States & Societies of Sub-Saharan Africa

1. States & Societies of Sub-Saharan Africa Chapter 19

2. The Sahara Desert restricted trade between sub-Saharan Africa and other regions

3. A Formidable Obstacle

4. Sub-Saharan People • Develop “stateless societies” • Intricate religious concepts - combination of monotheism, animism, and, over time, Islam or Christianity

5. Bantu Migration • Brings iron metallurgy, agriculture and languages to most of the continent

6. Bantu Migration • Today, close to 100 million people across the southern half of Africa speak related languages, collectively known as Bantu languages.

7. Later, Trans Saharan Trade • Leads to larger more centralized kingdoms • Introduces new religions esp.. Islam

8. Population boom 400 BCE to 1000 CE • Partly due to agricultural advances such as domestication of the banana

9. Early Bantu Political Organization “stateless societies” • No elaborate bureaucracy or hierarchy • Family & kinship units play key role. • After 1000 population pressure & military challenges led to more centralized & larger governments. • Best ex. Is Bantu Kingdom, Kongo, which peaks in 1300s.

10. Kongo

11. Islamic Kingdoms • Due to increasing domestication of camel, trans-Saharan trade impacts sub-Saharan world. • Gold, slaves, & Islam cross the desert. • Series of dynamic kingdoms beginning with Ghana dominate W. Africa.

12. Ghana • Centers around capital Koumbi-Saleh • Controlled gold trade across Sahara.

13. 13th century replaced by Mali • Sundiata, lion king & a Muslim, griots • Mali dominates trade routes 13 - 15th century • Peak of power reign of Mansa Musa whose Hajj in 1324 is noteworthy

14. Mansa Musa R. 1312-37 -famous Hajj 1324-25

15. Timbuktu in Mali

16. Songhay • Sunni king, Sonni Ali, who reigned from 1464-1492. • While the urban centers were dominated by Islam and Islamic culture, the non-urban areas were not Islamic. 97% followed traditional African religions.

17. East Africa Swahili City States

18. East Africa trade with Indian Ocean • Swahili city-states such as Mogadishu, Malindi, Mombasa, and Zanzibar • Islamic merchants exchange goods from Persia, India & China • Eventually Swahili leaders convert to Islam. • Kilwa from 1300-1505 when Portuguese attack it is most prosperous

19. Kilwa in 1572

20. Central African Kingdoms such as Great Zimbabwe also prosper

21. African Society • In kingdoms social classes are similar to what we’ve studied • However women had more opportunities even after the arrival of Islam. • Private ownership of land not established institution. This makes slavery more of a status issue.

22. Slavery • More than 10 million African slaves shipped north as part of trans-Saharan trade

23. Arrival of Islam & Christianity (at Axum) transform religious life • New religions never completely eliminate native traditions, and often take on aspects of African beliefs.

24. Kilwa’s Great Mosque

25. Aksum (Ethiopia) 3rd - 4th Century Front view of two decorated stele at Aksum. Note architectural details such as the false door, windows, and timber beams, which were carved directly into the stone

26. Journeys of Moroccan jurist Ibn Battuta 1304 - 1368 (Marco Polo’s trail = red)