Transcript States and Societies of Sub

States and Societies of SubSaharan Africa
Chapter 18
I: Effects of Early African Migrations
• By 1000, Bantu speakers settled most of SSA
• Spread of agriculture and herding (displaced or
absorbed h/g)
– iron -> more agricultural production -> increasing
population -> more migration
– Bananas (from SE Asia): nutritious and expansion into
forested areas -> more food -> increasing population
I: African Political Organization
• Early: kin-based societies (aka “stateless societies”
or “segmentary societies”)
– No elaborate hierarchy or bureaucracy: rule through
family, ruling council (family patriarchs), groups of
villages = districts (=ethnic loyalties)
• Early Cities: Jenne-Jeno (400 CE) – center of iron
prod. and trade (with N. Africa and south)
I: African Political Organization
• As population increased and no new land to
migrate to, political organization became more
complex -> chiefdom
– Chiefs ruled districts, some built kingdoms (e.g.,
Kingdom of Kongo)
II: Islamic Kingdoms and Empires
• Islam was introduced to SSA by 2 routes:
– to West Africa via trans-Saharan camel caravans
– to East Africa via Indian Ocean traders
II: Trans-Saharan Trade and Islamic
States in West Africa
• Camel caravans -> zone of commerce and
communication with West Africa by late 8th century
• Kingdom of Ghana: gold (from south), ivory, and
slaves attracted Muslim traders (for salt, etc.)
– Capital was trading center, with stone buildings, mosques,
qadis, army
– Kings converted to Islam by 10th century, improving
relations with traders (and desert nomads)
– kept some traditional religious elements
and did not force people to convert
II: Empire of Mali
• Successor state with decline of Ghana
• Sundiata (r. 1230-1255) built empire through
expansion and consolidation of power
– Benefitted from trans-Saharan trade
– market cities grew, including Timbuktu, Gao, etc.
– Honored Islam by providing for merchants and
encouraging conversion
II: Empire of Mali (cont.)
• Mansa Musa (r. 1312-1337): high point of Mali
– Hajj in 1324-25, serious about Islam (mosques,
schools, imported teachers)
• Decline: factions, seceding provinces, military
pressure on borders
II: Indian Ocean Trade and Islamic
States in East Africa
• Long history of trade, but Bantus formed small
states = Swahili society (on coasts)
• The Swahili: language (Bantu plus Arabic), culture
(along east coast), got gold, slaves, and ivory from
interior to trade with Muslim merchants
• City-States: chiefs built power by controlling
trade; port cities became city-states with kings
– Began building with coral and stone (mosques, etc.)
– Elites practiced conspicuous consumption
II: Interior States
• Through control and tax of trade with coast led to
formation of large kingdoms in the interior of east
and central Africa
– e.g., Zimbabwe: stone city with palaces and public
buildings
II: Islam in East Africa
• Ruling elites and wealthy merchants converted to
Islam (but continued their traditions) to improve
trade relations and legitimize rule
– Also, received recognition from other Muslim rulers
– Islam spread among people, but not by force
III: African Society and Cultural
Development
• Lots of diversity, but some common patterns
• Social classes: different in large kingdoms, citystates, and empires (lots) vs. small states (elites
and commoners) and kin-based society (none??)
• Kinship groups: extended family and clan very
important (communal ownership, work, etc.)
III: African Society and Cultural
Development
• Sex and Gender roles: Men were specialists (e.g.,
blacksmiths), but both farmed
– Women had higher status than elsewhere: did not
change with introduction of Islam
• Age-Grades: groups of community-members of
the same age
• Slavery: form of personal wealth;
slave trade increased as demand
increased elsewhere
III: African Religion
• Variety, but some common features:
– Creator god: intervened through spirits
– Lesser deities and spirits: associated with natural
features, active participants in human lives (plus,
ancestor spirits), had rituals to honor them
– Diviners: religious specialists – to mediate between
humans and supernatural; consulted oracles,
prescribed solutions
• Less theological, more practical
III: The Arrival of Christianity and Islam
• Christianity: Mid-4th century: Kingdom of Axum –
converted for trade relations
– After Islamic conquest, little contact with other
Christians -> adapted to African interests (charms,
carved rock churches) => Ethiopian Christianity
• Islam: Appealed to ruling elites
and merchants
– Also adapted to local interests and
needs: amulets, rituals, gender roles