states and societies of sub saharan africa ch 18 Flashcards
1
Q
kin-based societies
A
- 1000 CE, bantu people stopped expanding mainly because agricultural peoples already occupied most of the continent –> developed more complex forms of government for better organization
- bantu people didn’t depend on hierarchy of officials, rather they governed themselves mostly through family and kinship groups
- older male heads constituted village’s ruling council, decided public affairs
- prominent of family heads presided over village as chief
- groups of villages were connected by kinship ties, negotiated on matters
- organization lends itself well to small-scale communities, but kind-based societies often grew to large proportions
2
Q
jenne-jeno
A
- early cities (at beginning of reading)
- 400 CE, settlement of Jenne-jeno emerged as a center of iron production, trade, and manufactured textiles
- established on niger river
- participated in an extensive trade network from north africa + mediterranean to savannas and forests of central africa
- 8th century began a principal commercial crossroad in w africa
- city declined as west african kingdoms and empires arose, but left a legacy of urban development in the region inspiring the foundation of other cities
3
Q
chiefdoms
A
- after 1000 CE, kin-based societies faced challenges when they sought control over human labor or valuable trade routes
- conflicts between villages became more frequent and more intense
- increased conflict led to organized military forces being made for offensive and defensive purposes
- districts fell under leadership of powerful chiefs, who imposed their authority on their territories
- some chiefs conquered neighbors and consolidated lands into small kingdoms
- kingdoms emerged after 1000 CE
- eg Ife and Benin, arose in W Africa
4
Q
kingdom of kongo
A
14th to 17th century
- congo river was an active area for political development
- brisk economic development supported emergence of large and small kingdoms
- after 1000 CE, economic and military challenges encouraged kin-based socities in congo to form small states
- 1200 the conflict between small states led to organization of larger states that could resist political and military pressures better than smaller kingdoms
- one of the more prosperous states was KINGDOM OF KONGO, active in trade networks (including e.g. copper and shells from atlantic ocean) modern day congo and angola
- central government included king and officials who oversaw military, judicial, financial affairs
- central gov had six provinces administered by governors, who supervised districts run by subordinate officials
- most tightly centralized of bantu kingdoms
- provided effective organization from 14th to mid 17th century, when portugese slave traders undermined authority of kings and central gov
5
Q
african societies + cultural development (general)
A
- 11th century CE, enormous variation in size and scale of african societies
- spoke 800 different languages, supporting a wide variety of societies and economies
- diversity makes it difficult to speak of african society in general terms, but certain social and cultural patterns appeared in Sub Saharan Africa
6
Q
social classes (african societies)
A
- kingdoms/ empires such as kongo, mali, kilwa, african peoples developed complex societies with clearly defined classes
- classes of ruling elites, military nobles, administrative officials, religious authorities, wealthy merchants, commoners, peasants, slaves
- resembled those found in eurasia organized by powerful states
- in small states and kin based societies, social structures were different
- small states often had aristocratic or ruling elite
- kinship, sex, gender, age often became principal considerations that determined social position in Sub saharan africa
7
Q
kinship groups, ownership of land
A
- extended families and clans served as main foundation of social and economic organization in small-scale agriculture and foraging societies
- sub-Saharan africa, people didn’t recognize private ownership of land. communities claimed rights to land and used it in common.
- villages of sub saharan africa consisted of several extended family groups
- male heads governed village, organized work of their groups, allocated portions of land to relatives to cultivate
- responsible for distributing harvests equitably in society
8
Q
divison of labor (sub saharan africa)
A
- sex and gender relations influenced roles played in societies
- sex determined work roles
- men dominated most prestigious trades e.g. leather tanning, iron working
- blacksmiths served as community leaders
- women in blacksmith families served as potters for communities, enjoyed prestige
- agriculturally, men undertook heavy labor of clearing and preparing land for cultivation
- women contributed to planting and harvesting
- men largely monopolized public authorities.
- women had more opportunities open to them than other counterparts, sometimes made their way to positions of power
- women commonly traded at markets, participated actively in local and long-distance trade in africa, even engaged in combat sometimes
9
Q
age grades
A
(sub saharan africa)
- made place for age groups including all individuals in a given community born within a few years of one another
- arose in early days of agriculture society in Sudan, age grades continued into recent times
- in age grades, members performed tasks appropriate for their level of development, bonded to form friends and political allies
- established social ties that crossed the lines of family and kinship
10
Q
slavery (sub saharan africa)
A
- slave holding and trading were prominent features of subsaharan african society
- most slaves held were captives of war/debtors/criminals
- most enslaved worked as domestic laborers, construction laborers, etc
- slave ownership was a form of personal wealth, since it was hard to accumulate wealth when all land was shared, brought enhanced social status
11
Q
slave trading (sub saharan africa)
A
- after 9th century, expansion of trans-saharan and indian ocean trade stimulated increased traffic in african slaves
- demand for slaves powered over supply available in europe, so ppl traded in africa for local products and slaves
- rulers of large-scale states made war on smaller states for captives destined for northern slave markets
12
Q
zanj revolt
A
- throws light at nature of african slavery
- zanj –> black slaves from swahili coast
- labored under extremely difficult conditions, tried to mount revolts
- 869 - slaved man ali bin muhammad organized 15000 zanj slaves into immense force, capturing basra, important city of mesopotamia
- abbasid rulers of mesopotamia were distracted, turned their attention towards revolt a decade after it begun.
- 883 crushed revolt, killed ali bin muhammad, executed rebel leaders
- displayed determination of enslaved people to escape brutal circumstances, extreme desire of slaveholders to maintain status quo
13
Q
introduction of islam to sub-sharan africa
A
- 7th and 8th centuries, merchants from north africa and southwest asia introduced islam to sub saharan africa
- came in two routes: went to west africa by trans-saharan camel caravans, coastal east africa over sea lanes of indian ocean in vessels of merchant-mariners.
- after 8th century, islam influenced political, social, economic development of both saharan and sub-saharan africa
- africans adapted islam to their own cultures
14
Q
sahara + saharan camels
A
- sahara never served as an absolute barrier to communication between human societies, merchants organized some expeditions across desert
- camels were instrumental to improving communication and transportation across sahara
- camels came to north africa from arabia by way of egypt and the sudan
- after around 300, camels increasingly replaced horses as preferred transport animals
- camels were useful bc they could travel long distances before needing water
- muslims in north africa explored potential of trade across sahara
- searched for gold across the desert, found series of long-established trading centers such as Gao
- offered access to niger river valley, a flourishing market for copper, ironware,etc
15
Q
kingdom of ghana location + time
A
- principal state of west, situated between senegal and niger rivers
11th to 13th century
16
Q
kingdom of ghana - gold trade
A
- ghana became the most important commercial site in WEST africa because it controlled trade in gold
- muslim merchants flocked to camel caravans travelling across sahara to ghana in search of gold
- ghana didn’t produce gold, but kings procured it from lands in the south
- controlled and taxed trade in gold, kings enriched and strengthened realm
- also provided ivory and slaves for traders from north africa, received horses, cloth, small manufactured wares, salt
17
Q
koumbi-saleh
A
- integration into trans-saharan trade networks brought enormous wealth and power to ghana
- kingdom’s capital and principal trading site stood at koumbi-saleh
- a flourishing settlement with buildings of stone and mosques
- from taxes on gold, the kings financed a large army that protected sources of gold, maintained order in kingdom, etc
18
Q
islam in ghana
A
- around 10th century, kings of ghana converted to islam
- led to improved relations with muslim merchants and nomads
- brought recognition and support from muslim states in nroth africa
- kings of ghana didn’t attempt to impose islam forcibly onto heir society
- continued to observe traditional religious customs
- faith still attracted converts, particularly those involved with trade
19
Q
fall of ghana
A
- kingdoms expanded to north, became vulnerable to attacks by nomadic peoples from sahara, who sought to seize some of kingdom’s wealth
- early 13th century, raids from desert weakened kingdom, led to collapse
- political leadership fell to mali empire, emerged just as kingdom of ghana dissolved
20
Q
sundiata
A
- reigned 1230-1255
- lion prince sundiata built mali empire during first half of 13th century
- made alliances, gained reputation for courage, assembled large army, 1235 – consolidated his hold on mali empire
21
Q
mali empire and trade
A
- 13th to 15th century
- mali benefited from trans-saharan trade on a larger scale than ghana
- controlled and taxed almost all trade through west africa
- market cities on caravan routes like Timbuktu, Gao, Jenne became prosperous centers
- rulers of mali converted to islam provided protection for muslim merchants
- didn’t force islam on their realm
22
Q
mansa musa (who?) (voyage)
A
- sundiata’s grand-nephew, ruled 1312-1337
- during high point of empire
- observed islamic tradition by making his pilgrimage to mecca in 1324-1325
- formed a huge caravan of soldiers, bestowed lavish gifts on those who hosted along the way, gold declined by 25 percent
23
Q
mansa musa + islam
A
- drew great inspiration from voyage, returned to mali, took religion more seriously than before
- built mosques, sent promising students to study with islamic scholars in north africa
- established religious schools, brought in arabian and north african teachers to make islam better known in mali
- made islam better known for mali
24
Q
fall of mali
A
- within a century of mansa musa’s reign, mali was in serious decline
- factions crippled central government
- provinces seceded from empire
- military pressures came both from neighboring kingdoms and desert nomads
- late 15th century, sonhay empire completely overcame mali
- but mali rulers had established tradition of centralized government that the songhay ralm itself would continue, ensured islam would have prominent place
25
Q
founding of swahili society
A
- merchant-mariners sailing sea lines of indian ocean linked coastal east africa, just like what trans-saharan caravans did
- by second century, bantu-speaking people populated much of east africa, introduced agriculture, herding, iron, into region just like sub saharan africa
- population increased, founded settlements on coasts and inland east africa
- founders of swahili society
26
Q
the swahili
A
- means “coasters”, those who engaged in trade along east african coast
- spoke swahili, a bantu language supplemented with arabic
- people developed different dialects, and frequently visited neighboring communities
- all along east african coast, swahili coast underwent similar patterns of development in language, religion , technology
- adopted islam, interacted with muslim traders
- traded for gold, slaves, ivory, etc
- increasing volume and value of trade had large repercussions for swahili states and societies
27
Q
swahili city-states
A
- 11th and 12th centuries, coastal east africans grew wealthy through trade
- local chiefs strengthened authority by controlling and taxing trade
- trade concentrated at several coastal cities, such as kilwa
- these sites developed into powerful city-states governed by kings who supervised trade and organized public life
- cities underwent transformation (used coral in 12th century, 15th century stone)
28
Q
kilwa
A
- one of the busiest city-states on east african coast (swahili)
- earliest bantu inhabitants related on fishing, engaged in limited trade between 800 -1000 ce
- next two centuries, imported pottery and stoneware, began to rely more on agriculture
- 1300 to 1505, kilwa enjoyed tremendous prosperity
- thriving city with stone buildings and mosques
- residents imported cotton and silk textiles, perfumes, pearls
- merchants of kilwa exchanged these products for gold, slaves, ivory obtained from interior regions
29
Q
zimbabwe + great zimbabwe
A
- one of the best known interior kingdoms that benefited from long-distance trade from coasts
- in 5th and 6th centuries, had many wooden residences called zimbabwe, but in 9th century began to build zimbabwe out of stone
- early 13th century, great zimbabwe began to arise –> magnificent stone complex
- great zimbabwe was a city of stone towers, palaces, buildings, served as capital of large kingdom
- greatest extent was from 15th cen to 18th cen, many people lived in vicinity of stone complex
- kings residing in great zimbabwe controlled + taxed trade between interior, coastal regions
- control over products enabled alliances to be formed
- indian ocean trade generated wealth that financed organization of city-states on coast and kingdoms in east and central africa
