State Building in Africa

State Building in Africa Development of Western African Agriculture Bantu: "people" The Bantu begin agriculture & the domestication of cattle c. 3500 BCE Cultivation of sorghum, yams, over time increasingly diverse crops The Bantu learn iron metal working c. 500 BCE Increase agricultural output Bantu Religions • Evidence of early monotheism Deistic views as well (reason and nature proves God's existence as opposed to revelation and scripture) Animistic, prayed to spirits e.g. ancestor spirits Great variations among populations among religious beliefs Over time descendant populations would begin to convert to Islam (c. 10th century) and Christianity (c. 15th century) Bantu Migrations, 2000 BCE -1000 CE - Migration throughout sub-Saharan regions Population pressures • Over 500 variations of original Bantu language 90 million speakers - By 1000 BCE, occupied most of Africa south of the equator Effects of Early African Migrations • Bantu-speaking peoples settle south of Equator • Agriculture, herding, iron metallurgy, language spreads with Bantu migrations Cultivation of Bananas • Domesticated in southeast Asia • Malay sailors colonize Madagascar, 300-500 CE • Introduce bananas (and chickens) • Well-adapted to African climate, encourages migration into forested regions & spreads throughout much of Sub-Saharan Africa Food supply increases with this key crop Kin-Based Societies • Stateless, segmented societies • No elaborate hierarchies, bureaucracies • Higher government authorities rare • Ruled by elders • Average population of village: 100 • Villages resolve disputes in ad hoc manner Kinship Groups • Extended families, clans, live in villages • Idea of private property less prevalent • Land held communally Harvests distributed by elders Sex and Gender Relations • Men work with specialized skills Tanning, iron work Heavy labor • Both sexes work in agriculture • Male rule more common, but some expanded roles for women Merchants, some military activity Islamic norms slow to penetrate African society Age grades • From early agricultural period, Sudan • Peer groups of single age cohort • Crosses lines of family and kinship Chiefdoms • Population pressures after 1000 CE increase competition, disputes • Small chiefdoms appear - a group of villages, overrule kin-based groups • Powerful chiefs form militaries - Small kingdoms form in West Africa Ife, Benin Islamic Kingdoms and Empires Islam spreads to west Africa • Trans-Saharan caravans - gold/salt trade - land based trade - Sufi missionaries will follow - Coastal east Africa through maritime trade - Sufi missionaries will follow • Profound influence after 8th century Empires & Islam in West Africa • West African Empires Ghana: 11th - 13th century (height) Mali: 13th - 15th century Songhay: 1464 - 1591 • Kings of Ghana convert 10th c. - Positive impact on trade, relations with north Africa • Synthesized Islam with local traditions Trans-Saharan Trade and Islamic States in West Africa (The Gold-Salt Trade) - Introduction of Arabian camels revolutionizes trade • 70-90 days to cross Sahara - Arabs & Africans establish trading communities Koumbi-Saleh Gao Jenne Timbuktu The Kingdom of Ghana • Not related to modern State of Ghana • Developed 4th- 5th c. CE • Protection against camel-driving raiders • Center of African gold trade • Imported from south to Ghana • Also sold ivory, slaves - Bought: horses, cloth, small artisan goods, & salt Koumbi-Saleh • Capital of Kingdom of Ghana • Principal trading center High point 9th-12th centuries • Population 15,000-20,000 - Military, cultural center Sundiata - The Lion Prince of Mali (r. 1230-1255) • As Ghana kingdom expands north, it is vulnerable to attacks by nomads of the Sahara • Causes the collapse of the Ghana Empire • Empire of Mali extends over Kingdom of Ghana Neighboring kingdoms as well - Sundiata created a large army, made alliances with local rulers, gained a reputation in battle Took greater advantage of trans-Saharan trade • Nominally Muslim, but did not force conversions Mansa Musa (r. 1312-1337) • Grandson of Sundiata • Fervent Muslim • Performed the Hajj in 1324-25 (huge caravan thousands of soldiers, attendants, subjects, & slaves) Constructed numerous mosques • Supported Muslim scholars and schools • Brought teachers to W Africa from N Africa (some were descendants of Muhammed) Gave away so much gold that its value decreased 25% Empire declines after his rule Songhai Empire (1464 - 1591) Sunni Ali (r. 1464-1493) created effective army, navy Overthrew the declining Mali Empire Based in Gao Brought Timbuktu and Jenne under his authority - Navy patrolled the Niger River - Built an elaborate administrative force - Appointed governors to oversee provinces Musket-bearing Moroccan army destroys Songhay forces, - regional eity-states exert local control Ghana, Mali, & Songhai Empires - Rulers were all Muslim Rulers valued Islam as a cultural foundation for cooperation with Muslim merchants and the Islamic states of North Africa Rulers did not abandon traditional religious practices - Sunni Ali consulted pagan fortune tellers and magicians Emperors built mosques, schools to teach the Quran, and an Islamic university was built at Timbuktu - Arabs traded salt, textiles, and metal goods for gold and slaves from Africans The Indian Ocean Trade and Islamic States in East Africa - East coast maritime trade weak until 2nd century • Bantu peoples populate coast - Swahili ("coasters") engage in trade with Arabs Swahili (as a language) is a form of Bantu, influenced by Arabic - 10th century trade increases