Chapter 19: States and Societies of Sub- Saharan Africa

1. Chapter 19:States and Societies of Sub- Saharan Africa By Jonny Friedman

2. Chapter Summary from the textbook website Agriculture and herding spread gradually throughout sub-Saharan Africa from about 2000 B.C.E. until the end of the first millennium C.E. through a process known as the Bantu migrations. After about 500 B.C.E. the knowledge of iron metallurgy was also disseminating throughout Africa. As a result of these movements, of the introduction of new nutritious foods such as bananas, and of long-distance trade, the population of Africa grew dramatically, and increasingly complex forms of government began to emerge. Most sub-Saharan African cultures were kin-based and organized into relatively small villages that were loosely allied into districts governed by a chief. Occasionally larger and more structured kingdoms and empires appeared. These larger states generally consolidated their position through controlling long-distance trade in their regions. In general, the history of sub-Saharan Africa from 1000 to 1500 C.E. is noted for • The introduction and widespread dissemination of the Islamic religion. In many cases the belief in Islam supplemented rather than supplanted traditional religious practices. Some sub-Saharan societies became important centers of worship and learning in the Islamic world. • A regular and reliable flow of trade goods: gold, ivory, and slaves being the most important exports. These trade networks were both overland—particularly notable was the trans-Saharan camel caravan routes—and maritime, where east African city-states became important stops on the Indian Ocean seaways. • The emergence and growth of states that became highly influential in the cross-cultural interactions of this period. The states of Kongo, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Mali, and the Swahili city-states became trade and religious centers whose fortunes were clearly tied into those of Eurasia.

3. The important parts… • Bananas • Kin-Based societies- Villages and Districts • Ivory, Gold and Slaves • Islam • Kingdom of Ghana • The Kingdom of Kongo • Mali • Sundiata & Mansa Musa • Swahili city-states • The Great Zimbabwe • Native Religion • Christianity

4. Important Areas of Africa for this Chapter

5. Bananas… Really? • Bananas did not originate in Africa, they came from Southeast Asia (Indonesia area) during the 4th century • Bananas were brought to the island of Madagascar in the 300’s C.E., and quickly found it’s way to the mainland • Previously, the Bantu peoples staple crops were millet, sorghum and yams, which cannot grow in jungle areas • Bananas can grow in jungle areas, allowing the Bantu peoples to expand into the dense rainforest areas of Africa’s interior

6. Villages • The Bantu people were farmers, so after about 1000 C.E., most Bantu people settled in small villages • In a village, the eldest male from each family was on the council of elders, which made decisions that affected the villages public affairs • The most important member of the council of elders was the chief. The chief represented the village when dealing with other villages. • Within a village, families disciplined their members as necessary • Stories and epics were handed down to each generation by oral transcription by professional singers or griots

7. Districts • Districts were made-up of several villages • This was the level where people held their ethnic loyalties • The chief of a village would negotiate with the chief of another village in their district if a problem arose • There were no ruling authorities at the district level, which made a government impossible

8. Ivory, Gold, andSlaves(This is the slide about trade) • These three things were the reason that trade in Sub-Saharan Africa flourished. • Gold- sub-Saharan Africa has many large deposits of gold. Islamic caravans (discussed later) flocked across the Saharan desert for gold, because there was a surging economy in the Eastern Hemisphere and gold coins were fueling it. • Ivory- Well… It’s rare, and looks nice… • Slaves- No one in sub- Saharan Africa owned their own land, so what ever they and the slaves they owned harvested was theirs to keep. More slaves= More Food. For Islamic traders also wanted slaves, making slaves one of the most contested over items in sub- Saharan Africa. • Caravans traveling to kingdoms of sub-Saharan Africa were carrying such wares as: copper, horses, manufactured goods and SALT.

9. Islam • Spread by North African merchants via two different routes: to west Africa by trans-Saharan traders, and to the East African coast on the sea lanes in the Indian Ocean Basin trade route • First sub- Saharan converts were the kings of Ghana in the 900’s C.E. • Being an Islamic empire/kingdom in sub-Saharan Africa improved trade with the Islamic merchants from North Africa, as well as having validation for a king’s rule • Islam tended to always supplement the native religion rather than replace it in sub-Saharan Africa • A major difference between traditional Islam and African Islam: women in Africa were still allowed to work, go outside without veils, and socialize with other men even if they were married

10. Kingdom of Ghana • Est. ≈500 C.E. • High Point: 1000’s-1200’s C.E. • Location: West Africa- Between the Senegal and Niger Rivers • Center of gold trade in west Africa • Also a major center for trading ivory and slaves • Kings made a large amount of money by taxing the trade • Capital: Koumbi- Saleh • By the 900’s C.E., the kings of Ghana had converted to Islam • Did not force Islam upon anyone • Fell in the early 1200’s, due to numerous invasions from desert nomads

11. The Kingdom of Kongo • 1300’s-mid 1600’s C.E. • Location: Congo River Basin • Large trading centers of copper, raffia cloth, and nzimbu shells • Had a central government- a king  6 provinces, each one had a governor each governor administered several villages  village chief • Was stable enough to maintain a royal currency: cowries (shells)

12. Mali • 1230- mid 1400’s C.E. • Est. by Sundiata in 1230 C.E. • Location: West Africa (including lands that used to be Ghana) • Capital: Niani • Even larger trading center than Ghana • Taxed and controlled all trade in and going through the kingdom • First “Muslim” kingdom in sub-Saharan Africa • Major trade cities: Timbuktu, Gao, Jenne • Did not force Islam on it’s people • Close relations with Islamic lands in North Africa

13. Sundiata • Nicknamed “The Lion Prince of Mali” • Founded the Mali empire in 1235 C.E. • Reigned from 1235-1255 C.E. • Followed Islam, but still observed native religious beliefs and magic

14. Mansa Musa • Grand-nephew of Sundiata • Reigned 1312- 1337 C.E., the highpoint of the Mali empire • Made his hajj to Mecca from 1324-1325 C.E. • After returning, he was more devoted to his faith • Built many mosques in the cities where Muslim traders frequently visited

15. Swahili City-States • 1000’s-1400’s C.E. • City- States developed in the 1000’s and 1100’s C.E. • Location: East coast of Africa • Swahili is Arabic for “coasters” • Trade-based society • Major Cities: Kilwa (the busiest), Malindi, Sofala, Mogadishu, Lamu, Mombasa, Mozambique, Zanzibar • Highly involved in the Indian-Ocean trade routes • Traded products from the African interior with mariners from Persia, dar-al-Islam, China, the Malay islands, India • Was not connected in any form bya kingdom; However, Swahili City-States progressed at similar rates in the areas of : language, technology, religion and architecture

16. The Great Zimbabwe • Early 1200’s-1400’s C.E. • Location: South Africa • One of the few inland empires in sub-Saharan Africa at this time • The people in these kinds of kingdoms did not have all of the luxuries enjoyed by kingdoms close to shore • The capital was The Great Zimbabwe- a stone city surrounded by stone walls 16’ thick and 32’ tall • Kings of The Great Zimbabwe controlled and taxed the trade going from the African interior (where the goods can be found) to the coastal regions (where the goods are sold) • No resources of it’s own, just purely controlling the flow of trade between these two vital regions

17. Native African Religions • Throughout the continent, just as there are many different language, differing only slightly, so are there native religions • All follow the same basic structure, with differences in: names, rituals, and deities • All believe that there was a male force in the beginning of things, but most differ as to what he did: set the world in motion, intervenes everyday, always there and watching, etc • Recognized lesser g-ds and spirits, usually in the form of an element of nature (e.x. tree, river) • Venerated ancestors, and believed that they determined an individuals luck • This notion caused the people of sub-Saharan Africa to have strict moral ethics and behavior- for fear of disgracing their ancestors • Did not concern themselves with theology (Taoism did deal with theology)

18. Christianity • Soon after the appearance of Christianity, it spread to Egypt and North Africa • Did not spread to sub-Saharan Africa in this time period • Around the mid 300’s C.E., Christianity spread to the Ethiopian highlands to the kingdom of Axum • Remained isolated in this African foothold until the socialist revolution in Ethiopia in 1974 C.E.