Africa

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Africas Religion and Government

• Daily Lesson and Discussion Notes 3-2

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Objectives

1. Describe how traditional African religions
   provided a guide for living together
2. Identify the role of Islam in medieval Africa
3. Explain how the growth of West African empires
   led to the growth of governments ruled by kings

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Objective 1
Describe how traditional African religions
provided a guide for living together
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I. Traditional African Religions (page 223)
A. Many African groups believed in one supreme
god.
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B. African religious practices vary from place to
place, but their beliefs served similar purposes
to help people stay in touch with their history
and provide rules for living.
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C. Many Africans believed the spirits of dead
relatives stayed with them when they died and
that the spirits could talk to the supreme god.
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Objective 1 Describe how traditional African
religions provided a guide for living together
Many Africans believed in a single creator and
honored the spirits of their ancestors
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Objective 2
Identify the role of Islam in medieval Africa
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II. Islam in Africa (pages 224-227)
A. Islam was popular in West African cities where
Africans traded with Muslim Arabs, but not all
West Africans accepted Islam.
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B. Some Muslims complained that the West African
leaders Sunni Ali and Sundiata Keita did not do
enough to promote Islam.
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C. Mansa Musa had worked to spread Islam, though
he allowed different religions. He made a
pilgrimage to Makkah, or Mecca, with a caravan of
thousands of people.
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D. Sunni Ali practiced the traditional religion
of the Songhai but called himself a Muslim. His
son refused to declare himself a Muslim.
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E. Muhammad Ture declared himself king and drove
Sunni Alis family from Songhai. He then took
the name Askia Muhammad. Under him, Songhai
became the largest empire in West Africa.
Timbuktu its capital was a center of Islamic
learning and culture.
The Great Mosque Djennes Great Mosque was made
from baked bricks, and the walls were covered
with mud. The Great Mosque is one of the largest
buildings made from mud in western Africa
Marketplace Djennes wealth was based on trade
which included items such as gold, salt, and
ivory.
Homes Homes were built from bricks made from clay
out of the nearby river. The flat roofs had
drains made from palm tree trunks.
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F. Islam had a far-reaching impact on Africa.
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G. The Swahili culture and language are a blend
of East African and Muslim elements.
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H. Islam also encouraged learning. Muslim
schools taught Arabic. Islam also influenced art
and architecture.
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Objective 2 Identify the role of Islam in
medieval Africa
Islam became the dominant religion in the
kingdoms of West and East Africa
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Objective 3
Explain how the growth of West African empires
led to the growth of governments ruled by kings
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III. Government and Society (pages 227-229)
A. Early African kings were powerful. They
settled arguments, managed trade, and protected
the empire. Merchants paid taxes to the king and
received favors from him. Local rulers had some
power and were loyal to the king. This system
allowed empires to prosper and grow.
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B. Ghanas government included a council of
ministers, who advised the king. The empire was
divided into provinces, ruled by lesser kings or
conquered leaders. Below them, local leaders
ruled over a district that included the leaders
clan a group of people descended from the same
ancestor. The throne of Ghana was passed on to
the son of the kings sister.
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C. Malis royal officials had more responsibility
than Ghanas officials did. Malis empire was
also divided into provinces, and generals
governed the provinces. The generals protected
the people from invaders and often came from the
province they ruled.
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D. Although Sunni Ali began dividing Songhai into
provinces for government, he died before he could
finish. In 1493, Muhammad Ture seized control of
Songhai. He was a faithful Muslim, and his
religious ideas affected the Songhai government.
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Objective 3 Explain how the growth of West
African empires led to the growth of governments
ruled by kings
The empires of West Africa were ruled by kings
who closely controlled trade and divided their
lands among lesser chiefs to aid in governing