Africa

Pre-Colonial Africa (500-1500 CE)

  • Focus Areas:

    • West African Kingdoms

    • East African Trading Network

    • Early European Encounters

Geography of West African Kingdoms

  • Map Overview (500 to 1600 CE) of major kingdoms:

    • Ghana

    • Mali

    • Songhai

    • Niger River as a significant geographical feature

Sahara Trade

  • Key Commodities:

    • Silk, metals, beads, horses imported by Arab and Berber merchants.

    • West African commodities:

    • Gold:

      • Widely available along the rivers as nuggets and dust.

    • Salt:

      • Essential for dehydration prevention and food preservation.

      • Rare in other regions, abundant in West Africa—used to construct houses.

Kingdom of Ghana (300-1100 CE)

  • Etymology: "Ghana" translates to "ruler."

  • Location: Different from modern Ghana; in present-day Mali and Mauritania.

  • Formation: 800 AD - Soninke people united farming villages.

  • Trade Control:

    • Dominated gold-salt trade.

    • Collected tolls on goods entering and exiting the kingdom.

    • Salt mines in the region.

The Capital of Ghana

  • Kumbi Saleh:

    • Last major capital.

    • Featured two distinct towns:

    • One for the king and royal court.

    • One for Muslim merchants.

    • Architectural remains of Kumbi Saleh illustrate the grandeur of the Ghana Empire.

Religion in Ghana

  • Islamic Influence:

    • Brought by Muslim traders acting as counselors and officials.

    • Influences included:

    • Arabic language and script.

    • Introduction of coinage.

    • Business practices integrated from Islamic tradition.

  • Education:

    • Establishment of schools and libraries.

    • Islamic clerics accompanied traders.

    • Zakat: Mandatory charitable tax on certain property classes, reflecting Islamic charity practices.

  • Decline Factors:

    • Influence from Almoravids led to threats on trade routes and weakened the kingdom's control, though their occupation was brief.

Empire of Mali (1226-1670 CE)

  • Rise to Power:

    • Ascended after Ghana's decline, led by Sundiata.

    • Gained control over gold trade and extended to salt supplies at Taghaza, and trading cities like Timbuktu.

Mansa Musa

  • Renowned as Mali’s greatest ruler and possibly the wealthiest man in history.

  • Promoted peace and order in his empire while being a devout Muslim.

  • Legal System:

    • Utilized the Quran for justice; conversion not forced.

  • Hajj of 1324:

    • Significant pilgrimage to Mecca with a caravan, fostering diplomatic and economic ties.

    • His wealth became known across the Muslim world and Europe, leading to an influx of gold imports.

  • Monuments:

    • Commissioned the Djinguereber Mosque in 1327.

Mansa Musa's Journey (1324)

  • Details of the pilgrimage:

    • Caravan included approximately 60,000 men, among whom 12,000 were enslaved.

    • Carried 80 camels loaded with 300 pounds of gold each.

    • Created awe in Cairo, showcasing the kingdom's riches.

The Great City of Timbuktu

  • Founded around 1100; flourished as a cultural, religious, and economic hub, peaking during the 1400s-1500s.

  • Trade Center:

    • Salt from Taghaza transported in 200-pound blocks.

    • Merchants exchanged gold for salt supplies.

  • Center of Learning:

    • The University of Sankore hosted 180 Quranic schools with 25,000 students.

    • Drew scholars from various regions for study.

  • Astronomical Studies:

    • Astronomers tracked celestial movements; physicians researched medicinal plant properties.

  • Decline:

    • Experienced a downturn in the mid-1500s due to invasions and shifts in trade patterns.

Kingdom of Songhai (1375-1591 CE)

  • Emerged after Mali's weakening, with Gao as the capital.

  • First King Sonni Ali:

    • Unique for maintaining traditional beliefs over Islam while controlling prosperous cities like Timbuktu.

  • Transition:

    • After Sonni's death, Askia Muhammad established a Muslim dynasty.

  • Decline:

    • Similar to Ghana, faced invasions that led to its downfall.

Smaller Societies in West Africa

  • Kingdom of Benin (1180-1897 CE):

    • Resided in what is now Nigeria; traded pepper and ivory.

    • The oba, or king, served as political, judicial, and religious leader, with a fortified capital.

    • Known for elaborate brass plaques and sculptures.

  • Hausa States:

    • Independent walled city-states developed a vibrant commerce network by the 1300s.

    • Key contributions included artisan goods; Kano emerged as the most prosperous city-state.

    • Developed a writing system influenced by Arabic.

    • Walls of these cities facilitated expansion and trade.

Empires of West Africa - Summary

  • Sequence: Ghana > Mali > Songhai

  • Economic control linked to the Trans-Saharan trade:

    • Primary products: Gold and Salt.

    • Islam gained increasing influence over time.

    • Notable achievements include developments in Timbuktu and the legacy of Mansa Musa.

Trading States of East Africa

  • Key Centers:

    • Axum, Ethiopia, Great Zimbabwe

Trade Routes in the Indian Ocean (500 - 1000 CE)

  • Demonstrates connections between Africa, Middle East, and Asia.

Axum (300 BCE - 600 CE)

  • Positioned south of Nubia; influenced by Middle Eastern heritage.

  • Geez:

    • Written and spoken language of the region.

  • Twin city-states:

    • Coastal city of Adulis and capital of Axum.

    • Facilitated trade routes for iron, spices, and precious commodities.

  • Religious Shift:

    • King Ezana established Christianity as the state religion, replacing traditional temples with churches.

    • The rise of Islam later isolated Axum, contributing to its eventual decline.

Ethiopia - Cultural Preservation

  • Remaining influence of Axum despite declines:

    • Independent due to mountainous geography and maintaining distinct Christian traditions.

    • Ongoing pilgrimages to Jerusalem.

    • Notable Jewish community claiming descent from Israelite lineage.

Coastal City-States

  • Emergence of commercial hubs involved in global trade networks, dealing in:

    • African export goods: ivory, copper, iron.

    • Asian imports: cotton, silk, spices.

  • Development of local slave trade, shipping captured Africans to Asia.

  • Swahili:

    • A linguistic and cultural amalgamation of African, Arab, and Asian elements.

  • Noteworthy structures include the Kilwa Great Mosque.

Great Zimbabwe (900-1500 CE)

  • Origin of the name: A Bantu word meaning “stone houses.”

  • Built by Bantu-speaking peoples, thriving through effective trade practices.

  • Economic Peak: Around 1300 CE with gold exploitation and connections to coastal trade.

  • Archaeological evidence indicates extensive trade networks and skilled artisans.

  • Decline Factors:

    • Suggested reasons include overpopulation, civil strife, trade reduction, drought, and the impact of Portuguese arrival.

Empires of East Africa - Summary

  • Sequence: Axum > Ethiopia > Zimbabwe

  • Key Economic Activities:

    • Trade relations in the Indian Ocean and Red Sea.

  • Religious landscape:

    • Dominance of Christianity in Axum/Ethiopia, Indigenous beliefs in Zimbabwe.

  • Architectural and cultural legacies such as stone structures, Swahili culture, and the Geez language.

Early European Encounters

  • Focus on the initial arrival of Portuguese and Dutch explorers.

Arrival of the Portuguese

  • Pioneered European exploration along the African coastline beginning in 1400 CE.

  • Seizure of Ceuta in 1415 catalyzed expansion efforts:

    • Objectives included:

    • Conversion of Africans to Christianity.

    • Procurement of gold from Muslim-controlled areas.

    • Searching for new sea routes to Asia.

  • Supported exploration by assembling experts in various fields including cartography and shipbuilding.

Portuguese Exploration

  • Continued efforts post-Prince Henry included:

    • Establishment of small forts for resource collection and ship repairs in West Africa.

    • Trading posts for exchange of European goods for African resources and slaves.

    • Not colonial settlements; minimal defense forces for protection.

  • Major milestones: Rounding the Cape of Good Hope by Bartholomeu Dias by 1488.

  • Expansion into eastern coastal cities, forcing local merchants out.

  • Other European powers began harboring interests:

    • The Dutch founded Cape Town, the first permanent European settlement in Africa.

    • The French established a fort in Senegal.