Transcript African`s Government and Religion

African’s Government and
Religion
Chapter 13 section 2
King’s Authority
• In Africa, anyone could approach the king
with a complaint. The king would then rule
and each person was expected to obey
completely.
• The kings settled arguments, managed
trade and protected their empire.
Absolute obedience was expected in
return!!!
Ghana’s government
• Relied on a council of ministers—group of
close advisors.
• Later rulers divided it into provinces (like
the Roman empire).
• Lesser kings would rule these areas. Then
beneath them district chiefs oversaw
smaller districts (like a group).
• Each group included a chief clan.
• Kings held tightly to their power—they rode
through the countryside seeking reports of
injustice or rebellion, but the most important
thing that they did was control trade!
• Nobody could trade without the permission of
the king. Only the king could own gold--he
believed that would devalue the gold.
• The kingdom was inherited by the sons of the
kings sister.
Mali’s Government
• Mali’s government was similar to Ghana, but on a
larger scale.
• There was more people, more land and more
trade. Therefore royal officials had more
responsibilities.
• One supervised fishing on the Niger, one looked
after the empire’s forests, oversaw the mining
and one managed the money.
• Kingdom divided into provinces.
• Generals were put in charge—not smaller kings.
• Mansa Musa was a king of Mali who
rewarded his citizens with gold, land and
horses.
• He granted military heroes the “National
Honor of the Trousers,” because only the
king and his family could wear sewn
cloths others wore wrapped clothes.
Songhai
• Built on the tradition of Ghana and Mali.
• He divided the kingdom up into provinces,
but never completed because of continual
fighting.
• Sunni Ali was the founder of the
Songhai. He died mysteriously—some say
he drowned, some say he was killed by his
enemies.
Religion
• For centuries many believed that African people
did not have a religion, but a member of the Igbo
said that they believed in one Creator of all
things and that he governs all things especially
their death and captivity.
• They believe in one supreme god.
• They understood the Christian and Muslim idea of
a single god but they wanted to continue their
own religious practices.
• Some people believed they could talk directly to
their god, while others thought they had to go
through lesser gods.
• Each religion served the same basic purpose
though—to provide rules for living and help people
stay in touch with their history.
• When their relatives died they believed that
their spirits stayed with them. This led to the
belief that their spirits could talk to the supreme
god and help solve problems and this led to many
Africans honoring their ancestors.
Islam in Africa
• People in Africa who practiced the Islam faith may not follow
all the practices of the Muslim religion—for instance, women
did not cover their faces with a veil however, they did study
the Quran zealously.
• Mansa Musa allowed different religions, but also worked to
make the Islam faith stronger. He made more mosques, set
up libraries, and made a pilgrimage to Mecca. On the
pilgrimage he made sure that people knew about his kingdom,
he also convinced people to come back with him and this
further helped spread the Islam faith.
Songhai
• Sunni Ali practiced the traditional African religion of his
people, but declared himself a Muslim in order to gain the
support of his people.
• One of his general’s, Muhammad True drove out his family
and declared himself king. Muhammad then changed his
name to Askia Muhammad.
• Askia built the largest empire in medieval West Africa. He
had local courts that withheld Muslim laws. He made
Timbuktu an important center or Islamic culture and set up
150 schools.
Islam in East Africa
• Swahili is a blend of East Africa’s culture and the
language spoken there.
• Swahili means “people of the coast.”
• Their culture and language are a blend of African
and Muslim influences.
• African influences came from the cultures of the
interior while the Muslim influences came from
the Arab and Persian settlers.
Islam’s Impact on Africa
• People who accepted Islam had definite
ideas about right and wrong—sometimes
these ideas opposed the more traditional
African ways.
• Islam helped advance learning in Africa.
– Schools drew students from many parts of
Africa and introduced the Arabic language.
– Architects built mosques
Check for Understanding
• What were the African kingdoms that we
discussed?
• Mali, Ghana and Songhai
• Who inherited the throne in Ghana?
• The son of the kings sister
• How did Mansa Musa reward loyal citizens?
• Gold, horses and land