Societies & Empires of Africa 800-1500 Chapter 15 Pgs. 406-429

Pre-Historic Africa In early Africa: Hunter-Gather societies Small groups: 10-100 ppl Earliest Africans: “Efe”– Forest Dwellers Social Structure: Elder male in charge, Women = gatherers, No formal written laws! …they were Stateless Societies run by “Lineages”

“Lineages” (NC) Who: Early-Africans What: descendants of a common ancestor- family line. Where: Africa When: 800-1500 Why: in African societies, families are organized in these family groups

How do you trace ‘Lineage’? Patrilineal (NC) Matrilineal (NC) Family line traced through FATHER Inheritance passes from father to son When a boy marries, his wife & kids live with HIS parents Family line traced through MOTHER Inheritance passes from mother to SON MEN still hold the power & authority 

“Stateless Societies” (NC) Who: Africans What: African groups that developed systems of governing based on lineages, not rulers; NO central power!! Where: CENTRAL Africa When: 800-1500 Why: instead of having one political ruler, authority was balanced among powerful lineages/families = different from the rest of the world

North African Kingdoms Section 1

Muslim States Muslims from Middle East travel into Northern Africa & bring ISLAM, so… North Africa = Muslim! Rulers = Muslim! Islamic Law! Many are still Muslim today!!

2 groups of Islamic North Africans: Almoravids (1000s) Almohads (1100s)

“Almoravids” (NC) Who: Nomadic “Berbers” that became Islamic Africans What: group of Berber Islamic Africans, a strict religious brotherhood that lived in a monastery; “people of the ribat/(monastery)” Where: NORTH Africa When: 1000s-1100s Why: they took over North Africa, Ghana, and Spain (where they were called the Moors) and made them Muslim

“Almohads” (NC) Who: Nomadic “Berbers” who became Islamic Africans What: group of Berber Islamic Africans that took over the Almoravids Where: North Africa When: 1100s Why: they took over the Almoravids, conquered Spain– those areas have a lot of Muslims today..

Islamic Invasions

3 West African Empires & Civilizations Section 2

1. Empire of Ghana Berbers found out that camels could cover larger distances than other pack animals (oxen, donkeys, horses), so….  They travel on new routes across the desert & trade INCREASED!! (worksheet)  The trade routes go through Ghana (wksht) …what did they trade??....

Gold-Salt Trade Berbers SALT GOLD

Gold Gold “Money”, Ghana/Ivory Coast At least 2/3 of world’s Gold supply came from here til 1350!!

Salt

Ghana rulers controlled trade = becomes super rich Trade = Ghana  Islam In 1076-- Almoravids conquer Ghana = Gold & Salt trade is disrupted…. = Ghana never regains power!! (wksheet)

“Ghana” (NC) Who: Soninke farmers What: powerful empire founded by the Soninke farmers named after their war chief: Ghana; controlled Gold & Salt trade Where: West Africa When: Why: Ghana rulers controlled trade in W. Africa & commanded a large army= powerful, rich empire; when trade fell apart so did their power

2. Mali Empire [13c-15c] SALT GOLD

2. Mali Empire So, Ghana declines in power… (wksht) = people in Ghana act on their own, control themselves…(wksht) = miners find Gold! to the east of Ghana (near the ocean) (wksht) = trade routes to the East (wksht) = new group- Mali- become rich & seize power!! (already written in the effect box)

There are 3 Important guys in Mali…

#1. Sundiata [1210-1255] “Lion Prince”

“Sundiata” (NC) Who: Mali’s first great leader What: became Mali’s “Mansa” (Emperor), took over Ghana, & ruled successfully Where: Mali, West Africa When: 1210?-1255 Why: put able administrators in charge of Mali’s $$, defense, & foreign affairs; promoted agriculture; re-est. Gold-Salt trade = important center of trade

#2. Mansa Musa [r. 1312-1332]

“Mansa Musa” (NC) Who: important Islamic ruler of Mali after Sundiata What: effectively ruled & expanded Mali Where: Mali, West Africa When: 1312-1332 Why: he expanded Mali to 2x the size of Ghana; divided large empire into provinces w/ governors; built mosques; Timbuktu became one of the most imp. Cities under him

Timbuktu-”Heavenly Clay”

Timbuktu Rooftop, Mosque

Great Mosque at Djenne, Mali

#3. Ibn Battuta (NC) Who: an Islamic traveler & historian What: traveled to all Islamic countries & told people in Mali about it Where: from North Africa, traveled to Mali When: 1352 Why: he traveled to Islamic countries & learned about them – he then informed those in Mali about it

Last part on Mali… After Mansa Musa: (wksht) his successors lacked his ability to govern well… (wksht)  goldfields developed somewhere else = Gold trade shifted and went away… (wksht) = The empire of Mali weakened!! (already written on the wksht as the effect)

“Mali” (NC) Who: What: Where: When: Why:

3. Songhai Empire [15c-16c] SALT GOLD

Sunni Ali [r.1464-1492] Aggressive Muslim ruler of Songhai Built a vast empire through Military conquest Captured Timbuktu from Mali Created centralized gov’t

Askia Mohammed [r.1493-1529] Muslim rebel that took over Sunni Ali’s son Excellent administrator: Set up tax system Put officials in charge of treasury, military, agriculture

Askia Mohammed’s Tomb [1443-1538] Gao, Mali

The end of the Songhai… Songhai didn’t have modern weapons!! (only swords & spears)  (wksht) = Morrocans invaded w. gunpowder & cannons!! AHH! (wksht) = Morrocan troops quickly defeat Songhai… (already written on wksht) = ENDS 1000yrs. of powerful kingdoms in West Africa!!!

“Songhai” (NC) Who: What: Where: When: Why:

Benin Empire [15c-19c]

Bronze Heads from Benin (16c)

Benin Bronze Leopard

You still need to do NC: Hausa (pg. 417) Yoruba (pg. 418) Benin (pg. 419)

Eastern City-States Section 3

African Trade Routes

“Swahili” (NC) Who: Bantu-speaking people What: Arabic blended with Bantu Language = Swahili Where: East Africa When: 1100-1300 Why: this was created because of increasing trade between Bantus in East Africa & Persia, India, and Arabia.

Swahili-Speaking Areas of E. Africa SWAHILI [“the coast’] = Bantu + some Arabic

2 Southern African Kingdoms

“Zimbabwe” = “stone enclosure” Great Zimbabwe [1200-1450] “Zimbabwe” = “stone enclosure”

“Great Zimbabwe” (NC) Who: Shona people What: a city which grew into an empire built on gold trade Where: South-Eastern Africa When: 1200-1450 Why: controlled trade routes = became rich & powerful = leaders taxed the traders who travelled through = became economic, political, religious center of it’s empire; eventually was abandoned

Manamotopa Empire [1450-1630] Who: Founded by Mutota from Great Zimbabwe What: new empire that replaced Great Zim. in power; military dominated Why: conquered all of Zimbabwe; control of Eastern Africa; forced conquered areas to mine gold for them; Portuguese took over = European POWER!!

Africa during the Age of European Exploration

Overland & Sea Trade Routes by 16c

African Trade [15c-17c]