African Civiliztions

15-1 and 15-2 Class notes

  • Scientists believe early humans appeared in Africa 1500,000 to 200,000 years ago

  • Hunters and gatherers / 7,000 – 8,000 years ago settled in villages / tamed animals

  • 5,000 years ago, 1st civilizations Egypt / Kush developed

  • Africa 2nd largest continent / equator – tropical rain forest = 10% of Africa’s land

  • North and south of rain forest = Savannas / high temp, uneven rain

 

  • North coast and southern tip of Africa is mediterranean

  • Plateaus = great rift valley with earliest human fossils found

Rivers

  • Egypt and Kush flourished along the banks of the Nile River in northern Africa

 

  • Niger River important to west Africa Sudan

  • The Niger river flows through west savannas

Artisans

  • Trade and farming allowed towns to flourish throughout the Sudan

  • Djenne-jeno emerged 250 BCE largest trading city in west Africa

 

Trading Empires in Africa

  • Berbers from north Africa cross Sahara to west Africa

  • They carry good across Sahara

  • Berbers formed caravans to cross Sahara

  • Western Africa merchants sent mined gold to towns

  • Caravans carried ivory, leather, ostrich feathers

  • Slaves were sent north

  • Afro Eurasian trade network 400 BCE to 1400 CE

 

Ghana

  • 1st Great trading empire in west Africa located in Sahel

  • Grasslands stretched across north central Africa fertile soil

  • Locate between Sahara Salt and gold mines of west Africa

  • Ghana controlled the trade and paid for a large army

  • Reached height of its power in 800 – 900 CE / was conquered in 1200 by Mali

 

Mali

  • Wealth and power – controlled gold and salt trade

  • Mali = mostly farmer who grew grains (Millet / rice)

Griots = Story tellers

Sundiata= “The Lion Prince” united Mail’s people in 1230 – 1255 CE and controlled from the Atlantic coast to Timbuktu a commercial and educational center= </p><ul><li><p>MalicontrolledtheTrans−SaharaTradeduetogold,salt,food=</p><ul><li><p>Mali controlled the Trans-Sahara Trade due to gold, salt, food=

  • Muslim traders traveled to Mali the Arabic language, Architecture

    • Mansa Musa (King) = Dead in 1337 and empire collapsed in 1339

     

                                                                            Songhai

    • 1339 Songhai begins and Sunni Ali becomes ruler and Sexes Timbuktu

    • Sunni Ali grain control of Saharan Salt Mines and West Africa Gold mines

    • Songhai was the largest empire

     

     15-4 Africa’s Governments and Religion

     

    Government of Ghana

     

    -          Kings (strong rulers) ran government / Ministers and Advisors helped too (family members of nobility and military leaders)

     

    -          Empire divided into provinces by less kings = villages belonging to a specific clan

     

    -          Transfer of Power was given to the son of the King’s sister (very unique)

     

     

    15-4 Government Mali

     

    -          Like Ghana, the royal court employed foreign and native-born Muslims in government administration

    -          Mali’s kings = Strong central leader with very large empire divided empire into provinces run by military generals (born there)

    -          Mali controlled the “Trans-Saharan Trade” collected tribute tax (farmers merchants)

    -          Army = very large, protect empire, gold and trade routes which supported the army

    -          Mansa Musa- most powerful king, gained loyalty of subjects by giving them gold, land and horses

    -          Special gift for military Heroes “national Honor of the Trousers”

     

    The Government Of Songhai

     

    -          Songhai – built on political traditions from Ghana and Mali

    -          Muhammad ture – Songhai reaches the height of its power 1493 = new dynasty

    -          Provinces  = Had a Governor, Tax collector, court of Judges, and a Trade inspector

    -          Control – Muhammad Ture maintained peace with a cavalry, and Navy

     

    Islam and Africa

     

    Muslim traders spoke Arabic and preached Islam / African rulers allowed conversion Islam makes its way to Africa as part of the “Trans Sahara Trade”

     

    -          Abdulla al-Bakri – Historian and geographer (still traditional religious leaders) around capital city other than Muslims

    -          Ibn Battuta – Lawyer from Morocco wanted to See the Muslim world. Surprised that not all Muslim Woman covered their faces. Said that West African Muslims were very zealous reading Quran

    -          Mansa Musa – Traveled through Egypt to Mecca to Visit Kaaba in grand Style

    -          Caravan food, H20, gold and gave a lot away, traded so  much gold that the price of gold dropped

     

    Islam in Songhai

     

    Sunni Ali – 1st ruler of Songhai converted to Islam

    -          Upon Death Son refused to convert

    -          Muhammad Ture a song Hi general Took over government with Muslim backing

    -          Drove out the Ali’s and made himself King called himself Askia Muhammad

    -          Askia Muhammad – largest empire in West Africa History

    -          Forced courts to follow Muslim Law

    -          Timbuktu made the center of Islamic learning

     

    East Africa

     

    -          Swahili – (Means people of the coast) Eastern Coast of Africa and Island of Zanzibar

    -          Blend of African and Muslim cultures

     

     

    Bantu

     

    Matrilineal – Family traced their linage through mothers’ side

    Married Women – Joined husbands’ family

    Gift to bridges’ family = money, cattle, cloth, tools

     

    African Education

     

    Boys – hunt, fish, clear fields, and grow crops. Eventually learned trades blacksmith

    Girls – care for home, agriculture, special trades sewing?

    Coming of age = special ceremonies

     

     

     

    African Women

     

    Wives – mothers, food production, traders and members of political organizations

    West Africa Benin – Were important in the palm oil trade

    Sierra Leone and Senegal – women sold produce and fish in local markets

    Queen Njinga  - governed in Southwestern Africa and spent 30 yrs. Fighting Portuguese slave trade

     

     

     

    The Trans-Saharan Slave Trade

     

    Arab Conquest – (600 and 700) led to expansion of the African Slave trade.

    Eastern Africa – enslaved people came from the Southern Nile Valley and areas to the South and SE

    Purchased – people were taken to trading centers along the coast and sold

    West Africans – From the Niger River to the Gulf of Guinea were forced north across Sahara + die

    The Trans-Saharan Slave Trade – part of the vast network that linked Africa to the Islamic World

    Enslaved People – Brough far away from their homes to the Middle East, South Asia, And East Asia

    Extent = unknown but historians estimate 11 to 15 million Africans were enslaved from 650 to 1500

     

     

    The Transatlantic Slave Trade

     

    1400s – European nations compete for new territory and GOLD in W. Africa

    European Contact – resulted in a dramatic increase in the slave trade

    European Colonization of the America’s furthered the demand especially after planting sugarcane

    Sugarcane – Plantations in the 1500s were planted along coast of Brazil and the Caribbean islands

    Native Americans – early on were enslaved to work in these fields but they died from disease

    Disease = European disease kills many Native Americans so a knew source of labor = Africans

    The Transatlantic Slave Trade – brough as many as 10-13 million slaves to the Americans from 1500 to 1900 CE

     

     

    Effects of Slavery on Africa

     

    First Slaves were taken from the coast, as demand increased slaves were taken from inland areas

    Tragedy – on African families and tribes, reduced poopulations, and took the youngest and strongest

    Traders – worked to provide a conbstant supply of slaves going deeper into Africa

    Devastating Effect on African States, W. African Benin population declined, and warfare increased.

    Benin Lost faith in their religion and their art deteriorated

     

    Art, Music, Dance

     

    Cave art, wood carving and metal workers in Benin made bronze and iron statues

    Music and Dance expressed religious feelings / Dance Rituals marked boys/girls becoming adults

    Enslaved Africans relied on music and dance to remind them of home

    Hardship songs would become the “Blues” / Later other music developed was Ragtime, Jazz, RR