Chapter 15: Societies & Empires in Africa

• Organized in diverse ways to meet political, economic & social needs

• varied climate & topography influenced how each community developed

How did Geography & Climate influence Development in Africa?

• Great variety– Climate– Topography– Landforms

North & Central African Societies: Hunter-Gatherer

• Oldest in world• Still around but

very small percentage of population

• unique languages, unique hunting techniques

• Semi-nomadic• Few possessions • Provide clues

about ancient times

“Stateless” Societies• South of Sahara

• Power not centralized; shifts over generations

• Based on lineage groups not individual ruler

– Family groups based on common ancestor

– Living members

– Past generations

– Future generations

– Strong loyalty

• balance authority among lineages of equal power

• may be

– patri-lineal

– matri-lineal

• Men usually hold positions of authority

Muslim States

• Islam spread across N. Africa-

• Rulers converted• Government

based on Islamic Law (Sharia)

• Muslim rulers relied on religious scholars as government advisors

Islamic Law

• Religious obligation to follow the law

• Sharia Law regulates all aspects of life

• Brought stability, wealth but not uniformity

Berbers• Desert, mountain dwellers• Indigenous to N. Africa• Accepted Islam• Maintained Berber Identity• Almoravids & Almohads found empires that united N. Africa

(Maghrib)

Impact of Berber Rule

• Spread N. African culture

• Stability & order• Unity through

Islamic teaching

• North/South Trade flourished

West African Civilizations

• Three powerful empires flourished in West Africa in Sahel-the savanna region just south of the Sahara

• Grew strong by controlling trade

Empire of Ghana

• Around 200 AD, trade across Sahara was infrequent

• Berbers began to use camels

• Travel great distance without water

• Taxed trade-grew wealthy

Gold-Salt Trade

• Arab & Berber traders crossed desert w/salt, cloth, weapons, manufactured goods

• African traders brought gold north

• Merchants met in trade cities, exchanged goods, officials collected tax & ensured fair weights and provided protection from bandits

Land of Gold• By 800, Ghana was an

empire• King controlled trade, large

army, demanded taxes & gifts from chiefs of surrounding lands

• King controlled supply of gold, kept price high

• King was religious leader, judge, military commander

• Head of government bureaucracy

Islamic Influences

• Islam spread through trade

• Ghana’s rulers/elites converted to Islam

• Common people kept traditional beliefs/practices

• Islam spread literacy• Ghana lost power when

Almoravids disrupted gold-salt trade

Empire of Mali

• By 1235 the kingdom of Mali had emerged

• Its founders were Mande-speaking people, who lived south of Ghana.

• Mali’s wealth was also built on gold

Sundiata Conquers an Empire

• A powerful king named Sundiata ruled Mali from around 1230-1255 AD. He became known as a mansa, or emperor

• He led the people in conquering & expanding his kingdom to be as great as Ghana had been

Mansa Musa Expands Mali (1312-1337)

• Greatest king of Mali• developed gold/salt

trade-• kingdom became very

powerful & rich• Made hajj to Mecca-

upon return built many mosques in Timbuktu

• Attracted Muslim judges, doctors, religious leaders scholars

Ibn Battuta: 1352• Muslim legal scholar • Traveled throughout

Muslim world -27 years• Wrote a journal • Praised people of Mali

for their study of Qur’an• Criticized lack of strict

practice (women did not veil)

• Within 50 years, gold trade shifted to new fields in East

• Mali weakened

Empire of Songhai

• As Mali declined, Songhai east built an army & extended territory-gained control of trade routes. Gao was the capital.

Songhai’s Powerful Muslim Leaders• Sunni Ali

-Built a professional army

• Askia Muhammad -stable government -Encouraged learning

Other Peoples of West Africa: Hausa City-States

• Named for spoken language• Rulers depended on crops of

farmers, traded salt, grain, cotton cloth

• Profit from caravans• Slave trade thrived as well• Rivalry, conflict prevented

creation of empire

Other Peoples of West Africa: Yoruba Kingdoms

• Forest dwellers• United by language• King was religious

and political leader• Secret group limited

kings power-reviewed his decisions

Other Peoples of West Africa: Benin• Forest dwellers• King claimed legitimacy from “first king

of life”• Powerful army controlled large area• Built walls around Benin City, broad

streets • Huge palace w/courtyards• Sophisticated metalworkers

Eastern African City-States: Trade Creates Power/Wealth

East Coast Trade Cities• Villages developed into trade cities• By 1100 Bantu-speaking peoples

migrated across central Africa • Trade developed between East

African merchants & traders from Arabia, Persia & India

• Muslim Arab & Persian traders settled in these port cities

• Arabic blended w/ Bantu language; created Swahili

• By 1300, 35 trading cities thrived• Grew wealthy by controlling all trade

Kilwa• In 1331, Ibn Battuta

visited • Admired all aspects of

society• Strategic location led to

great power & wealth• Conquered by

Portuguese in 1488

Islamic Influences • Growth of commerce caused Islam to spread

• Even small towns had mosques

• Ruler, government officials, & merchants were Muslim

• Majority held to traditional beliefs

Muslim Enslavement of Africans • not prohibited by Islam• Slaves acquired by

kidnapping, war• Relatively small

percentage • Used for heavy labor on

docks, ships,• soldiers & household

servants

Southern Africa & Great Zimbabwe

• Southeast Africa• Established by Shona

people• Built on gold trade to

Sofala• By 1450, abandoned

due to overgrazing, overuse of soil, salt, timber

• Mutapa Empire took its place