Chapter 15

Societies and Empires of Africa

a. Identify the Bantu migration patterns and contribution to settled agriculture.

b. Describe the development and decline of the Sudanic kingdoms (Ghana, Mali, Songhai); include the roles of Sundiata, and the pilgrimage of Mansa Musa to Mecca.

c. Describe the trading networks by examining trans-Saharan trade in gold, salt, and slaves; include the Swahili trading cities.

d. Analyze the process of religious syncretism as a blending of traditional African beliefs with new ideas from Islam and Christianity.

 

SSWH6 The student will describe the diverse characteristics of early African societies before 1800.

What changes occurred in the Sudanic kingdoms as a result of the role of Sundiata and Mansa Musa.

 How was the role of trade and merchant religious

faith instrumental in the spread of Islam in Africa? What connection did Arab traders have with the

Swahili coast and in what ways did that connection bring about change?

How did the trade routes of Asia and the

Mediterranean facilitate the movement of ideas between these regions?

Essential Questions

How did the slash and burn agriculture of the Bantu people affect the migration of this group?

What changes were brought to Sub-Saharan

Africa as a result of the Bantu migrations? How was religious syncretism expressed in the

Islamic regions of Africa?

 

Essential Questions (continued)

Around 640, Islam created two North African Empires. Merchants and traders spread Islam into both West and East Africa, where it influenced rulers.

Location of gold determined trade routes.

Only African city-states and empires that were able to tax and control trade became wealthy and powerful.

Main Ideas

800 Empire of Ghana thrives on trade850 Byzantine Empire spreads to Russia1000 Hausa city-states emerge1095 First Crusades begin1100 Yoruba Kingdom of Life is established1235 Sundiata founds Mali Empire1324 Mali king Mansa Musa goes on hajj

to Mecca1347 Bubonic Plague devastates Europe1464 Sunni Ali begins Songhai Empire

Timeline

Stateless societies:Leadership based on lineage (descendents)No centralized systemPatrilineal – ancestry through fathers

Muslim states 0f North Africa670 Muslims conquer Egypt, Libya, Tunisia,

Algeria and MoroccoGovernments based on Islamic lawRelied on religious scholars as Islamic law

regulated life

Section 1: North and Central Societies

Ghana (ruler) Gold and salt most important trade near Niger RiverSalt trade important near Sahara DesertUse of camels essential to trade – Arab and BerbersTax collectors insured growth of the empire

800 Ghana becomes and EmpireOnly king had right to own gold thus limiting supply to

keep prices up King was religious leader, judge and military commander

Islamic influence: Islam spread through conquest – People maintain animist religions and honor IslamArabic becomes the language with the study of the

Qur’an

Section 2: West African Civilizations

http://videos.howstuffworks.com/discovery/30300-assignment-discovery-the-ghana-empire-video.htm

Ghana

Mali Wealth built on goldMali leader Sundiata became mansa (emporer)Captures old Ghana EmpireHad administration in place to conduct finances,

defense and foreign affairsReopens salt-gold trade interrupted by wars

Mansa Musa:Converts to Islam: built mosques, attended prayers100,000 army exercised control of trade and rebellionHajj: upon return, builds new mosques in TimbuktuVisited by Ibn Battuta – Famous Muslim Traveler

Mali Empire

http://videos.howstuffworks.com/discovery/29489-assignment-discovery-mali-empire-video.htm

Mali

SonghaiSunni Ali: built empire by military conquest

Riverboat fleets of war canoes/mobile horse back unitsCaptured Timbuktu and takes over trade

Askia MuhammadLeads a Muslim protest over lack of religious practiceSet up efficient tax systemCentralized governmentMinisters of Navy, Treasury, Army and Agriculture

Problems:Lacked modern weaponsMoroccan force with gunpowder and cannons quickly

defeat the Songhai

1100 Bantu-speaking peoples migrated establishing fishing and farming villagesSeaports and trade developed between Arabia, Persia,

and IndiaThese foreign traders settled in East AfricaArabic blending with Bantu created the Swahili

language1300 trading cities included Mogadishu and Kilwa

These empires controlled incoming and outgoing tradeWealthy Muslim empireLocation made it easy for Indian ship to trade during

monsoon seasonPortuguese view the wealth and took the cities of

Kilwa and Mombasa

Section 3: Eastern City-States

What changes occurred in the Sudanic kingdoms as a result of the role of Sundiata and Mansa Musa.

 How was the role of trade and merchant religious faith

instrumental in the spread of Islam in Africa? What connection did Arab traders have with the Swahili

coast and in what ways did that connection bring about change?

How did the trade routes of Asia and the Mediterranean

facilitate the movement of ideas between these regions?

Essential Question Review

How did the slash and burn agriculture of the Bantu people affect the migration of this group?

What changes were brought to Sub-Saharan

Africa as a result of the Bantu migrations? How was religious syncretism expressed in

the Islamic regions of Africa?

Essential Questions (continued)

Research the emergence and decline of one of the African kingdoms of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai.

Identify the role of individuals, the spread of Islam and

the economic activities of the Sahel and report to the other groups.

You will then share information through a jigsaw activity.

To complete the activity, write a summary comparing the three kingdoms’ similarities and differences.

African Kingdoms Activity