Download Chapter 8 Redo

AP World History
Chapter 8 Redo
Catherine Phamduy
5/6/12
Africans Societies: Diversity and Similarities- diverse nations (centralized to stateless) according to kinship
(religion, language, and culture). Islam and Christianity formed some nations.
Stateless Societies
 Stateless societies- organized by kinship or ruling family. Little concentration n of authority
 Secret societies of men/women = stability from overrule and rivalries
 Hard to resist external influence; mobilize for war, and create long distance trade.
Common Elements in African Societies
 Bantu Language (common language), animistic religion w/ natural forces (provided cosmology, code of
ethnics and behavior)
 Religion, economy, and history were closely related and religion was connected to familystrong
resilience to Christianity and Islam
 North America = trade w/ Mediterranean World. Others remained in active trade w/ one another
 Large populations
The Arrival of Islam in North Africa
 North Africa had already been open to the world (Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, and Vandals) w/ Islam,
ties w/ the rest of Africa = stronger.
 By 670 CE, Muslim ruled Ifriqiya and Maghrib. The reformist group, Almohadis, was critical in
connecting Islam to Africa.
 Islam made African kings powerful, yet social inequality still remained
The Christian Kingdoms: Nubia and Ethiopia
 Egypt, Nubia, and Ethiopia were under B Emp rule and received conversion. Some kept the Christian
religion despite rule of Arabs.
 Egypt- Christianized Egyptians (Copts) kept their religion despite rue of the Muslims
 Ethiopia- the converts turned inwardestablished their own Christian society. Ethiopia was extremely
Christianized.
Kingdoms of the Grasslands- Islam contributed to growth of powerful states (Mali, Songhay, and Hausa). Islam
spread w/ trade thru the strip of the sahel (strip of grassland). Ghana created extensive trade + powerinvasions by
Muslim decrees in power
Sudanic States (Ghana, Mali, Songhay)
 Had patriarchal system w/ the core (common ethnicity)
 Rule over conquered areas (taxes, tribute, military support) division between subjects and rulers
 Islam more power w/ little conversions
 Savannah states fused Islam and animistic religion together (Mali and Songhay)
The Empire of Mali and Sundiata, the “Lion Price”
 Malinke people who broke from Ghana created imitated the Islamic ruleJuulas (merchants) traded.
 Rise of Sundiata was known for oral and celebrated by griots (historians)
 Sundiata unified Mali by dividing it into 16 clans (each w/ specified roles). Travel was secured and crimes
punished. Ibn Batuta commented that the rule was stricteffective rule
 Trade = wealth  connections w/ in Arabian peninsulaMuslim architecture to Mali
City Dwellers and Villagers
 Merchants and scholars were attracted to power of Mali Timbuktu (city) formed along w/ other great
cities

Agricultural life was hard and polygamy existed to attain more work force for labor. Irrigations helped to
stabilize the natural disabilities and get food
The Songhay Kingdom
 By 1370’s, Songhay was ruled by Muslim rulers. Muhammad the Great extended the borders and enforce
Islamic rules, yet when another Muslim group moved in w/ muskets (1591), they were demolished and the
Hausa Empire ruled.
 The Hausa Empire was a place of Muslim learning and active tradingMuslim merchants spread south to
places w/ no Islam influence.
Political and Social Life in the Sudanic States
 Rule was under dominant family + common religion (Islam) provided better treatment of merchants (trade)
+ increase hierarchy
 Animistic religion fused with Islam + women had more rights vs. Sharia (Islamic Law)
 Slavery increased w/ Islamic influence to convert Africans, but in reality slaves were used for work
The Swahili Coast of East Africa- ports along the coast had trading partners w/ Arabia, Persia, India, and China.
Slow conversion w/ fusions
The coastal Trading Ports
 Mass migrations of Bantu speaking Africans  the land of Zenj. The urbanized areas prospered w/ trade
The Mixture of Cultures on the Swahili Coast
 Islam influencemore trade. Muslim rulers conquered over parts of Swahili coast and moved south
 Language was based on Bantu and some Arabic words, while writing was in Arabic. Fusions of the two
cultures spread along the coast.
 Patterns of the East coast were more rigid to change than Sudanic states.
Peoples of the Forest and Plains- societies were based on varied agriculture. Some created large governments over
its subjects + some arts are very good yet no writing developed
Artists and Kings: Yoruba and Benin
 Yoruba- art was humanlike and great works on wood/ivory. It was highly urbanized w/ mixed origins of the
Nubian people. It ruled through local princes that paid w/ tribute
 Benin was formed and had great artistic pieces in ivory and cast bronze which impressed even the
Europeans
Central African Kingdoms
 Establishments replaced authority of kinship to kingship. A bureaucracy was formed, yet was hereditary
The Kingdoms of Kongo and Mwene Mutapa
 Kongo- people developed skills of weaving, pottery, and blacksmithing. Seashells were currency. The
kingship was hereditary, yet local chieftains were notdivisions into 8 provinces. \
 A different group created the Great Zimbabwe = advanced in architecture = sophistication. Trade also
prospered. However, rivalries and rebellions created divisions reduced size of Mwene Mutapa