Early African Civilizations

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Early African Civilizations

• 1800 B.C. A.D. 1500

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Aspects of African Society

• Early history is based on limited evidence
• Griots passed down the oral traditions
• Bantu, a family of closely related African
  languages
• Music played a big part in culture

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Aspects (cont)

• Lineage groups Claimed descent from a common
  ancestor
• Elders held a lot of power

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Aspects (cont)

• Many societies were matrilineal (descent traced
  through the mother)
• Women could inherent property
• Husband moved into the wifes house

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They provided mutual support for members.
The lineage was based on the mothers.
Merchants received favors, and the king filled
his treasury with taxes.
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Religious Beliefs

• Most African societies believed in one single
  creator God
• Diviners have the power to foretell events
• Often employed by the king to contact the supreme
  god
• Ancestors and spirits were important

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Religious Beliefs (cont)

• Conversion
• Most of North Africa, grasslands south of Sahara,
  and east Africa had converted to Islam by 15th
  century
• Christianity was more successful in mountains of
  Ethiopia

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The author is unknown.
Wisdom, or learning, cannot be purchased with
money. It requires study.
Some things or people never change.
Crocodiles were native animals of West Africa.
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Kush

• Major trading state
• Flourished from 250 BC to AD 150
• 750 BC conquered Egypt, but were driven out by
  the Assyrians

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Aksum

• AD 350 conquered Kush
• King Ezana converted to Christianity
• Became the dominant trading state
• Competed with Muslim states for control of the
  slave and ivory trades

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West Africa

• Smaller kingdoms
• Primarily subsistence farming

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West Africa (cont)

• Economy revolved around trade
• Gold
• Salt
• Slaves

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Ghana

• First great trading state in West Africa
• Iron and Gold
• Blacksmiths were prized

• Berbers, nomads whose camel caravans were called
  the fleets of the desert, carried the trade
  across the desert

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Mali

• Captured Ghana in AD 1240
• Mansa Musa doubled Malis size under his rule
  from AD 1312 to 1337

• Made pilgrimage to Mecca leading approx 60,000
  servants and soldiers
• Ordered that mosques be built and encouraged the
  study of the Quran