1.5 State Building in Africa

Content Outline

For this particular topic Africa is fairly new to the global stage. Africa is at the end of the pre-Columbian trade routes. Sub-Saharan Africa is linked to the rest of the world via the Trans-Saharan routes. Southern Africa is connected globally via the Indian Ocean. Sub-Saharan Africa will become the southwestern portion of Dar al-Islam. Africa began to emerge as major global force until the voyages of Portuguese navigator Prince Henry (1415-1460) arrived on the scene marking the beginning of domination by the Europeans and focus will gradually turn westward away from the east (but that's for a later discussion).

(GOV) Explain how and why states in Africa developed and changed over time.

In Africa, as in Eurasia and the Americas, state systems demonstrated continuity, innovation, and diversity and expanded in scope and reach.

State systems in Africa:

Great Zimbabwe
Ethiopia
Hausa kingdoms

Sundiata Keita, 1217-1255

Founder of Mali Empire

Mansa Musa, 1280-1337

Wealthy Musa (King) of Mali

Zhenghe, 1371-1435

Chinese Islamic Navigator

Ibn Battuta, 1304-1369

Moroccan Islamic Traveler & Writer

The Epic of Sundiata, c. 1250 Griots (oral tradition) of Timbuktu, Mali

This is an epic poem that tells the rise of Sundiata Keita, founder of the Mali Empire. There is no single or authoritative version, as it was an epic passed through griots (oral traditional story-telling) beginning in the 13th century. French Sudan had begun collecting material for a "modern" version of the poem in the 20th century.

The Book of Lessons (Kitab al-lbar), c. 1275 Ibn Khaldun, Mamluk Sultanate

This is a record of the beginnings and events in history of the Arabs and Berbers. This is a collection of seven book.

Kebra Nagast, c. 1350 Ethiopia

This is a national epic account of Ethiopia written in Ge'ez by Nebure Id Ishaq of Axum. The text is at least 700 years old and is considered by Ethiopian Christians to be historically reliable - holding the genealogy of the Solomonic dynasty. It also contains the account of how Queen of Sheba met King Solomon and how the Ark of the Covenant came to Ethiopia.

Page updated

Report abuse