a. Identify the Bantu migration patterns and contribution to settled agriculture.
b. Describe the development and decline of the Sudanic kingdoms (Ghana, Mali, Songhai); include the roles of Sundiata, and the pilgrimage of Mansa Musa to Mecca.
c. Describe the trading networks by examining trans-Saharan trade in gold, salt, and slaves; include the Swahili trading cities.
d. Analyze the process of religious syncretism as a blending of traditional African beliefs with new ideas from Islam and Christianity.
SSWH6 The student will describe the diverse characteristics of early African societies before 1800.
What changes occurred in the Sudanic kingdoms as a result of the role of Sundiata and Mansa Musa.
How was the role of trade and merchant religious
faith instrumental in the spread of Islam in Africa? What connection did Arab traders have with the
Swahili coast and in what ways did that connection bring about change?
How did the trade routes of Asia and the
Mediterranean facilitate the movement of ideas between these regions?
Essential Questions
How did the slash and burn agriculture of the Bantu people affect the migration of this group?
What changes were brought to Sub-Saharan
Africa as a result of the Bantu migrations? How was religious syncretism expressed in the
Islamic regions of Africa?
Essential Questions (continued)
Around 640, Islam created two North African Empires. Merchants and traders spread Islam into both West and East Africa, where it influenced rulers.
Location of gold determined trade routes.
Only African city-states and empires that were able to tax and control trade became wealthy and powerful.
Main Ideas
800 Empire of Ghana thrives on trade850 Byzantine Empire spreads to Russia1000 Hausa city-states emerge1095 First Crusades begin1100 Yoruba Kingdom of Life is established1235 Sundiata founds Mali Empire1324 Mali king Mansa Musa goes on hajj
to Mecca1347 Bubonic Plague devastates Europe1464 Sunni Ali begins Songhai Empire
Timeline
Stateless societies:Leadership based on lineage (descendents)No centralized systemPatrilineal – ancestry through fathers
Muslim states 0f North Africa670 Muslims conquer Egypt, Libya, Tunisia,
Algeria and MoroccoGovernments based on Islamic lawRelied on religious scholars as Islamic law
regulated life
Section 1: North and Central Societies
Ghana (ruler) Gold and salt most important trade near Niger RiverSalt trade important near Sahara DesertUse of camels essential to trade – Arab and BerbersTax collectors insured growth of the empire
800 Ghana becomes and EmpireOnly king had right to own gold thus limiting supply to
keep prices up King was religious leader, judge and military commander
Islamic influence: Islam spread through conquest – People maintain animist religions and honor IslamArabic becomes the language with the study of the
Qur’an
Section 2: West African Civilizations
http://videos.howstuffworks.com/discovery/30300-assignment-discovery-the-ghana-empire-video.htm
Ghana
Mali Wealth built on goldMali leader Sundiata became mansa (emporer)Captures old Ghana EmpireHad administration in place to conduct finances,
defense and foreign affairsReopens salt-gold trade interrupted by wars
Mansa Musa:Converts to Islam: built mosques, attended prayers100,000 army exercised control of trade and rebellionHajj: upon return, builds new mosques in TimbuktuVisited by Ibn Battuta – Famous Muslim Traveler
Mali Empire
http://videos.howstuffworks.com/discovery/29489-assignment-discovery-mali-empire-video.htm
Mali
SonghaiSunni Ali: built empire by military conquest
Riverboat fleets of war canoes/mobile horse back unitsCaptured Timbuktu and takes over trade
Askia MuhammadLeads a Muslim protest over lack of religious practiceSet up efficient tax systemCentralized governmentMinisters of Navy, Treasury, Army and Agriculture
Problems:Lacked modern weaponsMoroccan force with gunpowder and cannons quickly
defeat the Songhai
1100 Bantu-speaking peoples migrated establishing fishing and farming villagesSeaports and trade developed between Arabia, Persia,
and IndiaThese foreign traders settled in East AfricaArabic blending with Bantu created the Swahili
language1300 trading cities included Mogadishu and Kilwa
These empires controlled incoming and outgoing tradeWealthy Muslim empireLocation made it easy for Indian ship to trade during
monsoon seasonPortuguese view the wealth and took the cities of
Kilwa and Mombasa
Section 3: Eastern City-States
What changes occurred in the Sudanic kingdoms as a result of the role of Sundiata and Mansa Musa.
How was the role of trade and merchant religious faith
instrumental in the spread of Islam in Africa? What connection did Arab traders have with the Swahili
coast and in what ways did that connection bring about change?
How did the trade routes of Asia and the Mediterranean
facilitate the movement of ideas between these regions?
Essential Question Review
How did the slash and burn agriculture of the Bantu people affect the migration of this group?
What changes were brought to Sub-Saharan
Africa as a result of the Bantu migrations? How was religious syncretism expressed in
the Islamic regions of Africa?
Essential Questions (continued)
Research the emergence and decline of one of the African kingdoms of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai.
Identify the role of individuals, the spread of Islam and
the economic activities of the Sahel and report to the other groups.
You will then share information through a jigsaw activity.
To complete the activity, write a summary comparing the three kingdoms’ similarities and differences.
African Kingdoms Activity