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Chapter 7, Section 2
For use with textbook pages 228-234
KINGDOMS .AND STATES OF AFRICA
KEY TERMS
Bantu a family of languages spoken by peoples who migrated from the Niger River region to
East Africa and the Congo River basin (page 232)
subsistence farming
growing just enough crops for personal use, not for sale (page 232)
Swahili
a mixed African-Arabian culture along the coastal area of East Africa (also used for the
major language in this area) (page 233)
stateless society
a group of independent villages organized by clans and led by a local ruler or
clan head (page 234)
DRAWING FROM EXPERIENCE
Do you add salt to your food? Do you like salty snacks? Would you enjoy
food as much if you did not have salt?
In the last section, you read about the development of the first African civilizations. In this section, you will learn about the growth of new kingdoms in
Africa. These kingdoms prospered because of the gold and salt trade. Salt was
very valuable, because it both preserved food and improved its taste.
ORGANIZING YOUR THOUGHTS
Use the chart below to help you take notes. Describe the location, government and economy of each of the kingdoms in this chart.
Kingdom
Location
Government
Economy
Ghana
1.
2.
3.
Mali
4.
5.
6.
Songhai
7.
8.
9.
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READ TO LEARN
• The Kingdom of Ghana (page
228)
The kingdom of Ghana emerged as early as A.D. 500. It was located in the
upper Niger River valley, between the Sahara and the tropical forests along
the West African coast. (The modem state of Ghana is located in the forest
region to the south.) The kings of Ghana were strong rulers who governed
without any laws. They relied on an army of thousands of men to protect
their kingdom and enforce their wishes.
Most of the people of Ghana were farmers. But Ghana prospered because of
its abundant supply of iron ore and gold. The blacksmiths of Ghana were
skilled in making tools and weapons from iron ore. Ghana's gold made it the
center of a trade empire. Ghanaians traded their gold for other products.
Muslim merchants from North Africa brought metal goods, textiles, horses,
and salt to Ghana. Salt was very important. It was used to preserve food and
to improve its taste. People also needed salt to replace what their bodies lost
in the hot climate. Eventually, Ghana also traded other goods, such as ivory,
ostrich feathers, hides, and slaves. The Berbers carried much of the trade
across the desert. The Berbers were nomads who used camels. Camels were
crucial to trade across the Sahara because they could go for days without
drinking water or eating food.
The kingdom of Ghana flourished for several hundred years. Eventually, it
was weakened by wars and collapsed during the 1100s.
10. Why was salt an important item of trade in Africa?
• The Kingdom of Mali (page
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230)
Mali is located on the Atlantic coast, but it extends far inland to the famous
city of Timbuktu. Sundiata Keita established Mali in the thirteenth century. In
1240,Sundiata defeated the Ghanaians and captured their capital. He united
the people of Mali and created a strong government. Mali built its wealth and
power on the gold and salt trade, but most of its people were farmers. They
grew grains, such as sorghum, millet, and rice. They lived in villages with
local rulers. These rulers were both religious and administrative leaders. They
collected taxes and sent the taxes to the kings of Mali.
One of the richest and most powerful kings was Mansa Musa. He ruled
from 1312 to 1337. He doubled the size of the kingdom of Mali and divided
the kingdom into provinces ruled by governors. He was a devout Muslim and
made a pilgrimage to Makkah. He took a large caravan with him and spent a
huge amount of gold along the way. He brought architects back with him to
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build mosques and a palace. He also brought scholars and books to introduce
his subjects to message of Allah. But he was the last powerful ruler of Mali. By
1359, civil war divided Mali.
11. Who was the founder of the kingdom of Mali?
• The Kingdom of Songhai (page 231)
The Niger River in West Africa has regular floods. It provides a rich soil for
raising crops and taking care of cattle. East of Timbuktu, the river makes a
wide bend. The Songhai people lived along the Niger River, south of the
bend. In 1009,a ruler named Kossi converted to Islam and established the Dia
dynasty. This was the first Songhai state. It prospered because of the Muslim
trade routes that linked Arabia, North Africa, and West Africa.
In 1464,Sunni Ali created a new dynasty, the Sunni. Under his leadership,
Songhai began to expand. Sunni Ali conquered many areas, including
Timbuktu and Jenne. This gave Songhai control of the trading empire that had
made Ghana and Mali so prosperous. The Songhai Empire reached the height
of its power during the reign of Muhammad Ture. He overthrew the son of
Sunni Ali in 1493 and created a new dynasty, the Askia. Under Muhammad
Ture, the Songhai Empire continued to expand. It eventually stretched a thousand miles along the Niger River. Muhammad Ture divided Songhai into
provinces, with a governor in charge of each one. He maintained peace and
security with a navy and soldiers on horseback. The empire prospered
because of the salt and gold trade.
After the reign of Muhammad Ture, Songhai began to decline. Near the end
of the sixteenth century, the forces of the sultan of Morocco occupied much of
Songhai.
12. What two leaders expanded the Songhai Empire?
• Societies in East Africa (page 232)
Beginning in the first millennium B.C., new peoples began to migrate into
eastern Africa from the west. Farming peoples who spoke dialects of the Bantu
family of languages began to move from the Niger River region into East
Africa and the Congo River basin. The communities they built were based on
subsistence farming (growing just enough crops for personal use, not for sale).
The main crops were grains, yams, melons, and beans. They farmed with iron
and stone tools. Men and women performed different tasks. Women tilled the
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fields and cared for the children. Men tended the herds, hunted, or took part
in local trade.
The Bantu peoples gradually began to take part in the regional trade along
the eastern coast of Africa. Beginning in the eighth century, Muslims from the
Arabian Peninsula and the Persian Gulf began to settle at ports along the
coast. They formed a string of trading ports, including Mogadishu, Mombasa,
and Kilwa. Merchants in these ports became very wealthy. The city of Kilwa
became one of the most beautiful cities in the world. In the fourteenth century,
two huge buildings were constructed in Kilwa-the Great Mosque and the
Husuni Kubwa palace. Homes near the mosque and palace were luxurious.
Kilwa began to decline, however. In 1505, the Portuguese sacked the city and
destroyed its major buildings.
A mixed African-Arabian culture began to emerge along the coast. This culture became known as Swahili. The Muslim religion and Arabic architectural
styles gradually became a part of African culture in this area. The term
Swahili was also applied to the major language used in the area. Swahili combined Bantu with Arabic words and phrases. It is the national language of
Kenya and Tanzania today.
13. How did the arrival of Muslims affect the eastern coast of Africa?
• States and Stateless Societies in South Africa (page 234)
Ii
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Until the eleventh century A.D., most of the peoples in the southern half of
Africa lived in stateless societies. A stateless society is a group of independent
villages organized by clans and led by a local ruler or clan head. Beginning in
the eleventh century, these villages began to consolidate. Out of these groupings came the first states. From about 1300 to about 1450, Zimbabwe was the
wealthiest and most powerful state in the region. It prospered from the gold
trade. Its gold was traded as far as China. Porcelain from China has been
found at the ruins of Zimbabwe's capital, the Great Zimbabwe.
14. What was the most powerful state in southern Africa in the fourteenth and fifteenth
centuries?
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Chapter 7, Section 3
For use with textbook pages 236-241
AFRICAN SOCIETY AND CULTURE
KEY TERMS
lineage group
a community whose members trace their lineage (descent) from a common
ancestor (page 237)
matrilineal
patrilineal
a society in which descent is traced through the mother (page 237)
a society in which descent is traced through the father (page 237)
diviner
a person who believes that he or she has the power to foretell
ing with supernatural forces (page 238)
griot
events, usually by work-
a storyteller in African society (page 241)
DRAWING FROM EXPERIENCE
Are there stories that you were told as a child by your grandparents or
other older members of your family? What makes these stories special in your
'family?
In the last two sections, you learned about the development of early civilizations and kingdoms in Africa. In this section, you. will learn about African
society, religious beliefs, and culture. Early Africans communicated knowledge about their culture and history through storytelling.
ORGANIZING YOUR THOUGHTS
Use the concept web below to help you take notes. Most African societies
shared some common religious beliefs. List four traditional beliefs that were
shared by many African religions.
1.
4.
2.
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READ TO LEARN
• Aspects of African Society (page 236)
•
African towns often began as walled villages and grew into larger communities. These towns were the centers of governments. They had markets that
were filled with goods from faraway places. Artisans and farmers also lived in
these towns. The farmers grew crops in nearby fields.
In Africa, kings were held in high esteem, but they were not as isolated
from the common people as they were in other societies. Rulers often held
audiences (meetings) to allow people to voice their complaints. However,
most people lived in small villages in the countryside and never had an audience with the king.
The basic level in African society was the extended family. The extended
family was made up of parents, children, grandparents, and other dependents. They lived in small, round houses made of mud and topped with a
thatch roof. The extended families were combined into larger communities
known as lineage groups. All members of a lineage group could trace their lineage (descent) from a common ancestor. Members of extended families and
lineage groups were expected to take care of one another.
Women were usually subordinate to men in Africa, but they were valued
because of the work they could do or for having children. Women often
worked in the fields, while men tended the cattle or hunted. In many African
societies, lineage was based on the mother rather than the-father, These societies are called matrilineal (societies in which descent is traced through the
mother) rather than patrilineal (societies in which descent is traced through
the father). Women were often allowed to inherit property, and the husband
was often expected to move into his wife's house.
In a typical African village, there was a process for educating young people.
This prepared them to become part of the community. Both boys and girls
were raised by their mothers until they were six years old. From their mothers, they learned language, songs, and their family history. At six, boys and
girls went different ways. Fathers took control of their sons' education. Boys
learned how to hunt and fish, how to grow plants, and how to clear fields.
Girls continued to learn what they needed from their mothers. This included
how to take care of the home and work in the fields. As children got older,
they-took on more responsibility in the community. Young people reached a
point where they were expected to enter the community fully. This transition
occurred at the time of puberty. It was marked by an initiation ceremony.
Slavery was practiced in Africa from ancient times. Berber groups in North
Africa raided farming villages south of the Sahara and took captives. The captives were then taken north and sold throughout the Mediterranean. Slavery
was also common in other parts of Africa. Slaves included people captured in
war, debtors, and criminals. Slaves were not necessarily seen as inferior. Many
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were trusted servants or were respected because of their special knowledge or
talents. But life was difficult for most slaves. Those who worked on farmlands
had hard, long hours. Those who worked as soldiers were sometimes better
off. Slaves who worked as domestic servants usuaily had the best lives.
5. What was the process for educating young people in African villages?
• Religious Beliefs in Africa (page
238)
Most African societies shared some common religious ideas. One of these
was a belief in a single creator god. Many people believed that that the creator
god was merciful and could be appeased by proper behavior. One way to
communicate with the gods was through ritual. This was carried out by a special class of diviners (people who believe they have the power to foretell
events, usually by working with supernatural forces). Many diviners were
employed by the king to guarantee a good harvest or otherwise protect the
ruler and his subjects.
Ancestors were also important in African religion. Ancestors were believed
to be closer to the gods and to have the power to influence the lives of their
descendants. Ceremonies dedicated to ancestors were important rituals. Many
African religions believed in an afterlife. Ancestral souls would live on in the
afterlife as long as the lineage group continued to perform rituals in their
names.
When Islam was brought to Africa, it swept rapidly across the northern
coast. It was accepted more slowly in the lands south of the Sahara, but by the
end of the fifteenth century, much of this area had converted to Islam. Islam
had less success in the mountains of Ethiopia, where Christianity continued to
win followers. Muslim merchants first brought Islam to East Africa from
Arabia, but it did not win many followers there until the twelfth and thirteenth centuries.
In some ways, the beliefs of Islam were in conflict with traditional African
beliefs. Islam rejected spirit worship and insisted on the separation of men
and women. These ideas were contrary to the beliefs of many Africans and
were often ignored. Native beliefs were combined with Islam to create a
unique brand of Africanized Islam.
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6. In what ways did the beliefs of Islam conflict with traditional African beliefs?
• African Culture (page 240)
In early Africa, the arts were a means of expressing religion. The earliest art
forms in Africa were rock paintings. The most famous examples are in the
Tassili Mountains in the central Sahara. Woodcarvings were another important art form. Wood carvers throughout Africa made masks and statues. The
carvings often represented gods, spirits, or ancestral figures. Terra cotta (clay)
and metal figurines and statues were also made in parts of Africa.
African music and dance often served a religious purpose too. Dances were
a means of communicating with the spirits. The words to songs transmitted
religious traditions, folk legends, and historical information from generation
to generation. Storytelling served the same purpose. Storytelling was usually
done by priests or by a special class of storytellers known as griots. These storytellers were also historians. Through their stories, they kept the history of
their people alive.
7. In what ways did African art, music, and dance serve religious purposes?
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