Ap World Ch8 - Africa and Islam

Chapter Summary

I. Sub-Saharan Africa and the World Network (173-175)

Islam’s expansion joined North Africa to Middle Eastern civilization. The sub- Saharan Africa remained culturally, religiously, and linguistically diverse. Africa remained in contact with the outside world through trade in the Indian Ocean ports and across the Trans-Saharan trade routes. Camel caravans traveling across the Sahara to acquire African gold and slaves led to the development of great cities like Timbuktu.
II. The Great Kingdoms (175-181)

A) Rise of African Kingdoms

Several kingdoms arose in the region of West Africa south of the Sahara known as the Sudan (not to be confused with the country of the Sudan). All appeared as a result of the growth of the gold trade across the Sahara.
B) Ghana

The first of these was Ghana. The kings of Ghana built up a powerful state-based tax system on the gold and salt trade. This revenue allowed the kings to equip their cavalry with horses from North Africa and conquer the neighboring states. Its wealth left Ghana vulnerable to attacks by nomadic raiders, which led to its collapse.
C) Mali

Ghana’s successor was the kingdom of Mali, which was organized by Sundiata in the thirteenth century. It also relied on trade, taxes, and a powerful cavalry. Its most famous ruler was Mansa Musa, who traveled on a pilgrimage to Mecca with 90 camels loaded with gold dust. Mali declined after 1400.
D) Mali’s Successors

Mali was replaced by Songhai. It emerged in the late fifteenth century and lasted until 1591. Songhai was only one of several kingdoms that emerged in northern and central Africa after 1400.
E) Bantu Migrations

Another important development was the movement southward of Bantu peoples who were probably being displaced by farmers being pushed southward by the Sahara. By the late ninth century, the Bantu had reached South and East Africa. The Bantu people built up several small kingdoms, the most famous of which is the empire of Zimbabwe.
III. Features of African Civilization (181-183)

African civilization was very diverse. African farmers were freer than European ones because of the lack of a manorial system. However, large numbers of Africans were slaves who served as soldiers, personal servants, and mining laborers.

African agriculture produced a wide variety of crops, and its mining industry refined tons of gold. Although copper and iron working was present throughout Africa, by 1400, its manufacturing technology was lagging behind Europe’s.

African societies were characterized by tightly linked extended family structures. Its women seemed to have had more freedom than was common in other cultures.

Africa had great religious diversity. Islam was prominent in the Sudan and East African ports. Its only Christian state was Ethiopia. Most Africans were polytheists, who believed in a variety of major and minor gods. Religion greatly influenced African art.

Because of Africa’s connections to Europe and Asia, its populations developed immunity to Eurasian diseases, which prevented them from being decimated by the arrival of the Europeans after 1400.

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Short Answer Questions

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Questions

Questions

African Societies: Diversity and Similarities

1. What were the religions of Africa? Generally animistic, but some converted to Christianity and, later, Islam.
2. What are the characteristics of a stateless society? Organized by kinship, lack concentration of political power.
3. What is a secret society? Generally in W. Africa: men and women control customs and place checks on authority of rulers. Cut across lineage divisions, and maintained stability.
4. What provided the linguistic base of much of Africa? The spread of the Bantu-speaking peoples.
5. What was the differences between North African and sub-saharan African economies? N. Africa was entrenched into Mediterranean and Arab economic world, while sub-saharan Africa was extremely varied.
6. Between which years did the followers of Muhammad begin to spread through Africa? 640 - 700 C.E.
7. What was Ifriqiya? Eastern North Africa.
8. What was Maghrib? Western Africa.
9. Who are the Berbers? In opposition to the Abbasidian-dominated states, formed states of their own (Fez, Morocco, Sijilimasa).
10. Who are the Almoravids? Berber jihadist movement. 11th century.
11. Who are the Almohadis? Berber jihadist movement #2. (1130)
12. What was the result of the Almo-jihads? Crucial to spreading Islam to sub-saharan Africa.

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