHY IT MATTERS NOW
West Africa contained several powerful empires and states, including Ghana, Mali, and Songhai.
These empires demonstrate the richness of African culture before European colonization.
Assessment

10. West African Empires and Civilizations 2 2
HOME 2
West African Empires
and Civilizations
MAP
Section 2
Assessment
1. Look at the graphic to help organize your thoughts.
Compare the Mali Empire and the Songhai Empire.
Mali
Songhai
Both
Broke away from Mali; had war canoes, mobile horseback fighters, and strong centralized government
Revived salt/gold trade, had strict judicial system, built mosques, visited by Ibn Battuta
Controlled Timbuktu, had strong leaders, created Muslim empires, dominated trade
continued . . .

11. West African Empires and Civilizations 2 2
HOME 2
West African Empires
and Civilizations
MAP
Section 2
Assessment
2.  Which of the two—the Yoruba people or the people of Benin—had more influence on the other? Explain.
THINK ABOUT
• when the kingdoms flourished
• political traditions of each
• artistic traditions of each
ANSWER
Possible Responses:
• The Yoruba people had more influence—their kingdoms flourished earlier.
• Benin’s kings claimed descent from a Yoruba king.
• Benin’s artists claimed to have learned from Yoruba artists.
continued . . .

12. West African Empires and Civilizations 2 2
HOME 2
West African Empires
and Civilizations
MAP
Section 2
Assessment
3.  What do you think was the most effective method Ghana used to regulate its economy? Explain. THINK ABOUT
• trade routes
• ownership of gold
• taxes
ANSWER
Possible Responses:
• Controlling trade routes, because Ghana’s rulers could grow rich by taxing traders.
• The law that only the king could own gold nuggets, because it kept inflation down.
• Laws and practices ensuring fair trade and deterring bandits, because they helped trade thrive.
End of Section 2

13. Eastern City-States and Southern Empires
HOME 3
Eastern City-States and
Southern Empires
GRAPH
Key Idea
Cities on Africa’s east coast thrive on trade with Asia, using Swahili as a trade language. Muslim traders bring Islam to East Africa. The Shona states, Great Zimbabwe and Mutapa in southern Africa, control the gold trade from the interior to the east coast.
Overview
Assessment

14. Eastern City-States and Southern Empires
HOME 3
Eastern City-States and
Southern Empires
GRAPH
TERMS & NAMES
Overview
• Swahili
• Great Zimbabwe
• Mutapa
MAIN IDEA
WHY IT MATTERS NOW
From 1000 to 1500, East African city-states and southern African empires gained wealth and power through trade.
The country of Zimbabwe and cities such as Mogadishu and Mombasa have their roots in this time period.
Assessment

15. Resulting Interaction
HOME 3
Eastern City-States and
Southern Empires
GRAPH
Section 3
Assessment
1. Explain three examples of cultural interaction brought about by trade on the coast of East Africa. Indicate whether the interaction had a positive or negative effect.
Cultural Group
Resulting Interaction
Bantu speakers
Arabs
Create Swahili; positive effect
Muslim traders
East Africans
Bring Islam to East Africa; positive effect
Portuguese
Mutapa Empire
Portuguese interfere in Mutapa politics, influence ruler; negative effect

16. Eastern City-States and Southern Empires
HOME 3
Eastern City-States and
Southern Empires
GRAPH
Section 3
Assessment
2. Compare the Portuguese who arrived in East Africa with the rulers of the Mutapa Empire. THINK ABOUT
• how they treated other groups of people
• what motivated their actions
ANSWER
Possible Responses:
• Both were conquerors.
• Both were interested in dominating trade and acquiring wealth.
• Both tried to force other groups to do what they wanted.
End of Section 3