Chapter 13 Summary
- 1. “Adolescent” Africa 500 - 1500 How does geography affect society, culture, and trade?
- 2. Geography • Africa’s Mediterranean coast is mostly mountainous. South of these mountains is the Sahara desert. To the east is the Nile River. The Red Sea separates Africa and Asia. The west part of Africa juts into the Atlantic Ocean. This enables the Sahara to give way to grasslands in the interior and to tropical jungles on the coast. In the east there are snow-capped mountains, plateaus, and lakes. South from this lies the Congo basin, which is watered by the Congo River. The four distinct climate zones in Africa are: mild climate zone, deserts, rain forests, and savannas. The Sahara Desert
- 3. Family and Lineage • Most Africans lived in small villages and their identity was determined by their membership in an extended family or lineage group. They lived in family units that made up larger communities known as lineage groups. Lineage groups are an extended family unit that combined into a larger community. Women were usually subordinate to men. Women usually worked in the fields and men usually tended cattle and hunted. Some African societies traced their lineage through the mother, which is a matrilineal society. Other African societies traced their lineage through their father, which is a patrilineal society.
- 4. Religion and Culture • By the end of the 1400s, most of the population south of the Sahara had accepted Islam as their religion. Over time, these Islamic laws, customs, and beliefs combined with native traditions, creating a unique culture. In early Africa all the arts were considered a means of serving religion. Works of art expressed religious conviction. Wood carvers created statues and masks. The statues represented gods, spirits, and ancestors. African dance was seen as a way to communicate with the spirits. Because there was no written language, early African societies used music and griots to story-tell. A Mask (originated in Congo)
- 5. Climate Zone DESERT RAINFOREST MILD CLIMATE SAVANNA % of Africa 40% 10% 10% 40% Farming no farming little farming abundance of crops to support large populations farming possible 13.1 CHART
- 6. The Kingdom of Ghana • Most people living in Ghana were farmers that lived in villages. These villages made up the Kingdom of Ghana. The kings of Ghana were strong and they ruled their wealthy kingdom without written laws. Ghana had a well-trained army consisting of thousands of men. Ghana’s abundant amount of gold made it a major trading empire. Salt, which preserved food, was a very sought after item to the Ghanians. This trade of gold and salt resulted in the different cultures interacting peacefully. Trading also resulted in the spreading of technology, religion, and science. Camels were important to the Ghanians because they carried much of the trade across the Sahara desert.
- 7. The Kingdom of Mali • The Kingdom of Mali was a major trading kingdom. The kingdom had many farmers, who grew grains such as sorghum, millet, and rice. The Kingdom had a strong government and their king, Mansa Musa doubled the size of their kingdom. He also, on his pilgrimage to Makkah, caused the value of gold to decrease. Mansa Musa made Timbuktu a center of Islamic culture and learning. He built mosques and libraries. By 1359, civil war divided Mali. Mansa Musa’s Mosque (still standing today)
- 8. The Kingdom of Songhai • Songhai gained control of the trading empire after Sunni Ali’s conquests of Timbuktu and Djenné. Sunni Ali, the leader of Songhai, was in control of both the military and government of his kingdom. In 1493, Muhammed Ture overthrew the son of Sunni Ali. During Muhammad Ture’s reign, the Kingdom of Songhai would reach the height of its power. Muhammad Ture expanded the kingdom, divided Songhai into provinces, and appointed governors to be in charge of each province. Askia Dawud led Songhai to being the largest empire in African history. After Dawud’s reign, the kingdom fell into chaos and collapsed. Askia Muhammad
- 10. ECONOMY POLITICS SOCIETY EAST -subsistence farming -hunting / gathering -local and foreign trade -small communities -Bantu - speaking people migrated -traded with Arab states WEST -Ghana - iron, gold, salt trade -Mali - gold, salt, agriculture -Songhai - controlled trade centers Ghana - without written language Mali - strong central government / Mansa Musa doubled size of territory / expanded trade Songhai - strong government -Ghana - united kingdom -Mali - Muslim; successful trade -Timbuktu - cultural trade SOUTH -farming and herding gave way to trade -ruled by chieftains -great Zimbabwe major kingdom -stateless societies 13.2 CHART
- 11. Deeper Thinking Questions • Describe, in three to four sentences, the importance of salt and gold in the Kingdom of Ghana. • What was the importance of family in early African civilizations? Describe, in detail, what a lineage group was. • Describe characteristics of the four distinct climate zones in Africa. • Choose a leader from the reading and list at least three contributions he made to his kingdom. • Discuss, in detail, the unique traditions in early African culture. How do these traditions convey religious beliefs?
- 12. Image Sources • http://answersafrica.com/who-do-you-think-the-richest-man-of-all- time-is-and-where-was-he-from.html • http://allthe2048.com/community-games/gold.html • https://www.pinterest.com/pin/432556739182579327/ • https://www.britannica.com/place/Sahara-desert-Africa • http://www.china.org.cn/arts/2011-06/24/content_22850890.htm • https://sites.google.com/a/mpls.k12.mn.us/southhighworldstudies/ classroom-news/untitledpost-1 • VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3x-IwaVhnmo