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J. [GOV]
Historical Developments:
Historical Developments:
In Africa, as in Eurasia and the Americas, state systems demonstrated continuity, innovation, and diversity and expanded in scope and reach.
In Africa, as in Eurasia and the Americas, state systems demonstrated continuity, innovation, and diversity and expanded in scope and reach.
KEY WORDS:
KEY WORDS:
Swahili
Trans-Sahran Trade
Great Zimbabwe
Mali Empire
Mansa Musa
Sahara Desert
1.5 I. [GOV] SKILL: Explain.webmSkills:
Skills:
1.A: Identify a historical concept, development, or process.
1.B: Explain a historical concept, development, or process.
Environmental Factors Shaped the Development of Societies in Africa
Environmental Factors Shaped the Development of Societies in Africa
During this historical period, African state and cultural systems were some of the most varied and diverse in the world. They ranged from expansive trading empires to stateless tribal societies. This diversity resulted from environmental factors that made contact and communication between African peoples difficult. Like in the Americas, climatic features created natural barriers between communities.
Four Environmental Impacts on African States
Four Environmental Impacts on African States
While there are exceptions and variations, the following were common features of African state systems. Notice how the environmental factors above resulted in smaller governments and less economic exchange.
Civilizations of Africa
2 Large African Trading Empires
2 Large African Trading Empires
West Africa contained a series of large trading empires that gained wealth through access to trade along the Trans-Saharan trade network.
The Mali Empire emerged in 1235 & built its wealth on control of the West African gold fields & taxation of the gold & salt trade.
As Mali declined, the Songhai people gained power along Mali’s eastern borders. They captured the trade routes under Mali’s control and used the tax revenue to expand their military.
2 Smaller State-Based Kingdoms
2 Smaller State-Based Kingdoms
Regional kingdoms were smaller monarchies that had significant influence and control within their regions. However, they did not develop expansive empires like Mali or Songhai. Regional state-based powers were present in all areas of Africa.
Great Zimbabwe was a powerful South African kingdom between the 1100 - 1400s. Great Zimbabwe’s built its success on its connections to the Swahili trading cities on the East African coast which contributed to its wealth.
Great Zimbabwe was a powerful South African kingdom between the 1100 - 1400s. Great Zimbabwe’s built its success on its connections to the Swahili trading cities on the East African coast which contributed to its wealth.
2 African City-States
2 African City-States
Several significant societies in Africa were city-states. City-states are independent governments that are no bigger than large cities. African city-states during this historical era often shared a common language and culture but lived under different leaders and governments.
The Hausa are an ethnic group that shares a common language and culture in West Africa. Modern Hausa people live in the countries of Nigeria and Niger to the east of the Mali and Songhai empires’ old borders. The Hausa people are modern Africa’s largest ethnic minority group.
Indian Ocean trading connections transformed Africa’s east coast from an agriculture and fishing economy to a vital hub on global trading networks. Over time, many of these small villages along the Indian Ocean coast developed into powerful trading city-states. Islam transformed Swahili civilization and became the city-states’ dominant belief system as Islamic traders interacted and settled within the region
2 STATELESS SOCIETIES
Africa also contained stateless societies that lacked a formal, organized government.
The Efé are a group of part-time hunter-gatherer people living in the Ituri Rainforest of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
They are socially & culturally diverse, consisting of many subgroups but are predominantly Christian. They are from what is today Sothern Nigeria. Traditionally, Igbo were subsistence farmers of yams, taro & cassava.
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