Northern and Central African Societies Flashcards
What are some characteristics of a hunting-gathering society?
They are the oldest form of social organization, they began in Africa, they spoke their own language, and often used their own hunting techniques.
Why are written laws not necessary in hunting-gathering societies?
Group members settle arguments with long discussions.
What are some characteristics of a stateless society?
They did not have a centralized system of power and authority was balanced among lineages of equal power so no one family would have too much power.
What were some advantages of an age-set system?
To teach discipline, community service, and leadership skills to their young ones.
What were some characteristics of a Muslim theocracy?
Leaders based their government on Islamic law.
How did Muslim law affect individual Islamic states?
Islamic law brought order to Muslim states.
What were the more challenging African environments?
Deserts and tropical rainforests
What were the more welcoming African environments?
Mediterranean and Savannah
Where in Africa is the Sahara Desert located?
Northern Africa
Where is the Kalahari Desert located?
Southern Africa
Where are the tropical rain forests located in Africa?
Western and Central Africa
What insect caused many problems in the tropical rain forests that made a person tired and then killed them in their sleep?
The tsetse fly
What is the savannah?
Grassy plains
What was the government of early African societies like?
It was a chief and council setup
What is Animism?
A religion in which spirits play an important role in regulating daily life
What were griots?
Storytellers of history and literature
Where were the Nok people from?
Nigoria
Who was the first to smelt iron?
The Nok people
When did the first cities develop in early Africa?
between 600 and 200 BC
What was the oldest known city south of the Sahard?
Djenne Djeno
Who were the Efe?
Congo forest societies
What is a lineage?
Descendants of a common ancestor
What is a stateless society?
Authority is shared by a lineages
Where are the Igbo people from?
Nigeria
What does patrilineal mean?
Ancestors are traced from the father
What does matrilineal mean?
Ancestors are traced from the mother
What were camels to early African societies?
Fleets of the desert
What religion did Ghana’s rulers convert to?
Islam
When did the Muslims conquer Ghana?
1076
Where the Mali people so wealthy?
Gold trade routes
Who was Mali’s first and greatest leader?
Mansa Musa
When did Mali decline?
The 1400s
When did Sunni Ali conquer Timbuktu and Djenne?
1464
Who replaced Sunni Ali’s son?
Askia Muhammad
When did the Moroccan fighting force defeat the Songhai warriors?
1591
