1. Africa and the Arrival of Islam
Mr. Millhouse
AP World History
Fall 2008

2. African states

3. The Swahili States Founded by Bantu settlers in 1st millennium CE
Islamic merchants settle in coastal villages
Swahili culture emerges by 13th century
Major role in Indian Ocean trade network
Trade raw materials for Indian, Islamic, & Chinese luxuries

4. Great Zimbabwe Dominates central Africa from 9th-16th centuries
Built massive stone enclosures (zimbabwe)
Supplied gold to the Swahili coast
Declined due to internal divisions by the 16th century

5. Trans-Saharan Trade
300 C.E. camels replaced horses and donkeys as transport animals
Speeds travel across the Sahara
Trade in gold, salt, and ivory flourishes
Islam arrives in 7th century

6. Rise of Sudanic States
Trans-Saharan trade led to the rise of the kingdoms in the Sudan
Common characteristics
Led by patriarch or council of elders
Based upon ethnic core
Rulers were considered sacred
Islam reinforced kingship

7. Kingdom of Ghana ( )
Used territorial expansion to control Trans-Saharan trade routes
Trade led urbanization
Kings converted to Islam by the 10th century
Did not force upon others
Nomadic raids from the Sahara weakened Ghana in the early 13th century
Salt Mines
Gold Mines

8. Kingdom of Mali ( )
Malinke people created an empire in the early 13th century
Sundiata “the Lion Prince”
Agriculture, with the gold trade, was the base of the economy
Mansa Musa’s hajj in the 14th century became legendary
Traveling from his capital of Niani on the Upper Niger River to Cairo, Mansa Musa was accompanied by a caravan consisting of 60,000 men.
He also brought with him 80 camels loaded with 300 pounds of gold each.

9. Mansa Musa’s Pilgrimage

10. Malinke Economy Most of the people were rural farmers
Small farms owned by families
A special merchant class, called the juula, controlled trade
Slave trade became common after the Islamic conquest of North Africa
High demand for women and children
Estimated 4.8 million slaves over 700 years

11. Malinke Society & Culture
Formation of the kingdom heightened social differences
Society was organized according to clans
Many societies were matrilineal
Women enjoyed more freedom than most Eurasian cultures
Polygamy was common

12. Malinke Culture
Large portions of the population did not convert to Islam
Many converts maintained some of their old beliefs
History maintained by oral historian called griots
Drawing of a Malinke Griot

13. Djenne & Timbuktu Timbuktu was famous for its library and university
Djenne was famous for The Great Mosque
Largest adobe building in the world
Madrasa Sankore in Timbuktu

14. Songhai Empire ( )
From the early 15th to the late 16th century, Songhai was one of the largest African empires in history
Founded by Sunni Ali and expanded by Askia Muhammad the Great
Conquered by Moroccans, with muskets, in 1591

15. Kingdom of Benin
City-state established by the Edo peoples in the 15th century
Known for its bronze and ivory sculptures
Portuguese were impressed by Benin City and the quality of Benin’s artwork