SOCIETIES AND EMPIRES OF AFRICA

NORTH & CENTRAL AFRICA3 TYPES OF SOCIETY DEVELOP…

1. Hunting- Gathering Societies: semi-nomadic, lived by gathering foods and hunting animals.

NORTH & CENTRAL AFRICA 3 TYPES OF SOCIETY DEVELOP…

2. Stateless Societies: no centralized power, authority balanced among lineages

NORTH & CENTRAL AFRICA 3 TYPES OF SOCIETY DEVELOP…

3. Muslim States: God’s law higher authority than any human law

- Almoravid and Almohad

WEST AFRICAN CIVILIZATIONS: GHANA• By AD 200 trade across

Sahara existed for centuries• By AD 700, Empire of

Ghana had formed and begun to tax this trans-Saharan trade• Gold and Salt

• Ruler acted as religious leader, chief judge, and military commander• 1076, Muslims had

completed their conquest of Ghana

WEST AFRICAN CIVILIZATION: MALI

• By 1235, Mali emerged • Sundiata – Mali’s 1st great

mansa (emperor) • Took over Ghana• Great leader• Promoted agriculture• Reestablished gold/salt

trade

WEST AFRICAN CIVILIZATION: MALI

• Mansa Musa ruled 1312-1332• Skilled military leader• royal control over gold/salt

trade• 100,000 man army• Doubled size of empire• Went on his hajj to Mecca

from 1324-1325• Ordered new mosques build• Timbuktu became very

important city, wide attractions • Successors weak leaders

WEST AFRICAN CIVILIZATION: SONGHAI

• As Mali lost power, Songhai emerged• Gained control of the trade

routes• Despite wealth and power,

lacked modern weapons• Collapse of Songhai empire

ended a 1000 year period of strong African empires.

WEST AFRICAN CIVILIZATIONS • City States developed in

other parts of West Africa• Muslim traditions

influenced some of these, while others held their traditional African beliefs.• Hausa• Yoruba• Benin

EAST COAST TRADE CITIES• Important trade cities• Swahili language• Grew wealthy by

controlling all incoming and outgoing trade• In 1448, the Portuguese

took control of many port cities on the coast and kept them for two centuries

SOUTHERN AFRICA: GREAT ZIMBABWE

• Area good for farming and cattle raising• After 1000, gained control of important trade routes• Abandoned by 1450, no one knows why