Transcript African Civilizations

African Civilizations
AP World History
Geography & Environment
Is divided into 5
regions – N. Africa,
E. Africa, W. Africa,
Southern. Africa, &
Central Africa
 Three times as
large as the U.S.
 The Sahel is a
great central
plateau south of
the Sahara desert

African Societies in General (before
Islam)



Diverse – centralized
states & stateless
societies
Animistic religions –
nature, rituals,
dancing, witchcraft,
creator deity, ancestor
worship, sacrifice,
drumming
Languages had
common origin
(Bantu)
Bantu People




Location: West Africa (Now
southeastern Nigeria)
Lifestyle: Farmers and
nomadic herders
Farming: slash and burn
(which forced them to move
around)
Iron Making: Skilled iron
workers, produced tools and
weapons of iron, spread iron
metallurgy throughout most
of Sub-Saharan Africa. (may
have been related to Nok)
Bantu Migration




Push-Pull Factors: Factors which
push people out of an area or pull
them into an area. (factors
include environmental, economic,
and political)
Causes of migration: Increased
food production, increased
population density, and lack of
sufficient land
Effects of migration: Other
peoples pushed out, territorial
wars, ideas and languages
exchanged, and ethnic groups
intermingled
Swahili: A blend of Bantu
languages and Arabic. One of the
most commonly spoken languages
in Africa.
Bantu Kingdoms (500 C.E. – 1500 C.E.)







Mass movement of Africans
from west Africa to less
populated areas
Bantu speaking peoples
become the dominant group
in Africa south of the Sahara
Wealthy Bantu kingdoms rise
in central and southern Africa
Spread agricultural
techniques & language (over
400 today)
Relied on iron tools –
facilitated crop cultivation
Relied on banana (from SE
Asia around 400 C.E.) for
nutrition
Swahili – blend of Bantu
languages and Arabic
(becomes a lingua franca)
Stateless Societies



Controlled by lineage
or age sets
Lacked concentrated
authority
Weaknesses - delayed
ability to respond to
outside pressures,
mobilize for war,
undertake large
building projects or
create stability for
long distance trade
Nubia, Kush & Axum



Nubia- (3000 B.C.)
ancient kingdom in the
southern part of the Nile
River valley – Egypt
develops Coptic Church
(Christians)
Kush – (2000 B.C.)
trading kingdom (based
mainly on iron) on the
upper Nile
Axum – (200 B.C.) trading
power located on the Red
Sea (Ethiopia) who
became Christians –
isolated, traced origins to
Solomon and Sheba
Nubia & Ethiopia



Christianity present
before arrival of Islam
Egyptian Copts had a
rich and independent
kingdom, but
oppression by
Byzantines caused
them to welcome
Muslim invaders
Nubians resisted
Muslim incursions until
the 13th century
Kingdom of Ghana
(A.D. 300 – A.D. 1200)
Caravan trading
empire that
prospered from
taxes
 Benefited from salt
and gold trade
 Trade brought
Islamic ideas and
customs; many
converted

Kingdom of Mali (1235 C.E.-1468 C.E.)






West African Kingdom
established by Sundieta
Keita (Lion Prince) in 1235
Rulers supported Islam
(mosques, public prayers,
preachers)
Juula – traders
Ibn Batuta visits (Arab
traveler)
Greatest king was Mansa
Musa (Muslim) – made
Hajj
Important trading center
and capital was Timbuktu
Kingdom of Songhai
(A.D. 1493 – A.D. 1528 was its height)





Sunni Ali – ruthless,
tactical commander
Most important ruler
was Askia Muhammad
(Muslim)
Were traders,
farmers, & fishers who
settled in the Niger
River Valley
Timbuktu became a
center of Muslim
learning
Moroccan Army
causes downfall
Islam in Africa






Jihad spread Islam to north
Africa (8th century)
Caravan trade helped spread
Islam peacefully into SubSaharan Africa (Ghana, Mali,
& Sudan)
Traditional beliefs blend with
Muslim beliefs in some areas
Sudan – matrilineal societies
resisted Islam; Islamic law
(Shariah) said it must be
patrilineal
Ocean traders spread Islam to
coastal areas, islands, & east
African cities (Mogadishu,
Mombasa, & Kilwa)
Little success in interior Africa
Islam in Africa



Ibn Battuta – Arab
traveler who
documented the Islamic
world (1300s)
Mamluks – originally a
military caste that took
seized power; dynasty
that makes Egypt a
center for Muslim
culture and learning;
were converts to Islam
Muslims bring slavery
to new heights – saw
slavery as a process in
conversion
Swahili Coast






Series of trading ports
became part of the Indian
Ocean network
Town residents were
influenced by Islam , but
most of population
remained tied to traditional
ways
Bantu migrants mixed
w/indigenous Africans
People from Oman and
Persian Gulf settle in
coastal villages – a mixed
Bantu and Islamic culture
develops (Swahili)
Islamic influence facilitates
commerce
Islam does not penetrate
the interior
Yoruba & Benin




In central Nigerian forests
Nok culture (w/highly
developed art style) flourishes
from 500 B.C.E. -200 C.E.
Benin – Nigerian city-state
formed by the Edo people
during the 14th century,
famous for its bronze art work
Yoruba (non-Bantu peoples) highly urbanized agriculturists
organized into small citystates
Yoruba under authority of
regional divine kings
presiding over elaborate
courts
Great Zimbabwe





“Royal stone courts”
Center of a state
flourishing by 11th
century
Massive stone walls
and buildings
incorporates the
greatest early buildings
in sub-Saharan Africa
Dominated gold
sources and trade with
coastal ports of the
Indian Ocean network
Internal divisions led to
split & decline
Slavery Within Africa

Demand for
concubines and
eunuchs by
Muslims increased
demand for women
and children
Discussion Questions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
What was the cultural effect of Islam’s spread
into Africa?
Compare the Islamic effect on India and
southeast Asia with that on sub-Saharan Africa.
Describe the “common elements” in African
society.
Trace how Islam entered Africa.
How did Islam and the beliefs of indigenous
societies fuse among African peoples?
Describe the connection between east Africa
and Islam.
Where did the cultures in Africa develop that
were NOT affected by Islam?