An African Kingdom Mapungubwe term 1

Question 1

Define the term “history” and why it is important to learn about the past

Answer 1

History - is the story of past events. Studying history is important because it allows us to understand our past, which in turn allows to understand our present. … Studying history can provide us with insight into our cultures of origin as well as cultures with which we might be less familiar, thereby increasing cross-cultural awareness and understanding.

Question 2

What does AD stand for?

Answer 2

After death (the death of Christ)

Question 3

What does BC stand for?

Answer 3

Before Christ

Question 4

Describe how life in the Limpopo valley changed towards the end of the last millenium?

Answer 4

In 880 AD farmers in the Limpopo valley kept cattle as the area was dry but they managed to grow crops like sorghum and cotton. They lived in small villages but after 900AD life began to change.

• They began to form settlements - where people lived close to each other.
• Life changed because the farmers began to trade with Swahili traders who came down the East African coast of Africa to trade goods they would then export to other parts of Europe and Africa.
• When people met to trade they also learnt about each others cultures - songs, language, and crafts

Question 5

Why are the grade 6 studying this area in history?

Answer 5

During the early days of the last millennium several great Iron Age kingdoms existed in southern Africa. Thulamela, Mapungubwe and Great Zimbabwe were all established as centres of agriculture, but developed into trading nations, exchanging goods with Arab and Portuguese merchants through East African harbours. Cattle, ivory and gold were important trading goods and key to the survival of these kingdoms.

Question 6

Define the term commercial

Answer 6

the business of trading and exchanging goods and services

Question 7

How do we know trading happenned in this area?

Answer 7

-K2 is the place where archeologists found a midden - a rubbish dump from this period. It was this and another place called Schroda where archeologists found artefacts - including glass beads from India and small pieces of ivory that came from cutting and shaping ivory from large elephant tusks.

Question 8

How did the Zhizo people in the valley become rich and powerful?

Answer 8

They would mine gold and along with ivory and rhino horn carry it to the coast for trading.

Question 9

What was the first state in South Africa and how and when did it come to pass?

Answer 9

Between 1220 and 1300 AD the leaders who lived at K@ became more and more powerful and soon ruled an entire kingdom called MAPUNGUBWE. This was probably one of the first states ruled by King Mambo which is why the kingdom was called Mapungubwe.

Question 10

In what way/s did the king of Mapungubwe display his power?

Answer 10

The people of Mapungubwe believed the king had special relationship with the ancestors and Gods, which gave him the sacred right to rule.

• He moved away from his people to rule from the top of a hill,
• where he built stone walls to divide his homestead from the people below him.
• He made a burial ground on the hill where only royalty could be laid to rest.
• He made it difficult to get to the top of the hill - only three ladders to the top
• Royalty were in possession of objects made of gold - which were buried with them when they died. only the rich owned gold metal objects.

Question 11

How did the king of Mapungubwe become powerful?

Answer 11

Farmers had to pay a TRIBUTE to their local chief, who in turn paid a tribute to the king in his palace. This was like a tax system. When war or drought hit the land - the king would look after the people.

Question 12

How is the tribute system similar to the tax system today?

Answer 12

Similar - People of the land pay an amount to the rulers Differences - tribute system was more like insurance - which protected the people in times of famine or war. Taxes - are used by government to delver services like education and infrastructure for transport.

Question 13

Write a paragraph on the class system in Mapungubwe

Answer 13

• Royal family was most elite
• Religious leaders followed
• Only men of high status worked with metals such as copper, iron, gold and brass - which were heated and made into jewellery which was mainly traded. Iron was made into arrow heads; adzes - a tool for smoothing and carving wood, chisels and axes

Question 14

What is a world heritage site? Why is Mapungubwe a world heritage site?

Answer 14

a place of great importance to all the people of the world. Mapungubwe reminds us that there were large organised kingdoms in Africa many hundreds of years ago.

Question 15

How did Arab traders travel from India to the east coast of Africa?

Answer 15

They sailed in dhows - using monsoon winds to get them from India to Africa in Jan to June. And Africa to India from June to Jan.

Question 16

What did arabs trade with Africans?

Answer 16

Arabs: glassware, oxen and wine
Africans: Ivory, gold, animal hides, rhino horns

Question 17

How were the traded goods used?

Answer 17

Ivory- carrying kings thrones, and handles of daggers and swords, chief wore hides

Question 18

How did the muslim religion become so popular in Africa?

Answer 18

Arab traders came to the east coast of Africa, where they traded lived in villages, and married African woman. Within the family unit they spread their religion to their wives and children. Many east african people are descendants of the arabs.

Question 19

Why did the people of Mapungubwe respect and listen to the king?

Answer 19

they believed he had special relationship with the ancestors and could control the weather and climate

Question 20

Where did the gold come from that was used for trading?

Answer 20

Zimbabwe

Question 21

What were glass beads used to buy?

Answer 21

Cattle

Question 22

How did cattle make a man wealthy?

Answer 22

cattle were exchanged for wives who produced children who could look after the cattle and crops, which could be further traded for wealth

Question 23

In what period did the people of Mapungubwe depart? Why?

Answer 23

1270-1300AD; traders from the east coast began to travel along the zambezi river- north of the limpopo so there was no more trade happening in Mapungubwe

Question 24

What new state emerged after Mapungubwe?

Answer 24

Greater Zimbabwe

Question 25

Which countries as we know them today did the king of greater zimbabwe rule over?

Answer 25

Zimbabwe, Northern SA, Botswana, Mozambique

Question 26

What does the word Zimbabwe mean?

Answer 26

Capital of a leader

Question 27

Describe how the land and governing systems worked?

Answer 27

There were about 200 Zimbabwes. Small zimbabwes had district rulers, bigger zimbabwes had provincial rulers. Great Zimbabwe the biggest of all was rued by the king and where he lived.

Question 28

What job could you have had in greater zimbabwe?

Answer 28

advisors, guard, praisers, chiefs/governors, servants, administrators, farmers, healers blacksmiths, crafts people,

Question 29

What was greater zimbabwe’s organised legal system and name it?

Answer 29

the dare system (court system) - small and large kraals each with their own chiefs and governors appointed by the king. These chiefs could judge in the small matters nut cases of importance were brought to and tried before the king

Question 30

Explain the difference between the rich and ordinary members of society

Answer 30

They lived in different areas, in different houses and had different objects. Ordinary people - lived in small clay houses, around stone buildings, very close together. Objects like pottery, iron hoes, spearheads, knives, arrowheads, common glass beads and bangles were found there.
The kings house was built on high ground with stone walls around it. Gold, soap bowls, bronze spearheads were found there.

Question 31

What happened in the large public building in the biggest Zimbabwe?

Answer 31

The dare was a large open space where legal and political cases were heard and important decisions about the kingdom were made. The great enclosure - or kings kraal - may have been the kings first home, or that of spiritual leaders. Political and religious ceremonies would have taken place there too.

Question 32

What was the significance of the stone birds found on the wall of greater zim?

Answer 32

Birds symbolised the spirit of ancestors who could go between ordinary and spirit worlds to communicate with the gods on behalf of the people (like messengers).

Question 33

Why is Mapungubwe called the lost city of gold?

Answer 33

Gold was found there

Question 34

What impression is given to indicate that Mapungubwe was part of the iron age? What types of metals were found?

Answer 34

Archeologists found metals that had been worked and made into jewellery and objects that were made during the iron age period. Copper and gold

Question 35

Why did commoners have to live separately from wealthy people?

Answer 35

The people of M had a class system where each class had a specific place to live. the poor lived in the valley and only the wealthy could live on top of the hill.

Question 36

How did the people of Mapungubwe live differently to the people living in Southern Africa at the time?

Answer 36

-people in M grew crops and farmed cattle and live stock, people in southern Africa were hunter gatherers
-no class division, burial rites related to class in southern african people
- people in S Africa lived together - in M the rich and poor lived separately
-People of M mined copper and worked wth gold and copper
-People of M were potters
People of M traded

Question 37

Which province is Mapungubwe?

Answer 37

Limpopo

Question 38

What geographical features made M ideal for setting up a settlement?

Answer 38

• close to a river
• which made soil rich and fertile for farming and grazing
• hills for protection and security

Question 39

What were the different areas of Mapungubwe called?

Answer 39

• Mapungubwe - on top of the hill
• Southern Terrace - in the valley
• K2 - just below Mapungubwe hill

Question 40

What did the M homestead have in it?

Answer 40

• Court area - people were able to settle disagreements
• grain pit - food storage
• Blacksmiths area - work with metals to make tools
• Cattle kraals - keeping cattle safe when not grazing
• Cemetery - important people buried here

Question 41

What was one of the responsibilities of the king linked to his geographical position?

Answer 41

King was responsible for asking the Gods for rain, so being on top of the hill gave him better access

Question 42

What factors made an area suitable for livestock?

Answer 42

• enough space for keeping live stock
• Enough land for grazing
• Close to limpopo river for water
• Good climate for fields to grow for cattle to graze

Question 43

what do we call people who rear cattle and plant crops?

Answer 43

farmers

Question 44

Which famous explorer travelled from Europe to the east at the same time as Mapungubwe was a powerful kingdom? Describe his journey and why it was significant.

Answer 44

• Marco Polo
• In 1269 Marco Polo left Venice at aged 17 made a remarkable journey with his father and uncle. They travelled from Venice through Persia and Mongolia to China where they stayed for 24 years. Marco Polo worked for the Emperor of China, Kublai Khan - who sent him on journeys around China. When Marco Polo returned to Venice he entered a city at war with Genoa. He was imprisoned in battle, and remained there for a year. During this time he dictated his journey to his cell mate who was a writer. His book was published when he was released. His story had a big influence on Europeans at the time who began to draw maps of Asia and the stories inspired many others to travel - including Christopher Columbus who tried to get to the east but came across the Americas instead!