




Linage: Common ancestors
Stateless Societies: cultures based on ancestral
linage instead of government
Ghana: The first west African kingdom based on
Gold/Salt trade
Mali: West African kingdom based on
Gold/Universities/Mansa Musa
Sundiata:1st Great leader of Mali. Cruel and
unpopular.
Mansa Musa: Islamic Mali King. Hajj. Built
Mosques/University at Timbuktu
 Ibn Battuta: African Marco Polo. 27 years of travel in
the Muslim World
 Songhai: West African kingdom that took over Mali.
Muslim rulers. Lacked modern weapons.
 Benin: African Culture on the Niger River. Bronze/Brass
artifacts
 Swahili: Arabic Language diffused with Bantu
language
 Great Zimbabwe: South East African Trade city.
Gold/Trade hub.

Chapter 15:1
Hunter-Gathering Societies
 Matrilineal vs. Patrilineal
 Most societies are patrilineal or traced ancestry through
father
 Hunter-Gatherer = nomadic
 Most northern and central African societies were
nomadic due to harsh climate (too dry or rainforest)
Islamic influence
 Rise of Islam in Africa
 Mostly along northern and
eastern coasts; introduced
to Africa through trade and
conquest
 Brought Islamic law and
traditions to Africa as well as
written language (Arabic)
STATELESS SOCIETIES





S.S. are based on
families/clans
They serve as the
government
Patrilineal: Father
Matrilineal: Mother
Age Set System
 Right of passage based on age!!
MUSLIM STATES


Maghri(e)b: Northern
Africa/Mediterranean
Islamic Law runs
life/government
1.
What sorts of food did the Efe hunt and
gather in the Iturbi Forest?
2.
What different purposes does the age-set
system serve in African societies?
3.
What role did Islam play in the political
history of Northern Africa?
15:2
Ghana, Mali, and Songhai
 Gold/Salt Trade
 Trade for Gold and Salt along Niger River and
trans-Saharan trade routes made all three
kingdoms flourish
 Trade was single most important factor for
success of all three kingdoms
 Islam
brought to Africa along the
trans-Saharan trade routes
 Islam
was practiced by all major
west African rulers
 Blended
Islam with native African
Religions
Mansa Musa
 Led kingdom of Mali during
Golden Age
 Went on famous pilgrimage
to Mecca 1324
 Control of Gold and Salt
Trade (100,000 men)
 Built the city of Timbuktu –
the most famous trade city
of Mali/University
“Muslim Marco Polo”
Traveled the length of
the Muslim World
during 1500s, wrote
accounts of each
Muslim country he
visited
 Most important
primary source for
historians on Muslim
countries during the
late Middle Ages



Located south of
Ghana, Mali, and
Songhai on West
African coast

Isolated due to
location away from
major river

Known for distinctive
African artwork free
from foreign
influence
1.
How did Ghana’s gold-salt trade work?
1.
How did Sunni Ali build an Empire?
1.
What form of government was typical of
Hausa city-states?
Chapter 15:3
Indian Ocean Trade Network

Stretched from Indonesia and China in the east to
Africa in the west

Kilwa, Mogadishu, and Mombassa most important
trade cities in east Africa

Traded ivory, gold, and slaves
Islamic Influences
 Most city-states ruled by Muslims and followed
Islamic Law
 Arabic language combined with Bantu to form
Swahili
Great Zimbabwe
 From 1200-1400, this city
controlled inland Africa

Many ruins are left from
this site, including huge
city structures and walls

Considered to be African
culture most free from
outside influence

Portuguese
 Arrived along African coast in
the late 1400’s
 Built trade forts along African
coast and captured many
trade cities
 Brought European influence
to Africa including
Christianity
 Began European slave trade
by exploiting existing slave
trade
1.
How did the Swahili Language develop?
1.
How was Islam introduced to East Africa?
1.
How did the people of Great Zimbabwe
positively interact with their environment?