African Empires & Societies 🏺

Subject - W/ History Chapter 12

Many of Africa’s local religions were __________.

polytheistic

polytheism

Belief in one divine creator or supreme god alongside other gods/spirits

animism

The belief that spirits that help balance daily life are present in animals, plants, and other natural forces

Why did the Africans develop many religious practices and ceremonies?

They developed practices and ceremonies to ask the nature spirits and the spirits of their ancestors for health, protection from bad spirits, fertility, and wealth

Why were the Africans’ religious practices and ceremonies so important to them?

Because they believed the nature spirits and the spirits of their ancestors were responsible for many of life’s events such as plentiful harvest or an illness

What were Africa’s first 3 civilizations?

1. Ghana

2. Mali

3. Songhai

How did Ghanaian rulers become rich?

Ghanaian rulers became rich by taxing goods that traders carried through their territory

What two items were the most important to trade in West Africa?

the Gold-Salt trade

How did the Empire of Ghana run their government?

Ghanaian government was a monarchy ruled by a king (considered “the supreme ruler”) advised by an administrative class

In Ghana, how did the government determine the passing down of leadership and inheritance?

By tracing ancestry through the mother’s lineage (matrilineal society)

By the end of the 11th century, Ghana’s African rulers accepted which religion?

Islam (became Muslim)

What is the name of the sacred book studied in Islam?

the Qur’an

Islam’s growth encouraged the spread of what among the upper class?

literacy

How did Mali obtain their wealth?

Mali obtained their wealth from gold

Sundiata

Mali’s first great leader who came to power by crushing a cruel, unpopular leader

How did Songhai come to power?

By building up an army, extending their territory, and gaining control the all-important trade routes

Gao

The capital of the Mali Empire

Nok

West Africa’s earliest known culture

What the Nok known for?

The Nok were known for being the first West African people to smelt iron

Djenné-Djeno

The oldest known city in Africa south of the Sahara

Where did the Bantu people originally live?

The Bantu originally lived in what is now Nigeria.

What caused the Bantu to migrate?

Possible causes include the Sahara drying out and a growing population needing more farmland.

What crops did the Bantu grow?

They grew

1. bananas

2. millet

3. beans

4. rice

5. melons

What farming method did the Bantu practice?

They used the slash-and-burn agriculture method.

Why did slash-and-burn farming force Bantu to move?

Because it exhausted the soil, requiring them to clear new land.

Why did Bantu need pastureland?

To raise their animals.

How did the Bantu interact with other people they met?

The meetings were often violent, but the Bantu were not held back.

Why did Bantu settle in the Savanna?

It was free from the tsetse fly and suitable for grazing.

What tools did the Bantu develop?

They developed iron tools for farming and warfare.

How did iron tools affect Bantu society?

They improved farming and became important trade items.

What was the Bantu social hierarchy like?

Elders ranked above the young, men above women, and the rich above the poor.

What values were Bantu children taught?

They were taught to value family, community, and respect for ancestors.

Why was East Africa important for trade?

It was a hub for trade with Islam, India, Persia, and Arabia.

What goods did traders seek in Africa?

Ivory, leopard skins, iron, copper, and gold.

What goods did Asian traders bring to Africa?

Cotton cloth, silk, spices, porcelain, glassware, and swords.

Why did Muslims value African coffee?

It was seen as medicine and a religious aid to stay awake during prayer.

What was a major consequence of trade in East Africa?

Islam spread, and Muslim communities formed in cities.

What was the main written language in West Africa?

Arabic, used by Muslim traders, leaders, and officials.

Why was writing uncommon in West Africa?

Most information was shared orally through stories and griots.

griots

Oral historians who preserved the history and stories of African communities.

Why were griots respected?

They preserved the deeds of ancestors and community history.

What was the basic unit of African society?

family

patrilineal

Kinship and inheritance passed through the father’s side.

matrilineal

Kinship and inheritance passed through the mother’s side.

lineage

A group of households claiming a common ancestor.

clan

A larger group formed from several lineages.

What is the purpose of a clan?

To provide a sense of community and shared identity.

age grade

A group of peers of the same age with shared roles and responsibilities.

How did age grades support African society?

They taught village responsibilities and helped create social ties.

What were common African religious beliefs?

They included worship of multiple gods, nature spirits, and ancestral spirits.

Who was the supreme being in many African religions?

An unknown creator supported by lesser spirits.

How were African ancestor spirits similar to saints in Europe?

They were both believed to guide, protect, and influence the living.