1. Peoples of the Forests and Plains (Central Africa)
Chapter 8 (4 of 4)

2. People mostly lived in small villages, but some states emerged
BY 1000, people of interior Africa mostly farmers or herders, used iron tools and weapons
Most people preliterate, yet made great strides in arts, building, and statecraft
People mostly lived in small villages, but some states emerged

3. Nok Ile-Ife City in Nigeria that was cultural center
Village in central Nigeria
City in Nigeria that was cultural center
Built terra-cotta objects, demonstrates advanced art skills
Terra-cotta objects and bronze heads, used wood and ivory too – some of finest African art of all time
Used iron tools
People spoke Yoruba
Yoruba states agricultural, dominated by ruling family and aristocracy
Today, Nigeria made up of 3 large groups:
Yoruba, Hausa, and Igbo

4. Yoruba State-Building
Kings had royal court, with many wives, magicians, and bodyguards of soldier-slaves
Kings ruled the city-states: Divine rule but not absolute
(ex = Oyo – king who appointed princes to rule provinces)
Yoruba highly urbanized with artisans, similar to Italy or Germany (though many farmed in surrounding countryside)

5. The Edo People
Edo people lived east of Yoruba and were similar to them
Benin = city-state formed in 1300s. Had big population, large roads, and ruler was called the Oba
s = Portuguese come to
Benin, and are impressed with
the power of the ruler
- Benin artists used images of
Portuguese soldiers
Benin had magnificent art in ivory and bronze (learned bronze from Ile-Ife but then created own style)
Art centered on celebrations of power, majesty and royal rule

6. Central African Kingdoms
Bantu had spread from Nigeria, through this area, and eventually all way to east coast (provided common language)
Central African Kingdoms
Region south of Lake Victoria and the rainforests
By 1000s, kingdoms emerged in interior Africa, replacing kinship-based (stateless) societies
The interior of Africa was mostly away from Muslims influence

7. The 3 Major Central African Kingdoms
Katanga
Kongo
Great Zimbabwe

8. Katanga State formed by the Luba people Set up bureaucracy to rule, but only members of divine family held power positions

9. The Central African Kingdom of Kongo
Political
Economic
Social
Agricultural kingdom along Congo River
Had weaving, pottery, ad blacksmithing
* Sharp division of labor b/t men and women
Confederation of 8 provinces controlled by king (rule through heredity)
Artisans highly esteemed, used copper, wood, and iron
Men = cleared forests, produced palm oil and wine, built houses, hunted, traded
Flourished by the 1400s
Women = raised animals, household chores, collected seashells as currency
Capital was Mbanza, but many lived in family-based villages

10. Formed by the Shona speaking people (a Bantu langauage)
Great Zimbabwe no relation to modern day Zimbabwe
Had most advanced stone buildings in world

11. Rapidly expanded in the 1400s and controlled most of southeast Africa
Controlled areas with gold, so had big trade advantage
Great Zimbabwe
Had a king, whose title was Mwene Mutapa

12. By the 1500s, internal divisions broke kingdom apart
By 1800s, the Shona people still controlled area, but was smaller (interior only) and people were mostly farmers (not like when they had great cities)