1. African Civilizations and the spread of Islam

2. African Societies: Diversity & Similarities
Stateless Societies: organized around kinship, lacked political power & authority
Did not need rulers or bureaucracies
Sometimes larger & more extensive than actual African states
Families, communities held power; no need to tax to support government

3. Other Alternatives
Secret societies: found in west Africa forests, men and women could join societies through initiation ceremony
Settled village disputes, enforced by masked members
Large space of Africa and frontier mentality enabled stateless societies to thrive

4. Common Elements
Bantu Language: provided linguistic ties among Africans
Animalism & Ancestor worship: provided need for priests, gave guide for ethics and behavior

5. Economy Economies of Africa far more diverse
North: had always been integrated into world markets due to proximity of the great empires (Rome, Greece)
Sub-Sahara: varied from region to region, mostly local and regional trade; integrated more into world markets when Islam arrived

6. Islam Arrives: AD

7. By 711, Islam had spread from Arabia, into N. Africa, up into Spain
Secret to Success: Equality under the law; uniting state & religion attractive to African kings
Arabs = Berbers = Africans; at least under the law, but not in practice
Ex: Fine for killing a man 2x more thank killing a woman

8. Early Reform Movements
Almoravids: Berbers of the western Sahara, Islamic puritans
Almohadis: same as above
“The disparity between law & practice - between equality before God and inequality within the world – led to these reform movements.” (175)

10. The Christian Kingdoms
Egypt & Nubia: arrived here even before Rome; Egyptian Christians called Copts; allowed to keep faith after Islamic conquests
Ethiopian Kingdom: remained a fiercely independent Christian kingdom to this day; resisted all outside influences from Islam, Turks and other Christian kingdoms

11. Kingdoms of the Grasslands
3 “Coasts”: Atlantic, Indian, & the sahel
Sahel: belt of grassland between Sahara desert and jungles to the south; became point of exchange for North & South Africans
Kingdom of Ghana: 3rd c. to 11th c., rose to power by controlling salt & gold trade; converted to Islam in 10th c., invaded by Almoravids in 1076

12. Sudanic States Led by patriarch / council of elders
Subordinated neighboring states through taxes, tribute, and/or military support
Rulers considered sacred, even after they converted to Islam; took on cultish status

13. Mali, Sundiata, Lion Princes, Oh My!
Mali: broke away from Ghana in 13th c.; model Islamic Sudanic kingdom
Diverse economy: agriculturally based, but also depended on trade, especially gold
Juula: Mali traders, spread throughout west Africa
Sundiata: legendary “Lion Prince”; organized political structure of Mali; died in 1260, but Mali remained strong

14. Mister Mansa Musa
Mansa Musa: made hajj in 1324, brought attention to the wealth of Mali; caused sensation across N. Africa (179);
Brought back Muslim architect to build mosques in the Sudan (example of cross-regional ties)

15. City vs. Country
Wealth of Sudan trade spawned great cities, like Jenne and Timbuktu, which had a pop. of 50,000 by the 1300s
80% of villagers were famers, NOT traders
Hard to farm in the Sudan, sandy soil, most farms less than 10 acres
Polygamy common: more wives = more kids = more farmers

16.
Replaced Mali, formed around Niger River Valley beginning in 7th c.; completely independent by 1370s
Rulers were Islam, commoners remained pagan (COMMON THEME FOR SUDANIC STATES)
Sunni Ali: fierce leader & military commander; expanded borders, conquering Jenne & Timbuktu; Muslim, but opposed anyone in his way (even fellow Muslims); used cavalry to dominate enemies WHY CAVALRY?
Empire broke apart at the end of 16th c.

17. Sorghum-grain or livestock food
Millet
Wheat

18. Political & Social Themes Among Sudanic States
Village clans & ethnic groups very important; development of states provided larger framework, but small groups still important
Movement & fusion of populations
Ruling families used religious titles to enforce authority
Formation of states heightened social differences
Islam provided religious unity, but was fused with other beliefs; Sudanic states accommodated pagan beliefs
Ex: differences in status of women (181)
Slave Trade: escalated with Islamic contact; viewed as stage in conversion process; C. Africans sent to E. African coast

20. The Swahili Coast of East Africa
1st – 10th c., Swahili Coast becomes melting pot of Arabs, Africans, and immigrants from Malaysia
Zanj: Arabic term for coast
By 13th c., string of trading ports had developed
Governed by different Muslim rulers
Ivory, gold, iron, slaves, exotic animals brought to coast, traded for silks & porcelain from the East

21. Coast Culture
Rulers & merchants were often Muslim, majority of population was not (ALERT! COMMON AFRICAN THEME!)
Swahili = Bantu language mixed with Arabic
Fused Islam with traditional beliefs
A true “melting pot” of cultures

22. Peoples of the Forest and Plains
Sub-Saharan Central Africa: preliterate, used oral traditions
Nok: village in C. Nigeria, created highly complex artistic objects
Yoruba: non-Bantu speaking people, ag. society ruled by royal family & aristocracy; organized in small city-states, highly urbanized
Benin: large city-state on W. African coast
Yoruban & Benin societies highly artistic, and considered rulers divine

23. Central African Kingdoms
Beyond the rule & influence of Islam, settled around Congo River
Began state formation around AD 1000
Kongo: flourishing kingdom by 15th c.; based on ag., also developed weaving, pottery, blacksmithing; pop. Of 60k – 100k by early 1500s
Sharp division of labor between men & women in Kongo
King was hereditary, chiefs were not; allowed king to better controls subordinates
Kongo became essentially a confederation of smaller states under the rule of the king

24. Greater Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe literally means stone house; these housed the local rulers
Bantu-speakers, believed in bird of God, built stone houses partially in bird’s honor
19th C. Europeans first suspected Arabs or Phoenicians built stone houses, due to their complexity
King Mwene Mutapa: dominated interior gold trade, allowed Zimbabwe to flourish