Africa before the Arrival of the Europeans

1. Africa before the Arrival of the Europeans

2. Warm up….. • How many African countries can you name???

5. Africa in the Postclassical Period • At time of Roman Empire sub-Saharan Africa on the edge of major centers of civilizations • Between 800-1500 contacts with the outside world increased dramatically with the growth of the growing international trade network • Spread of Islam had profound effects on both those who converted and those who resisted - until 1450 Islam provided the major external contact b/w sub-Saharan Africa and the world • State building, ie. Songhay and Mali (although their power derived from military strength) • Africa in the post-classical period: • N. Africa and eastern Africa incorporated into the Arab world • New centers of civilization and political power arose • Much still remained in isolation

6. African Societies: Diversities and Similarities • Differences in geography, language, religion, politics, etc. meant that they never unified • Stateless societies • Organized around kinship or other forms of obligation and lacking the concentration of political power and authority we normally associate with the state • Little concentration of authority; did have forms of government but the authority normally held by a ruler was held by a council of families or a community council • Drawbacks- difficult to resist external pressures, mobilize for warfare, organize large building projects, etc.

7. Common Elements in African Societies Bantu language- provided a linguistic base (despite regional variances) Animistic religion- belief in the power of natural forces personified as spirits or gods; provided a cosmology- view of how the universe worked Veneration of ancestors vital Diversity in economies- N. Africa stands apart b/c of contact with Med. World; Sub-Saharan Africa- settled agriculture, skilled ironwork - specialization – basis for lively markets and large cities

8. Arrival of Islam in North Africa • 640-700 CE followers of Muhammad swept across north Africa from Suez to Morocco’s Atlantic shore- by 670 Muslims ruled Tunisia- by 711 Arab and Berber armies had crossed into Spain • Conversion took place rapidly, as Abbasid dynasty had provided political unity • Berbers- peoples of the desert- formed states of their own- by 11th century reformist movement- Almoravids- moved south against the African kingdoms of the savanna. 1130 another reformist group- Almohadis- followed same pattern • Islam attractive within Africa • Acceptance of conquerors and new rulers acceptable since all Muslims were equal in Islam • Tradition of uniting the powers of the religion and the state in the caliph appealed to some • Despite ideals, practice differed at local levels

9. The Christian Kingdoms: Nubia and Ethiopia • Adopted Christianity before Roman Empire • Christians of Egypt- Copts- developed rich tradition in contact with Byzantium- were able to maintain faith when Egypt was conquered – eventually spread to Nubia (ancient kingdom of Kush) • Ethiopian Kingdom- grew from Axum- cut off from Byzantium by Muslim conquest of Red Sea coast – so turned inward- King Lalibela (died 1221) sponsored huge building project- 13-14th centuries- Christian Ethiopian state

10. Kingdoms of the Grasslands • African had three important coasts of contact: the Atlantic, the Indian Ocean, and the savanna on the southern edge of the Sahara • Ghana had already formed by the 8th century by exchanging gold form the forests of west Africa for salt or dates from the Sahara or goods from the Med. – probably founded in 3rd century. By 10th century had converted to Islam • Sahel- grassland belt at edge of the Sahara- became a point of exchange between the forests to the south and north Africa- another “coast” where ideas and goods were exchanged- several cities developed along the “coast”

12. Empire of Mali and Sudiata, the “Lion Prince” • Mali creation of the Malinke people who broke away from Ghana in 13th century • Rulers supported Islam- in return supporters were obedient and faithful as the sermons stressed • Agriculture economic basis • Malinke merchants- juula • Sundiata (died 1260) - leader who began Malinke expansion- he became the mansa (emperor) • Mali grew wealthy from trade • Mansa Kankan Musa (1312-1337)- most famous successor, made a pilgrimage to Mecca in 1324 and brought the attention of the Muslim world to Mali. Brought back Ishak al-Sahili, poet and architect, who directed the building of several important mosques (great mosque of Jenne)

13. City Dwellers and Villagers • Towns were very commercial- Power of the state protected traders • Timbuktu • 80% of population lived off land • Polygamy common • Farmers able to provide for the people (even with their basic methods)

14. Songhay Kingdom • People of Songhay dominated the middle areas of the Niger valley • Began to form in the 7th century, by 1010 capital established at Gao on the Niger River and the rulers had become Muslims, by 1370s Songhay had established its independence • Sunni Ali (1464-1492) great leader who forged the empire- by mid 16th century it dominated central Sudan • 1591 Muslim army from Morocco defeated the Songhay

15. Political and Social Life in the Sudanic States • Development of a unified state provided framework to allow existing groups and communities to coexist • Islam provided solidarity and trust to merchants • Muslim concept of ruler as caliph reinforced the kinship ideas in Africa • Islam in the early stages accommodated pagan practices and beliefs • Women- some Songhay societies matrilineal and recognized the role of women • Slavery became a more widely diffused phenomenon and slave trade in Africa developed on a new scale • In theory, Muslims viewed slave trade as a stage in conversion but in reality it did not guarantee freedom

16. The Swahili Coast • Islamicized trading cities developed as a result of contacts with trading partners from Arabia, Persia, India, and China • Islam provided a universal set of ethics and beliefs that made their maritime contacts easier • In East Africa- Islamization slower to reach population- compromise between indigenous ways and new faith

18. The Coastal Trading Ports • From 1st to 10th century Bantu-speaking people had made it to the coast and were mixing with the indigenous groups there • Contacts on the Indian Ocean date back to 2nd century BCE • By 13th century string of urbanized east African trading ports • Port city Kilwa flourished from 13th-15th century (had gold from Zimbabwe)

19. The Mixture of Cultures on the Swahili Coast • Islam- forged bonds of trust among traders from Asia to Africa • Islam penetrated very little into the interior among hunters, pastoralist, and farmers • Islamization was, to some extent, class-based • Swahili culture- a hybrid of Islam and African tradition

20. Artists and Kings: Yoruba and Benin • Yoruba • Nigeria- village of Nok- found objects demonstrating great artistic skill dating back to 500 BCE-200 CE • Ile-Ife artists worked with terra-cotta and bronze to create lifelike portraits • Yoruba origins obscure • Yoruba spoke a non-Bantu language of west African Swa family • Organized in small city-states, developed under authority of regional kings, who were considered divine • Benin • Large city state of Edo peoples formed sometime in the 14th century • By 16th century- city of great population and broad avenues and artwork

21. Kingdoms of Kongo and MweneMutapa • 13th-15th centuries CE development of kingdom Kongo • Agricultural base • Division of labor between men and women • Kingship hereditary but local chieftainships were not • Bantu confederation developed among the farming and cattle-herding peoples in the region between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers • Began building stone houses or Zimbabwe in the 9th century • Greatest house was the Great Zimbabwe, which was the center of the kingdom and was associated with the bird of God • By 15th century centralized state ruled from Great Zimbabwe • MweneMutapa- great king who led period of expansion in late 15th and 16th centuries. Had dominance of internal resources like gold, which gave them an advantage in trade • By 16th century internal divisions split kingdom apart but control of the gold fields still provided a source of power and trade