Early Civilizations in Africa 8. The Big questions How & why did the first civilizations arise?...

Early Early Civilizations in Civilizations in

AfricaAfrica

88

The Big questionsThe Big questions How & why did the first civilizations arise? What role did cross-cultural contacts play in their

developments? What was the nature of the relationship between

these permanent settlements and nonagricultural peoples living elsewhere in the world?

What brought the demise of these early civilizations, and what legacy did they leave for their successors in the region?

Questions:Questions:

What is your knowledge of Africa or perceptions of African civilizations?

How much have you learned about Africa in the course of your educational careers?

How did the first people develop in Africa and to what civilizations did the neolithic or agricultural revolutions give rise?

Questions:Questions:

What are the several possible reasons that might explain Islam's success in Africa prior to 1500 C.E.? What do the career and accomplishments of Mansa Musa reveal about African society during the fourteenth century C.E.?

Identifications Nubia Kush Axum Coptic Christianity Ethiopia "fleets of the desert" Meroë Nok culture Bantu Swahili Berbers al-Maghrib

Zanj/Azania Ghana and Saleh mansa Mansa Musa Timbuktu "noncentralized societies" Great Zimbabwe lineage group matrilinear African slavery

p222

Figure 8-1 p215

Nubians 9000 BCE

Agriculture Cattle, Sheep,

Goats Pottery By 5000 BCE

Cotton textile manufacture

Figure 8-2 p216

Axum & Meroe

Center of trade

Iron based economy

Religion of Saba

writing 4CE Coptic

p234

Berbers Pastoral

people of N. Africa Intermediaries

of technological & Cultural Exchange

Carthage Center of Trade

p218

Berbers – Fleets of the Desert

p218

N. Nigeria Nok Culture 500BCE Metallurgy Terra Cotta

p231

East and Southern AfricaEast and Southern Africa Bantu “The People”

Migrations Introduced agriculture & iron

metallurgy 3000BCE Engaged in trade with Egypt

2000 BCE Port of Rhapta – trade hub by

1CE Swahili – trade language –

lingua Franca

7

p219

Pantheism

Lineage Group

Syncretism of Islam & original systems of belief

p220

The Spread of Islam

Al-Maghrib

Egypt 641 CECarthage 690 CE

Ethiopia Ethiopia Zagwe Dynasty – consolidated

control of the region, incorporated Axum

Christian Kingdom of Ethiopia 12th C

King Lalibela (1221 CE) 11 Great Churches

Muslim State of Adel, 14-16th C

Swahili Coast of East Africa: Swahili Coast of East Africa: ZanjZanj Cosmopolitan

independent states Revenue – commerce

tax Swahili “coast” culture

Fusion of Bantu & Arabic language and culture

p223

©20

04 W

adsw

orth

, a d

ivis

ion

of T

hom

son

Lea

rnin

g, I

nc.

Tho

mso

n L

earn

ing ™

is a

trad

emar

k us

ed h

erei

n un

der

lice

nse.

The Emergence of States in The Emergence of States in AfricaAfrica

9

Gao & Ghana

Intermediaries of theTrans-Sahara Trade

Figure 8-3 p225

Trans-Saharan Trade Routes

p226

Figure 8-4 p227

GhanaLand of Gold

Soninke People

Commercial economy Gold & Salt 20 Kings

pre-dated Muhammad

Today’s Mali

Ghana’s DeclineGhana’s Decline

Arrival of Islam in North Africa weakened Ghana Conquered by 1076

Berber & Tuareg Tribes of the Sahara converted in 7th Century and by 11th Century

Rise of the Almoravids Controlled the gold trade

Empire of Mali & Mansa SundiataEmpire of Mali & Mansa Sundiata Mailinke Peoples 13th C broke away from Ghana Basis of society: Agriculture Juula or merchants formed partnerships & carried

out trade Expansion : Mansa Sundiata

Organized social & political arrangements of the empire – 16 clans with distinct duties

• Griots: professional oral historians• Kept history, tradition, advised the king

p228Mansa Musa – Haj to Mecca – promoted Islam

Mansa Kankan MusaMansa Kankan Musa1312-1337 CE Hajj to Mecca 1324

So much gold was distributed that there was a general devaluation of currency

Ishak al-Sahili Poet & architect Great Mosque of Jenne

p235

p228City of Timbuktu

TimbuktuTimbuktu Great sankore mosque

Library University Scholars, Jurists,

Theologians Book symbolized the

Islamic world• Book trade, most lucrative Business in Timbuktu

The Songhay KingdomThe Songhay Kingdom Decline of Mali Sunni Ali 1464 – 1492 forged new Empire

Conquered trading cities of Jenne and Timbuktu

Developed system of provincial administration Mobilized recruits for conquests Muslim rulers took on military title, Askia Extended boundaries, by mid 1500’s

dominated Central Sudan

p233

Decline of SonghayDecline of Songhay 1591 Muslim army from

Morocco defeated larger forces of the Songhay

Signs of weakness stimulated internal revolts against the ruling family

Legacy: political and cultural tradition of Western Sudan

Hausa of Northern Nigeria established cities such as Kano and Katsina Kano became a center of

Muslim Learning

Sudanic States, Political & SocialSudanic States, Political & Social

Islam provided a universalistic faith Common religion and law provided solidarity Ruling families used Islamic titles such as Empire

& Caliph to reinforce authority Fusion of Africa and Islam Many did not convert to Islam

Fusion evident in role of womenFusion evident in role of women Songhay State – matrilineal societies, recognized role of women in kinship Women continued to enjoy freedom under Islamic Songhay

Impact of Slavery on women Slaves

domestics, laborers, soldiers and administrators, eunuchs and concubines, Children of slave women were freed and integrated into society but that

also meant a constant demand for slaves. The trade extended over 700 years and is estimated 4.8 – 6 million.

Southern Africa Southern Africa States of Luba & KongoStates of Luba & Kongo

Luba & Kongo Centralized Government King appointed provincial governors who

collected tribute from village chiefs Agriculture & manufacture Absorbed mixed farming & pastoral people in

area of Modern day Angola

p213

Zimbabwe “The Sacred/Stone House”

1000CEMixed Economy

12-14th CEPowerful stateGold trade

15th C abandoned

p238