States & Societies of Sub-Saharan Africa

1. States & Societies of Sub-Saharan Africa AP World History Unit 2

2. Bantu-speaking peoples settle south of Equator. Agriculture, herding spreads with Bantu migrations. Iron. Effects of Early African Migrations

3. States & Societies of Sub-Saharan Africa • Effects of Early African Migrations • Agriculture & Population Growth • Bananas • Domesticated in south-east Asia • Malay sailors colonize Madagascar, 300-500 CE • Introduce bananas, yams, chickens • Well-adapted to African climate • Food supply increases with this key crop • Population Growth

4. African Political Organization • Kin-Based Societies • Stateless, segmented societies. • No elaborate hierarchies and bureaucracies. • Average population of village was 100. • Ruled by elders. • Network of villages resolve disputes in an ad hoc manner. • Higher government authorities rare. Yoruba Ruler ~ Nigeria 12th Century CE

5. African Political Organization • Chiefdoms • Population pressures after 1000 increase competition, disputes. • Small chiefdoms appear, overrule kin-based groups. • Small kingdoms form. • Ife, Benin Yoruba Ruler ~ Nigeria 12th Century CE

6. Kingdoms and empires of sub-Saharan Africa, 800-1500 C.E.

7. Kingdom of the Congo • Basin of the Congo (Zaire) river. • Conglomeration of several village alliances. • Participated actively in trade. • Organization • Most centralized rule of the early Bantu kingdoms. • Royal currency. • Ruled from the 14th-17th century • Undermined by Portuguese slave traders

8. Islamic Kingdoms & Empires • Islam spreads to West Africa. • Trans-Saharan caravans. • Coastal east Africa through maritime trade. • Increased influence after the 8th century.

9. Trans-Saharan Trade & Islamic States in West Africa • Desiccation of Sahara begins around 5000 BCE. • People on both sides had little influence on each other. • Introduction of Arabian camels revolutionizes trade. • One humped dromedary, not native. • 70-90 days to cross Sahara. • Riding saddle developed south of Sahara. • Arabs establish trading communities. • Gao.

10. States & Societies of Sub-Saharan Africa • Islamic Kingdoms & Empires • Trans-Saharan Trade & Islamic States in West Africa • Camels Caravan Approaching Timbuktu, ca. 1850 C.E.

11. The Kingdom of Ghana • Not related to modern State of Ghana. • Developed 4th-5th century CE. • Protection against camel-driving raiders. • Center of African gold trade. • Imported from south to Ghana. • Also sold ivory, slaves. • Koumbi-Saleh • Capital of Kingdom of Ghana. • High point 9th-12th century CE • Population 15,000-20,000 • Military and cultural center

12. Islam in West Africa • Kings of Ghana convert in the 10th century CE. • Positive impact on trade and relations with north Africa. • Synthesized Islam with local traditions. • Sundiata • Ruled from 1230-1255 CE. • 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

13. The Indian Ocean Trade & Islamic States in East Africa • East coast maritime trade weak until the 2nd century CE. • Bantu peoples populated the coast. • Swahili (“coasters”) engage in trade with Arabs. • Language a form of Bantu, influenced by Arabic. • 10th century trade increases.

14. The Swahili City-States • Great wealth from the 11th-12th centuries CE. • Development of city-states. • Architecture moved from wood and mud to coral and stone. • Chinese silk and porcelain imported.

15. Zimbabwe • Means “dwelling of the chief”. • Stone complex called “Great Zimbabwe” built early 13th century CE as the capital. • Population reached 18,000 in late 15th century. • Managed trade between internal and coastal regions.

16. Islam in East Africa • Ruling elites in east Africa accepted Islam without forcing general population to convert. • Often retained pagan religious traditions and practices. • Islam serves as social glue with other merchants and states.

17. Arabian Society & Cultural Development • Some kingdoms, empires, and 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. • Extended families, clans. • Idea of private property less prevalent. • Land held communally. • Harvests distributed by elders.

18. Sex & Gender Relations • Men work with specialized skills. • Tanning and iron work. • Heavy labor. • Both sexes work in agriculture. • Male rule more common, but some expanded roles for women. • Merchants, some military activity. • Islamic norms slow to penetrate African society. • Age Grades. • From early agricultural period, Sudan. • Peer groups of single age cohort. • Crosses lines of family & kinship.

19. Slavery & Slave Trading • Practiced since ancient times. • Most slaves captives of war. • Debtors. • Suspected witches. • Criminals. • Used principally in agricultural labor, possession a status symbol. • Trading. • Increased trans-Saharan & Indian Ocean trade stimulates slave trade, 9th century CE. • 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.

20. African Religion • Great diversity of religious belief. • Common element: • Single, male creator god. • Lesser deities associated with natural phenomena. • Ancestor worship. • Diviners. • Religious specialists, principally men. • Oracle reading, spells, other rituals. • Limited emphasis on theology. • Morality, balance of nature important.

21. Early Christianity in North Africa • Popular in Egypt and north Africa during the 1st century. • Initially weak in sub-Saharan Africa. • The Christian Kingdom of Axum. • 4th century CE. • Located in modern day Ethiopia. • Merchants, then kings convert. • Bible translated into Ethiopian. • Isolated during Islamic period, renaissance during 12th century CE. • Massive churches carved out of solid rock.

22. Africa Pop-quiz • Who did most of the agricultural work? • Did Africans accept all the principles of Islam? • Describe “age groups”. • How did most slaves become slaves? • What two things stimulated the slave trade in the 9th century? • Did Africa have an internal slave trade before the arrival of Europeans? • What is a diviner? • What did Africans place limited emphasis on in religion? • What was the first Christian Kingdom in Africa? • What modern day African country still maintains Christian since it was established in the 4th century?