Early African Societies

Hunting-Gathering
Societies

 Early Africans travelled in
small hunter-gathering
groups.
 Each group had its own
language, customs, and
beliefs.
 Some of these groups still
exist today.
Social Structure

 The oldest male of the group
served as the leader.
 Although a leader, he is not a
chief, and individual families
within the band make decisions.
 They are not governed by
formal written laws and instead
rely on discussion and the
wisdom of the elders.
Stateless Societies

The societies do not have a centralized
system of power.
Instead, power is shared and balanced
between families of similar prestige and
respect.
The eldest family member has the final say in
all disputes.
Family Descent

 Descent determines a person’s
inheritance (2 types)
 Patrilineal where inheritance is
passed from father to son. (Like
in Europe)
 Matillineal where inheritance
comes from the mother’s side
(Men however still hold the
positions of authority)
 Africa has both of these.
Age-Set System

Age-Sets are groups of
people who were born
during the same time
period and in the same
region.
Many African tribes
emphasize these groups
because they are going
through the stages of life
together.
Griots and Story-Telling

Few Early African
Societies had written
languages.
Griots are story-tellers
who are responsible for
passing down the
stories and history
orally from generation
to generation.
Africa Must Wake Up

Africa must wake up
The sleeping sons of Jacob
For what tomorrow may bring
May a better day come
Yesterday we were Kings
Can you tell me young ones
Who are we today
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfdAJxUXgYI
Africa Must Wake Up
 The
black oasis
Ancient Africa the sacred
Awaken the sleeping giant
Science, Art is your creation
I dreamt that we could visit Old Kemet
Your history is too complex and rigid
For some western critics
They want the whole subject diminished
But Africa's the origin of all the world's religions
We praised bridges that carried us over
The battle front of Sudanic soldiers
The task put before us
 Chorus
Africa Must Wake Up

 Who are we today?
The slums,deceases, AIDS
We need all that to fade
We cannot be afraid
So who are we today?
We are the morning after
The make shift youth
The slave ship captured
Our Diaspora, is the final chapter
The ancetral lineage built pyramids
Americas first immigrant
The Kings sons and daughters from Nile waters
The first architect, the first philosophers, astronomers
The first prophets and doctors was
Africa Must Wake Up
we all pray
 Now can
Each in his own way
Teaching and Learning
And we can work it out
We'll have a warm bed
We'll have some warm bread
And shelter from the storm dread
And we can work it out
Mother Nature feeds all
In famine and drought
Tell those selfish in ways
Not to share us out
What's a tree without root
Lion without tooth
A lie without truth
you hear me out
Africa Must Wake Up

 Africa must wake up
The sleeping sons of Jacob
For what tomorrow may bring
May a better day come
Yesterday we were Kings
Can you tell me young ones
Who are we today
Ye lord
Africa must wake up
The sleeping sons of Jacob
For what tomorrow may bring
May some more love come
Yesterday we were Kings
I'll tell you young blood
This world is yours today
Oral Story Telling
Activity

Islam and Africa

Founding of Islam

 Founded by the Prophet
Muhammad who is believed
to have received teachings
from God through the angel
Gabriel. (640 AD in Mecca)
 Islam in a monotheistic
religion.
 People living in the Middle
East really related to a
prophet who was like them
and related to their culture.
Beliefs of Islam

 Beliefs and worship in Islam revolve what is called the 5
Pillars.
 1. Faith – to recognize there is one God and Muhammad is his
prophet.
 2. Prayer – 5 times a day towards Mecca
 3. Alms – Support the less fortunate
 4. Fasting – During the Month of Ramadan to remind them
that spirit is more powerful than body
 5. Pilgrimage: All must go to Mecca at least once on their
lifetime.
Split of Islam

 Two Major Sects: Sunni and
Shi’a
 Split over a dispute over
who should succeed
Muhammad as political
leader of the Muslim
Community.
 Today the majority of
Muslims are Sunni
Islamic Society

 Muslim Cities became centers
of learning and innovation in
areas such as art, architecture,
literature, math, and science.
 Women have a limited role
with men mainly in charge of
all affairs.
 Islamic Law became the law
of the land in these nations.
Muslim States

 While stateless societies
existed south of the Sahara,
North Africa was being
conquered and ruled by
Muslim leaders.
 As these Muslim nations
grew, more and more African
leaders began to convert to
Islam.
The Almoravids

 A group of Muslim
Scholars who created an
Islamic Empire that
controlled a large part of
North Africa and Spain.
 They also spread Islam to
Spain and African Empires
south of the Sahara.
The Almohads

 Group of Muslim Reformers who seized power from the
Almoravids because they believed that the Almoravids were
not following the teachings of Islam strict enough.
Islam Reading and
Jigsaw

 In groups of 3 you will read a little bit about the origins of
Islam. Pgs. 263 to 268
 1. Divide the reading into three parts, one for each person.
 2. Read your part only and take notes summarizing the key
points.
 3. You will then meet with people who read the same part but
are in other groups and you will share and refine what you
wrote.
 4. Finally you will come back to your original group and present
your part of the reading to your group members as they take
notes.
Suggested Split

 1. Deserts, Towns, and Trade Routes
 2. The Prophet Muhammad
 3. Beliefs and Practices of Islam
Travels of Ibn Battuta
