Chapter 15: Societies & Empires in Africa
• Organized in
diverse ways to
meet political,
economic & social
needs
• varied climate &
topography
influenced how
each community
developed
How did Geography & Climate influence Development
in Africa?
• Great variety
– Climate
– Topography
– Landforms
North & Central African Societies:
Hunter-Gatherer
• Oldest in world
• Still around but
very small
percentage of
population
• unique languages,
unique hunting
techniques
• Semi-nomadic
• Few possessions
• Provide clues
about ancient times
“Stateless” Societies
•
•
•
•
•
•
South of Sahara
Power not centralized; shifts
over generations
Based on lineage groups not
individual ruler
– Family groups based on
common ancestor
– Living members
– Past generations
– Future generations
– Strong loyalty
balance authority among
lineages of equal power
may be
– patri-lineal
– matri-lineal
Men usually hold positions of
authority
Muslim States
• Islam spread
across N. Africa• Rulers converted
• Government
based on Islamic
Law (Sharia)
• Muslim rulers
relied on religious
scholars as
government
advisors
Islamic Law
• Religious
obligation to
follow the law
• Sharia Law
regulates all
aspects of life
• Brought stability,
wealth but not
uniformity
Berbers
•
•
•
•
•
Desert, mountain dwellers
Indigenous to N. Africa
Accepted Islam
Maintained Berber Identity
Almoravids & Almohads found empires that united N. Africa
(Maghrib)
Impact of Berber Rule
• Spread N.
African culture
• Stability & order
• Unity through
Islamic
teaching
• North/South
Trade
flourished
West African Civilizations
• Three powerful
empires flourished
in West Africa in
Sahel-the savanna
region just south of
the Sahara
• Grew strong by
controlling trade
Empire of Ghana
• Around 200 AD, trade
across Sahara was
infrequent
• Berbers began to use
camels
• Travel great distance
without water
• Taxed trade-grew wealthy
Gold-Salt Trade
•
•
•
Arab & Berber traders crossed desert w/salt, cloth, weapons, manufactured goods
African traders brought gold north
Merchants met in trade cities, exchanged goods, officials collected tax & ensured
fair weights and provided protection from bandits
Land of Gold
• By 800, Ghana was an
empire
• King controlled trade, large
army, demanded taxes &
gifts from chiefs of
surrounding lands
• King controlled supply of
gold, kept price high
• King was religious leader,
judge, military commander
• Head of government
bureaucracy
Islamic Influences
• Islam spread through
trade
• Ghana’s rulers/elites
converted to Islam
• Common people kept
traditional
beliefs/practices
• Islam spread literacy
• Ghana lost power when
Almoravids disrupted
gold-salt trade
Empire of Mali
• By 1235 the kingdom of
Mali had emerged
• Its founders were
Mande-speaking
people, who lived south
of Ghana.
• Mali’s wealth was also
built on gold
Sundiata Conquers an Empire
• A powerful king named
Sundiata ruled Mali from
around 1230-1255 AD. He
became known as a
mansa, or emperor
• He led the people in
conquering & expanding
his kingdom to be as great
as Ghana had been
Mansa Musa Expands
Mali (1312-1337)
• Greatest king of Mali
• developed gold/salt
trade• kingdom became very
powerful & rich
• Made hajj to Meccaupon return built
many mosques in
Timbuktu
• Attracted Muslim
judges, doctors,
religious leaders
scholars
Ibn Battuta: 1352
• Muslim legal scholar
• Traveled throughout
Muslim world -27 years
• Wrote a journal
• Praised people of Mali
for their study of Qur’an
• Criticized lack of strict
practice (women did not
veil)
• Within 50 years, gold
trade shifted to new
fields in East
• Mali weakened
Empire of Songhai
• As Mali declined, Songhai east built an army & extended
territory-gained control of trade routes. Gao was the capital.
Songhai’s Powerful Muslim Leaders
•
Sunni Ali
-Built a professional army
• Askia Muhammad
-stable government
-Encouraged learning
Other Peoples of West Africa:
Hausa City-States
• Named for spoken language
• Rulers depended on crops of
farmers, traded salt, grain,
cotton cloth
• Profit from caravans
• Slave trade thrived as well
• Rivalry, conflict prevented
creation of empire
Other Peoples of West Africa:
Yoruba Kingdoms
• Forest dwellers
• United by language
• King was religious
and political leader
• Secret group limited
kings power-reviewed
his decisions
Other Peoples of West Africa: Benin
• Forest dwellers
• King claimed legitimacy from “first king
of life”
• Powerful army controlled large area
• Built walls around Benin City, broad
streets
• Huge palace w/courtyards
• Sophisticated metalworkers
Eastern African City-States: Trade Creates
Power/Wealth
East Coast Trade Cities
• Villages developed into trade cities
• By 1100 Bantu-speaking peoples
migrated across central Africa
• Trade developed between East
African merchants & traders from
Arabia, Persia & India
• Muslim Arab & Persian traders
settled in these port cities
• Arabic blended w/ Bantu language;
created Swahili
• By 1300, 35 trading cities thrived
• Grew wealthy by controlling all trade
Kilwa
• In 1331, Ibn Battuta
visited
• Admired all aspects of
society
• Strategic location led to
great power & wealth
• Conquered by
Portuguese in 1488
Islamic Influences
• Growth of
commerce
caused Islam to
spread
• Even small towns
had mosques
• Ruler,
government
officials, &
merchants were
Muslim
• Majority held to
traditional beliefs
Muslim Enslavement of Africans
• not prohibited by Islam
• Slaves acquired by
kidnapping, war
• Relatively small
percentage
• Used for heavy labor on
docks, ships,
• soldiers & household
servants
Southern Africa & Great Zimbabwe
• Southeast Africa
• Established by Shona
people
• Built on gold trade to
Sofala
• By 1450, abandoned
due to overgrazing,
overuse of soil, salt,
timber
• Mutapa Empire took
its place