Chapter 3: Medieval Africamscarranzahistory.weebly.com/uploads/1/3/1/0/13109317/africa.pdfView the...

Islamic mosque and marketplace in Djenne, Mali

c. A.D. 300Axum conquersKush

c. A.D. 750Arab Muslimtraders settlein East Africa

1324Mansa Musatravels toMakkah

c. 1441First enslavedAfricans arrivein Europe

A.D. 300 A.D. 700 1100 1500A.D. 300 A.D. 700 1100 1500

Medieval Africa

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The Rise of African CivilizationsPhysical geography plays a role in how civilizations develop. Africa’s

geography influenced the rise of its civilizations. The growth oftrade led to the exchange of goods and ideas.

Africa’s Religion and GovernmentReligion influences how civilization develops and how culture spreads.

Traditional religions, Christianity, and Islam shaped early Africanculture. African rulers developed different forms of government.

African Society and CultureDifferent social, economic, and political classes can exist in a society.

The family was the foundation of African society. A growing slavetrade, however, disrupted African society.

View the Chapter 3 video in the Glencoe Video Program.

Chapter Overview Visitca.hss.glencoe.com for a preview of Chapter 3.

Categorizing Information Make this foldable to help you organize your notesabout medieval Africa.

Reading and WritingAs you read about thecivilizations of Africa,write down three mainquestions under eachheading. Then write ananswer to each question.

Step 1 Draw a map ofAfrica on one side of asheet of paper.

The Rise of African Civilizations

African Society and Culture

Africa’s Governmentand Religion

Step 2 Fold the sheet of paperinto thirds from top to bottom.

Step 3 Unfold, turn thepaper over (to the cleanside), and label as shown.

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http://ca.hss.glencoe.com

As you summarize, be

careful not to change the

author's original mean-

ings or ideas.

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Summarizing helps you organize information, focus on mainideas, and reduce the amount of information to remember. Tosummarize, restate the important facts in a short sentence or paragraph. Be brief and do not include too many details. Read thetext on page 223 labeled Traditional African Religions. Thenread the summary below, and look at the important facts from thatpassage.

Summarizing

Summary

Important Facts

Traditional African reli-gions shared certainbeliefs and provided aguide for living together.

For centuries, Europeans believedAfricans did not have a religion.

Most African groups shared theIgbo belief in one supreme god.

Even though Africans practicedtheir religion differently in differ-ent places, their beliefs servedsimilar purposes.

Many Africans honored theirancestors.

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With a partner, read about African Culture on pages 235–237.Each of you should then summarize the important facts. Compareyour summaries to see which details you and your partner chose toinclude or exclude.

Practice summarizing as you read thischapter. Stop after each section andwrite a brief summary.

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Read Section 1. Thenwrite a one-paragraphsummary that includeswhat you rememberabout Africa’sgeography and the riseof African civilizations.

Read to Write

African women wearing kente cloth

When you are finished withyour summary, look at the fol-lowing list to see if youincluded all the importantideas.

• Enslaved Africans devel-oped rich cultures thatinfluenced many other cul-tures, including our own.

• Early African art was oftenreligious in nature, told stories, and also servedpractical purposes.

• Music and dance playedimportant roles in almostall aspects of African life.

• Africans preserved theirstorytelling tradition.

Werner Forman/Art Resource, NY

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HistorySocial ScienceStandardsWH7.4 Studentsanalyze the geographic,political, economic,religious, and socialstructures of the sub-Saharan civilizations ofGhana and Mali inMedieval Africa.

Looking Back, Looking AheadEgypt and Kush were Africa’s first

great civilizations. In this section, youwill learn about African civilizationsthat developed later.

Focusing on the • Africa has a vast and varied

landscape made up of shifting sanddunes, rain forests, sweepingsavannas, large deserts, and coastalplains. (page 207)

• African empires grew rich fromtrading gold and salt. (page 209)

Locating PlacesBenue River (BAYN•way)Ghana (GAH•nuh)Mali (MAH• lee)Timbuktu (TIHM•BUHK•TOO)Songhai (SAWNG•HY)Axum (AHK•SOOM)

Meeting PeopleSundiata Keita (sun•dee•AH•tuh

KY•tuh)Mansa Musa (MAHN•sah moo•SAH)Sunni Ali (sun•EE ah•LEE)

Content Vocabularyplateau (pla•TOH)griot (GREE•OH)dhow (DOW)

Academic Vocabularyfee

diminish (duh•MIH•nihsh)prime

Reading StrategySummarizing Information Creatediagrams showing the accomplish-ments of medieval African civilizations.

c. A.D. 450Kingdom ofGhana begins

c. A.D. 750Arab Muslim traderssettle in East Africa

1468Sunni AlicapturesTimbuktu

A.D. 300 A.D. 900 A.D. 1500A.D. 300 A.D. 900 A.D. 1500

206 CHAPTER 3 • Medieval Africa

Accomplishments

The Rise of AfricanCivilizations

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Geography and Climate Zones in Africa

1. Region Which type of physicalfeature covers the largest area ofAfrica?

2. Human/EnvironmentInteraction How might Africa’sgeography have affected tradingpatterns there?

Find NGS online map resources @www.nationalgeographic.com/maps

Savanna

Desert

Mediterranean

Rain forestDesertMediterraneanRain forestSavanna

KEY

WH7.4.1 Study the Niger River and the relationship of vegetation zones of forest, savannah, and desert to trade in gold, salt,food, and slaves; and the growth of the Ghana and Mali empires.

Africa’s GeographyAfrica has a vast and varied landscape

made up of shifting sand dunes, rain forests, sweep-ing savannas, large deserts, and coastal plains.

Reading Connection How can geography discourage

people from exploring another place? Read to learn

about the geographic features that made it difficult for

people to travel across parts of Africa.

In 1906 a teacher named Hans Vischerexplored what he called the “death road,” a

207

trade route connecting western Africa to thecoast of the Mediterranean Sea. The “deathroad” crossed more than 1,500 miles (2,414km) of the Sahara, the world’s largest desert.To get lost meant certain death.

Only nomads living in the region knewthe way, but Vischer hoped to map the route.Like the desert nomads, his life dependedupon finding oases. Upon his return, Vischeramazed people with stories of the Sahara. Hetold of swirling winds and shifting sanddunes.

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http://www.nationalgeographic.com/maps

What Is the African Plateau? Almost allof Africa, except the coastal plains, rests ona plateau (pla • TOH)—an area of high flatland. In the east, movements of the earth’scrust millions of years ago cracked the con-tinent, and parts of the plateau’s surfacedropped. This formed the Great Rift Valley,where some of the earliest human fossilshave been found.

Africa has many long rivers. You havealready learned about the Nile River and thecivilizations of Egypt and Kush along itsbanks. In West Africa, the Niger River is veryimportant. The rich soil along the Niger growsmany crops and gave rise to several civiliza-tions in West Africa. The Niger also helpedunite the region. Merchants and travelersspread goods and ideas up and down the river.

Cause and Effect Why isthe Niger River important?

Africa United States

Size

Population Today

Longest River

11,667,159 square miles (30,217,894 sq. km)

about 891 million people

Nile River 4,160 miles (6,693 km)

3,794,085 square miles (9,826,680 sq. km)

about 291 million people

Missouri River 2,565 miles (4,130 km)

LargestDesert

Sahara 3,500,000 square miles (9,065,000 sq. km)

Mojave 15,000 square miles (38,850 sq. km)

Comparing Africa to the U.S.Comparing Africa to the U.S.

Africa has a land area roughly three timesthat of the United States.1. How does the size of the Sahara compare to

the size of the United States?2. Compare How does the population of Africa

compare to that of the United States?

UNITED STATES

AFRICA

Sources: The World Almanac and Book of Facts, 2004;World Population Data Sheet, 2003;The New Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1990

208

A Vast and Diverse Continent Africa is the world’s second-largest continent. TheUnited States fits into Africa three times, withroom to spare. The Equator slices through themiddle of the continent. Hot, steamy rainforests stretch along each side of it. Yet therain forests cover only 10 percent of the land.

Most of Africa lies in the tropics. Here dry,sweeping grasslands reach for thousands ofmiles. Most of the tropical grasslands, knownas savannas, have high temperatures anduneven rains. These wide-open grasslandsare perfect for raising herds of animals. Formuch of Africa’s history, the people of thesavanna were hunters and herders.

North and south of the savannas are thedeserts—the Sahara to the north and theKalahari to the southwest. For many years,these unmapped seas of sand blockedtravel. People had to follow the coastline ifthey wanted to get past the deserts. Areas ofmild climate, good for growing crops, arefound along the Mediterranean Sea innorthwest Africa and in the south.

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WH7.4.1 Study the Niger River and the relationship of vegetation zones of forest, savannah, and desert to trade in gold, salt, food,and slaves; and the growth of the Ghana and Mali empires. WH7.4.2 Analyze the importance of family, labor specialization, andregional commerce in the development of states and cities in West Africa. WH7.4.5 Describe the importance of written and oraltraditions in the transmission of African history and culture.

CHAPTER 3 • Medieval Africa 209

African Trading EmpiresAfrican empires grew rich from trading

gold and salt.

Reading Connection What would you rather have—a

pound of gold or a pound of salt? Both of these goods

were important to Africans, especially in the west, and

helped them build large trading empires.

Many people in Africa share a commonbackground. This is because much of earlyAfrica was settled by a people called theBantu thousands of years ago.

Who Were the Bantu? Around 3000 B.C.,fishing groups along the Benue River(BAYN • way) packed belongings in theircanoes and began moving throughoutAfrica. The wanderers called themselvesBantu, meaning “the people.” Historiansare not sure why the Bantu left their home-land. Perhaps the land became too crowdedor farmers wore out the soil.

The Bantu traveled slowly. Some paddleddown the Congo River—a waterway twist-ing 2,700 miles (4,345 km) through the rainforests. Many settled in the grasslands of cen-tral Africa. From there, they spread out acrossthe land south of the Sahara. By A.D. 400,Bantu peoples had settled most of Africa.

Wherever they went, the Bantu tooktheir culture with them. They spread skillssuch as pottery making, mining, and iron-working. They also spread their language.Today more than 120 million Africans speakhundreds of Bantu languages.

The Bantu migrations, or movements of alarge number of people, are the reason peo-ple in much of Africa share some commonideas and traditions. The Bantu, for example,believed in one supreme creator and a spiritworld where ancestors live. This became acommon belief in many places in Africa.


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Bantu Migrations

1. Location Along which river did the Bantu people travel when they migratedwest?

2. Movement How did the Bantu migrationaffect cultures throughout southernAfrica?

Trade Caravans Begin Although the Bantupeople spread across much of Africa, thevast Sahara prevented them from movinginto North Africa. For thousands of years,the Sahara kept North Africa isolated from the rest of the continent. Then, about400 B.C., North African people known as theBerbers found a way to cross the Sahara toWest Africa, and trade began.

For hundreds of years, the Berbers trans-ported goods on horses and donkeys, whichoften died in the hot Sahara. When theRomans conquered North Africa, they intro-duced camels from central Asia. Camels rev-olutionized trade. Their broad feet did notsink in the sand, and their humps stored fatfor food. In addition, they could travelmany days without water.

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Rise of Ghana Traders grouped hundreds,maybe even thousands, of camels together toform caravans. They traded salt and clothfrom North Africa and the Sahara for goldand ivory from western Africa. The trade ledto the growth of cities in western Africa.Eventually, rulers of these cities began tobuild empires. In the Middle Ages, theseAfrican empires were bigger than mostEuropean kingdoms in wealth and size. Thefirst empire to develop was Ghana (GAH•nuh).

Ghana rose to power in the A.D. 400s. Itwas located where several trade routescame together. Trade routes reached acrossthe Sahara into North Africa and down theNiger River (NY • juhr) to kingdoms in therain forest. Some extended all the way toAfrica’s east coast. For traders to meet, theyhad to pass through Ghana. Passagerequired a fee—a tax paid to Ghana’srulers. These taxes made Ghana rich.

Why did traders pay the taxes? First,Ghana knew how to make iron weapons.Like ancient Kush, it used these weapons toconquer its neighbors. Although Ghanaowned no gold mines, it controlled the peo-ple who did. Second, Ghana built a hugearmy. Third, people wanted the trade items,especially salt and gold, at almost any price.West Africans needed salt to flavor and pre-serve food, and Berber merchants wantedgold so they could buy goods from Europeand the Arabs.

How Did Mali Begin? Ghana’s power even-tually declined. The discovery of new goldmines outside Ghana’s control reduced thetaxes it collected. In addition, heavy farm-ing robbed the soil of minerals and made itharder to grow enough crops. Constantwarfare also hurt Ghana. Ghana’s rulershad accepted the religion of Islam.However, they fought with North AfricanMuslims, who captured the capital of


While many of the caravans that crossed thedesert going to and from West Africa includedabout 1,000 camels, some caravans may havehad as many as 12,000 camels. What weresome of the items traded by caravans?

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Ghana in 1076 and briefly controlled theempire.

In the 1200s, the kingdom of Mali (MAH•lee) conquered what was left of the rapidlydiminishing empire of Ghana. WestAfrican griots (gree • ohz), or storytellers,give credit to a great warrior-king namedSundiata Keita (sun • dee • AH • tuh KY • tuh)—the “Lion Prince.” Sundiata, who ruledfrom 1230 to 1255, seized the capital ofGhana in 1240. He then won control oflands from the Atlantic coast to the tradingcity of Timbuktu (TIHM • BUHK • TOO). His con-quests put Mali in control of the gold-mining areas, allowing him to rebuild thegold and salt trade.

Rise of Songhai Mali began a slow declineafter the death of its last strong king, MansaMusa (MAHN • sah moo • SAH), in 1337. The

kings who followed failed to stop Berberinvaders who soon conquered Timbuktu.

In 1468 Sunni Ali (sun • EE ah • LEE), theleader of Songhai (SAWNG • hy), stormedinto Timbuktu and drove out the Berbers.He then began a campaign of conquest.Sunni Ali utilized Songhai’s location alongthe Niger River. He ordered a fleet of warcanoes to seize control of the river trade.His armies then swept into the Sahara andseized the Berber salt mines. By the time ofhis death in 1492, Sunni Ali had built thelargest empire in West Africa.

The empire lasted almost 100 moreyears. In 1591, however, a small army fromthe Arab kingdom of Morocco crossed theSahara. Soldiers with cannons and gunseasily cut down Songhai soldiers armedwith swords, spears, and bows. Withinmonths, Songhai’s empire was gone.

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Trade Routes of North Africa

1. Location About how many mileswas it from the kingdom of Ghanato Cairo?

2. Region In general, where weremany of the sources of salt foundin West Africa?

Ghana, c. 1050Mali, 1300sBenin, c. 1500Songhai, 1500s

Trade routeSalt minesGold mines

KEY

CHAPTER 3 • Medieval Africa 211(l)AFP/CORBIS, (r)ARAMCO

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Africa’s Salt Mines Salt mining beganin the Sahara in the Middle Ages.Ancient miners worked undergroundand in sand dunes to extract solidblocks of salt. The salt trade became a successful business for the Africanpeople. In ancient times, salt was sodesirable that it was traded ounce forounce for gold.

There are many salt deposits inwestern Africa because part of thedesert was once a shallow sea made upof salt water. When the sea dried up,salt was left behind.

People need a small amount of saltto stay healthy. It is lost when people

and animals sweat,so people needsome in their food.In ancient times,before refrigeratorsor canned foodswere invented, saltwas used to keepfoods from goingbad. It also wasused to add flavorto food.

Connecting to the Past1. How do salt deposits form?

2. Why do you think salt was so valuable that it was traded ounce for ounce for gold?

African salt minetoday

AFRICAN

iger R.

Kingdoms of the Rain Forest Ghana,Mali, and Songhai ruled the wide-opensavannas. However, the dense rain forestsalong the Equator kept them from expand-ing to the southern coast. People living inthe rain forests built their own kingdomsand empires. They included Benin, whicharose in the Niger delta, and Kongo, whichformed in the Congo River basin.

Griots who live in the Niger delta stilltell stories about King Ewuare (eh • WOO •ah • ray), who founded the empire of Beninaround 1440. In describing his ancestor’saccomplishments, one storyteller boastedthat the king had captured 201 towns andvillages and made them pay tribute.

Farmers in the rain forest kingdomsenjoyed many natural advantages, includ-ing farmable soil and a warm, wet climate.In cleared-out areas of the forest, they oftenproduced a surplus, or extra supply, offoods like bananas, yams, or rice.

Food surpluses supported rulers and aclass of artisans. Kongo weavers, for exam-ple, wove fabrics from bark and plant fibersthat looked to Europeans like velvet. InBenin, artists excelled at sculpting and carv-ing metal, wood, and ivory.

Rain forest kingdoms that bordered onthe dry savannas traded surplus food andcrafts for copper, salt, and leather goods fromthe savannas. Later, when the Europeansarrived, traders from Benin and Kongo metships along the coast. They traded, amongother things, captives taken in war.

East Africa People today in the EastAfrican country of Ethiopia trace their his-tory back to 1005 B.C. In that year, QueenMakeda rose to the throne of a great empirecalled Saba or Sheba. According to the Gloryof Kings, Ethiopia’s oldest written history,Makeda traveled to meet with KingSolomon, ruler of the Israelites. On her

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return, Makeda introduced ancient Israel’sreligion to her empire. Over time, easternAfrica would feel the impact of two otherreligions—Christianity and Islam.

What Was Axum? Like other empires,Saba declined. However, Ethiopia, knownin ancient times as Abyssinia, did not. Itspower was centered in a city-state calledAxum (AHK • SOOM). Axum owed its strengthto its location on the Red Sea. Goods fromAfrica flowed into Axum, which served as aprime trading center for the ancientMediterranean and East Asian worlds.

Axum fought neighboring Kush forcontrol of trade routes to inland Africa.

Around A.D. 300, King Ezana of Axumsent his armies against Kush and defeatedit. A few years later, Ezana helped to bringa new religion to Africa when he con-verted to Christianity. In A.D. 334 he madeit the official religion of Axum. Within afew hundred years, another religion—Islam—brought many changes to Axumand other trading states along Africa’seastern coast.

Coastal City-States Arab traders from theArabian Peninsula had been coming to east-ern Africa long before the rise of Islam inthe early A.D. 600s. They invented a wind-catching, triangular sail that let them sail to

Location

Axum

East Africa

ivory, frankincense, myrrh, slaves

Ghana

Time Period

Goods Traded

Key Facts

c. 100–1400

King Ezana converted to Christianity; made it the official religion.

West Africa

iron products, animal products, salt, gold

c. 400–1200

Taxes from traders passing through made Ghana rich.

Mali

West Africa

salt, gold

c. 1200–1450

King Mansa Musa built mosques and libraries.

Songhai

West Africa

salt, gold

c. 1000–1600

Songhai gained control of West African trade by conquering Timbuktu and mastering trade by river.

Zimbabwe

SE Africa

gold, copper, ivory

c. 700–1450

Kings Mutota and Matope built the region’s biggest empire.

African Trading Empires A.D. 100 –1600African Trading Empires A.D. 100 –1600

GHANA

Large trading kingdoms developed in severalareas of Africa.1. Which kingdom developed earliest? 2. Generalize What were some of the common

trade items of the West African empires? CHAPTER 3 • Medieval Africa 213

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Africa. The sails powered sailboats calleddhows (DOWZ).

In the A.D. 700s, many Arab Muslimtraders settled in East African city-states.Here Africans and Arab Muslims sharedgoods and ideas. By the 1300s, a string oftrading ports extended down the EastAfrican coast. They included Mogadishu(MAH • guh • DIH • shoo), Kilwa, Mombasa, andZanzibar. These ports became major links inan Indian Ocean trading network. Theytraded with places as far away as East Asia,including establishing trade with China.

What Was the Great Zimbabwe? Anothergreat trading center known as Zimbabwe(zihm • BAH • BWAY) arose inland in southeast-

ern Africa. Founded around A.D. 700 by theShona people, Zimbabwe supplied gold,copper, and ivory to the East African coast.From there, African goods were shipped toArabia, Persia, India, and China.

During the 1400s, two kings—Mutotaand his son Matope—made Zimbabwe intoa large empire. It stretched from south ofthe Zambezi River to the Indian Ocean.Evidence of Zimbabwe’s power can still beseen at the ruins of the Great Zimbabwe,the empire’s capital where more than 300huge stone buildings still stand—silentreminders of Zimbabwe’s past greatness.

Analyze Why did WestAfrica become the center of three large tradeempires?


Reading SummaryReview the • The continent of Africa has varied

landscapes, including rain forests,grasslands, and deserts. MostAfricans draw on a commonancestry through the Bantu.

• Beginning in about A.D. 300, asuccession of kingdoms, includingGhana, Mali, and Songhai, arosein West Africa. In addition, rainforest kingdoms, including Beninand Kongo, traded with the sur-rounding savanna kingdoms.

1. Describe Africa’s grasslands.

2. What items were traded in thekingdoms of West Africa?

Critical Thinking3. Organize Information Draw

a chart like the one below. Foreach region, describe the roleof trade that developed there.

4. Economics ConnectionHow did the kingdom of Ghanause taxation to strengthen andincrease the wealth of itsempire?

5. How do you thinkthe history of Africa and itskingdoms might have been dif-ferent if Africa’s geography hadbeen different?

6. Compare and ContrastWhich of the kingdoms discussedin this section developed awayfrom the coast? How did theeconomies of these kingdomscompare to other African king-doms?

7. SummarizingCreate an outline of Section 1that summarizes the rise andfall of empires in West Africa.

CA 7WS1.3

CA 7RC2.0

CA CS3.

CA HI6.

CA 7RC2.2

What Did You Learn?

Study Central Need help understandingAfrica’s trading empires? Visit ca.hss.glencoe.comand click on Study Central.

West Rain Forest EastAfrica Kingdoms Africa

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Have you ever known someonewho overcame obstacles toachieve great things? In thisstory, a young leader mustlearn to speak and walk in orderto take control of his kingdom.

Retold by Kenny Mann

Before You ReadThe Scene: This story takes place in Mali on the continent of Africa in the 1100s.

The Characters: Balla Fasseke is the griot who tells the story of Sundiata.Sundiata is the Lion King of Mali. Sogolon and Maghan Kon Fatta areSundiata’s parents. Sassouma is the first wife of Maghan Kon Fatta.Sumanguru is a rival king.

The Plot: The Lion King of Mali, Sundiata, is denied the throne. Sundiata has to prove that he is the rightful king.

Vocabulary Previewguardian: one who takes care ofanother person

infirmity: weakness

brewed: prepared by boiling

smiths: metalworkers

multitude: a great number ofpeople

exile: period of time away fromone’s country

lance: a steel-tipped spear

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O people, hear my story! I am Balla Fasseke (bah • lah fah • SEE • kay)

of Mali. I am a griot.1 I am the guardian of the word. In my mind rest the stories of my people and the history of our land. O hear me andremember, for I speak the truth.

Long, long ago, the last king of Ghana fell to the sword ofSumanguru, the Sosso king; Sumanguru, the cruel warrior and mightysorcerer; Sumanguru, who was to meet his fate at the hands of Sundiata,the Lion King of Mali.

I am Sundiata’s griot. O hear me, for I speak the truth!Sundiata was born of Sogolon, who married Maghan Kon Fatta, the

ruler of Mali, whose totem2 was the lion. Sogolon was brought to theking as a maiden, disfigured by a hunchback and ill looks. But she wassaid to possess the mighty spirit of a buffalo, strong and courageous.Her coming had been foretold to the king, and he took Sogolon as hiswife and came to love her.

When Sundiata was born, the king rejoiced. The great royal drumscarried the news all over the kingdom. But his first wife, Sassouma, wasjealous. Her son should inherit the throne! What need had her husband of another son? She vowed that Sundiata would never become king.

¢

As You ReadKeep in mind that this story is a mixture of fact and legend. However,a king named Sundiata did conquer new lands and expand trade while he ruled the kingdom of Mali.

1griot: storyteller2totem: animal or plant serving as the symbol of a family or clan

216

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In time, Sassouma saw that she had nothing to fear, for Sundiata wasstricken by a strange infirmity. He could neither speak nor walk! Howgreat was Sogolon’s sorrow! For seven long years, she tried to cure herson. She consulted with all the wise men of the kingdom and brewedherbs and potions, but to no avail.3 And Sundiata’s father, King MaghanKon Fatta, despaired. But his griot, who was my father, advised the king.“The young seed must endure the storm,” he said. “And from this smallseed shall spring a great tree.”

One day, when the king felt death approach, he called the child to him.“I shall give you the gift each king gives to his heir,” he said. And on thatday, my people, the king gave me—Balla Fasseke—to Sundiata to be hisgriot, as my father had been the king’s griot, and his father before that.And on that day, for the first time in his life, Sundiata spoke. “Balla, youshall be my griot,” he said. And the king knew that his son—the son ofthe lion and the buffalo—was worthy to be king.

But when Maghan Kon Fatta died, the councilors ignored his wishes.It was the son of Sassouma who ascended the throne, and not Sundiata,the rightful heir. And Sassouma persecuted Sogolon and her son with evilhatred and banished them to a dark corner of the palace. Oh, howSogolon’s tears flowed in her unhappiness! When Sundiata saw hismother’s despair, he looked at her calmly and said, “Today I will walk.”Then he sent me, Balla Fasseke, to the royal forges.4 “Tell the smiths tomake me the sturdiest iron rod possible,” he ordered.

217

3avail: benefit4forges: furnaces where metal is heated and shaped

217

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Six men were needed to carry the iron rod to Sogolon’s house. Theythrew it on the ground before Sundiata. A huge multitude of people hadgathered to see if Sundiata would walk. “Arise, young lion!” I commanded.“Roar, and may the land know that from henceforth, it has a master!”

Sundiata gripped the rod with his two hands and held it upright in theground. Beads of sweat poured from his face. A deathly silence grippedthe people. All at once, with a mighty thrust, Sundiata stood upright.The crowd gasped. The iron rod was bent like a bow. And Sogolon,who had been dumb with amazement, suddenly burst into song:

Oh day, oh beautiful day,Oh day, day of joy,Allah Almighty, this is the finestday you have created,My son is going to walk!Hear me, people, for I speak the truth!

Sundiata threw away the rod, and his first steps were those of a giant.From that day on, Sundiata grew in strength. He became a fine

hunter and was much loved by all the people. But Sassouma, whose sonwas now king, feared Sundiata’s growing power. Her plots to kill himfailed. And she knew that I would perform any deed to bring Sundiata to the throne. So, to separate us, Sassouma sent me far away to the courtof the demon king, Sumanguru. And there I remained for several years. I pretended allegiance to Sumanguru, but always I waited for the day when I would sing the praises of Sundiata once more.

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Sogolon fled the palace and took Sundiata far from Sassouma’shatred. For seven years they lived in exile, finding food and shelterwherever they could. At last, they came to the city of Mema. Here theymet with good luck, for the king of Mema took a liking to Sundiata andtreated him like a son. He admired Sundiata’s courage and leadership.This king decided to make the young boy his heir and teach him the arts of government and war. And thus, Sundiata grew to manhood.

One day, messengers came running to Sundiata. “Sumanguru hasinvaded Mali!” they cried. “The king and his mother, Sassouma, have fled.Only you can save our people. Return, young lion, and reclaim your throne!”

This, O people, was the moment of Sundiata’s destiny. The king ofMema gave him half his forces. And as Sundiata rode at their head, moreand more men joined him until a great army thundered across the plains.And from far-distant Mali, Sumanguru, too, raced to meet his destiny.And I, O my people, I followed, for I knew that soon I would be reunitedwith Sundiata, my Lion King.

And so it was. Sundiata led his army from Mema, and Sumangurucame from Mali. The two great armies met in battle on the plains ofKirina. I took my chance and escaped at last from Sumanguru. Throughthe thick clouds of dust and the battle cries of the warriors, I galloped to Sundiata’s side. Oh, how great was our joy!

My years with Sumanguru had not been in vain, O my people, for Ihad learned that Sumanguru feared the magic power of a white rooster.He believed that one touch of the rooster’s spur5 would defeat him

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5spur: a sharp spine on the leg of some birds

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forever. And this very spur I had fastened to anarrow, which I gave to my lord, Sundiata.

With deadly aim, Sundiata sent the arrow speeding across the battlefield toward Sumanguru.True as a hawk in flight, it met its mark, grazingthe sorcerer’s shoulder. With a great scream offear, Sumanguru turned on his horse and fled.

Far away he rode, to the caves of Mount Koulikoro. There we saw Sumanguru, the demonking, fall to his knees and turn to stone. Hissoldiers, discouraged by his flight, ceased tofight and were defeated.

And so Sundiata returned to Mali to reclaimhis throne, and I, Balla Fasseke, went with him tosing of his glory. There waited the twelve kings who had helped Sundiatain exile. Each thrust his lance into the earth before Sundiata. “We shall beunited!” they proclaimed. “You have restored peace to our lands. Wegive you our kingdoms to rule in your great wisdom!” The drums beatout the news. The warriors danced in a joyous frenzy. And the crowdsent a mighty cry to the heavens: “Wassa, Wassa, Ayé!”

And thus did I bear witness to the birth of the great kingdom ofMali. And thus did I see Sundiata become its first emperor.

So listen, O my people, and remember, for I speak the truth. Mayyou live to tell this story to your children, that the name of Sundiata—the Lion King—shall live forever.

¢

Responding to the Literature

1. Why did the king give Sundiata a griot?

2. Who did Sundiata defeat to gain control of Mali?

3. Identify Foreshadowing is when a storyteller gives you hints of something tocome later. This story contains many suggestions that foreshadow Sundiata’ssuccessful reign as king. Identify three such hints in the first six paragraphs.

4. Analyze Why do you think Sundiata did not walk after receiving his mother’streatments but did walk when his half-brother was made king?

5. Read to Write Suppose you are Sundiata’s father. Write a brief speechstating your reasons for choosing Sundiata to be the next king. CA 7WA2.2

CA 7RL3.3

CA 7RL3.2

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If you would like to read more about ancient Rome, Islam, or Africa, check out these other great books.

Nonfiction

Gladiator by Richard Watkins describes the life of gladiators. Read about thegames, the weapons and equipment used, and various opponents from humansto exotic animals. The content of this book is related to History–Social ScienceStandard WH7.1.

Fiction

Detectives in Togas by Henry Winterfeld is a story of a group of boys whostumble across a mystery at their school. One of their classmates is accused ofa terrible crime, and they must find the truth before he goes to prison. The con-tent of this book is related to History–Social Science Standard WH7.1.

Nonfiction

Science in Medieval Islam: An illustrated Introduction by Howard R. Turner detailsmany scientific achievements of medieval Islam from astronomy to medicine andmuch more. Learn how this knowledge helped the rest of the world. The content ofthis book is related to History–Social Science Standard WH7.2.

Biography

Mansa Musa: The Lion of Mali by Khephra Burns recounts the story of one ofMali’s most legendary kings named Mansa Musa. Kidnapped by slave traderswhen he was a boy, he grew up to become a triumphant and famous king.The content of this book is related to History–Social Science StandardWH7.4.

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Africa’s Religionand Government


Looking Back, Looking AheadIn Section 1, you read about

some of the kingdoms and empiresthat developed in Africa. To hold theirkingdoms and empires together,Africans had to create their owngovernments. One unifying force wasthe religion of Islam, but manyAfricans continued to practice theirtraditional religious beliefs as well.

Focusing on the • Traditional African religions shared

certain beliefs and provided a guidefor living together. (page 223)

• Islam played an important role inmedieval Africa, but long-held Africanbeliefs and customs still remainedstrong. (page 224)

• The growth of West African empiresled to the growth of centralizedgovernments ruled by kings.(page 227)

Locating PlacesMakkah (MAH•kuh)

Meeting PeopleOlaudah Equiano (oh•LOW•duh

EHK•wee•AHN•oh)Ibn Battuta (IH•buhn bat•TOO•tah)Askia Muhammad (ahs•KEE•uh

moh•HAH•muhd)

Content Vocabularysultan (SUHL•tuhn)Swahili (swah•HEE• lee)clan

Academic Vocabularyvary

accompany (uh•KUHMP•nee)element (EH• luh•muhnt)benefit (BEH•nuh•FIHT)

Reading StrategyOrganizing Information Use adiagram to show the characteristics of Swahili culture and language.

222

1324Mansa Musatravels toMakkah

1352Ibn Battuta arrivesin West Africa

1492Sunni Ali dies

1300 1400 15001300 1400 1500

Swahili

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WH7.4.3 Describe the role of the trans-Saharan caravan trade in the changing religious and cultural characteristics of West Africa and the influence of Islamic beliefs, ethics, and law.

beliefs served similar purposes. They pro-vided rules for living and helped peoplestay in touch with their history.

When relatives died, many Africansbelieved their spirits stayed with the com-munity. They believed these spirits couldtalk to the supreme god or help solve prob-lems. As a result, many Africans honoredtheir ancestors.

Explain What was the roleof ancestors in African religion?

OtherReligions 0.6%

Christian46.4%

Muslim40.7%

Traditional AfricanReligions

12.3%

Religion in AfricaReligion in Africa


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African Religions Today

1. Place What religion dominatesthe northern part of Africa?

2. Region In what areas aretraditional religions the main typeof religion?

Source: The World Almanacand Book of Facts, 2003

ChristianityTraditionalreligionsIslam

KEYMajor Religions


Traditional African ReligionsTraditional African religions shared cer-

tain beliefs and provided a guide for living together.

Reading Connection What questions do most reli-

gions try to answer? As you read this section, look for

questions answered by traditional African religions.

For centuries, Europeans believedAfricans did not have a religion. OlaudahEquiano (oh • LOW • duh EHK • wee • AHN • oh),a member of the Igbo, disagreed. The Igbo,he wrote, “believe that there is one Creatorof all things, and that he . . . governs events,especially our deaths and captivity.”

Most African groups shared the Igbobelief in one supreme god. They under-stood the Christian and Muslim idea ofa single god, but many wanted to con-tinue their own religious practices.

These practices varied from place toplace. Some groups, like the Nanti in EastAfrica, thought people could talk directlywith their god. Others, like the Igbo,thought their creator could only be spokento through less powerful gods and god-desses who worked for him.

Even though Africans practiced theirreligion differently in different places, their

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222-229 CH3S2-868876 7/11/05 3:58 AM 3

WH7.4.3 Describe the role of the trans-Saharan caravan trade in the changing religious and cultural characteristics of West Africa and the influence of Islamic beliefs, ethics, and law. WH7.4.4 Trace the growth of the Arabic language in government, trade, andIslamic scholarship in West Africa. WH7.4.5 Describe the importance of written and oral traditions in the transmission of Africanhistory and culture.

distance of more than 73,000 miles (117,482km). When Ibn Battuta arrived in WestAfrica in 1352, Islam had been practicedthere for hundreds of years. Yet he soonrealized that not all people in West Africaaccepted Islam. Many people in the coun-tryside still followed traditional Africanreligions. Islam was popular in the citieswhere rulers and traders accepted it bychoice or because it helped them trade withMuslim Arabs.

Some Muslims complained thatSundiata Keita and Sunni Ali—westernAfrica’s two great empire builders—did notdo enough to win people over to Islam. Thetwo leaders were more concerned aboutstopping rebellions than spreading religion.

Ibn Battuta found things in West Africathat surprised him. He was amazed that

Islam in AfricaIslam played an important role in

medieval Africa, but long-held African beliefs andcustoms still remained strong.

Reading Connection Have you ever changed your

ideas because someone you respect has different ideas

than you do? Learn how African rulers helped spread

Islam and how Arabs and Africans influenced each

other.

Ibn Battuta (IH • buhn bat • TOO • tah), ayoung Arab lawyer from Morocco, set outin 1325 to see the Muslim world. Since theA.D. 600s, the religion of Islam had spreadfrom the Arabian Peninsula to Africa andelsewhere.

Ibn Battuta traveled throughout thelands of Islam for 30 years. He covered a

The Great MosqueDjenne's Great Mosque was made from baked bricks, and the walls

were then covered with mud. The Great Mosque is one of the largest buildings made from mud in western Africa.

MarketplaceDjenne’s wealth was based on trade

which included items such asgold, salt, and ivory.

HomesHomes were built from bricks made from clay out of the nearby river. The flat roofs had drains made from palm tree trunks.

The City of DjenneThe City of Djenne Like Timbuktu, the city of Djenne became a center for both tradeand Islam. Traders from the deserts to the north and the rainforests to the south met at Djenne, located on the Bani River. Thefirst Great Mosque at Djenne was probably built in the 1200s.Did all of the people in West Africa accept Islam? Explain.

Modern-day marketplace in Djenne

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women did not cover their faces with a veil,as was the Muslim custom. However, hedid find that West Africans studied theQuran, the Muslim holy book. “They zeal-ously [eagerly] learn the Quran by heart,”he wrote.

Mali and Mansa Musa Much of whatpleased Ibn Battuta was the work of MansaMusa. Mansa Musa had allowed differentreligions but was devoted to making Islamstronger. He used the wealth of Mali tobuild more mosques, or Muslim places ofworship. He also set up libraries atTimbuktu, which collected books from allover the Muslim world.

In 1324 Mansa Musa made Mali knownto other parts of the world when he set outon a long journey to the city of Makkah(MAH • kuh), also known as Mecca. As youread in the chapter on Islam, all Muslimsare supposed to make a pilgrimage to theMuslim holy city of Makkah. When MansaMusa set out on his trip, however, he madesure everybody knew he was the leader of agreat empire.

Mansa Musa’s caravan had thousands ofpeople, including enslaved people, and 100pack camels. Each camel carried gold. Whilein Makkah, Mansa Musa convinced some ofIslam’s finest architects, teachers, and writ-ers to accompany him back to Mali. Therethey helped spread Islam in West Africa.

Songhai and Askia Muhammad Sunni Ali,the founder of Songhai, practiced the tradi-tional religion of the Songhai people.However, he declared himself a Muslim tokeep the support of townspeople. AfterSunni Ali died, his son refused to follow hisfather’s example. One of Sunni Ali’s gener-als, Muhammad Ture, saw a chance to takeover the government. With the support ofMuslim townspeople, he declared himself


The Sultan of Mali

The sultan in this passage is Mansa Musa.He is described by an Arab scholar namedIbn Fadl Allah al Omari.“The sultan of this kingdom presides in his palace on a great balcony called bembe where he has a great seat of ebony that is like a thronefit for a large and tall person:on either side it is flanked byelephant tusks turnedtowards each other. His arms[weapons] stand near him,being all of gold, saber, lance,quiver, bow and arrows. Hewears wide trousers made ofabout twenty pieces [ofstuff] of a kind which healone may wear.”

—Ibn Fadl Allah al Omari,“Mali in the

Fourteenth Century”

What impression did Mansa Musa want to make on newcomers to his kingdom?How do you know?

Mansa Musa

king. In a bloody war, he drove Sunni Ali’sfamily from Songhai. He then took thename Askia, a rank in the Songhai army.

Under Askia Muhammad (ahs • KEE • uhmoh • HAH • muhd), Songhai built the largestempire in medieval West Africa. He keptlocal courts in place but told them to honorMuslim laws. He also made Timbuktu animportant center of Islamic culture andlearning, with a university known through-out the Muslim world. In addition, he setup some 150 schools to teach the Quran.

The empire survived family disputes.But, as you have read, it did not survive theguns of Moroccan invaders. The invasion in1591 shattered the empire.

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MANSA MUSARuled 1312–1337Mansa Musa ruled the West African empire of

Mali with great skill and organization. Under MansaMusa’s guidance, Mali became a great center ofeducation, commerce, and the arts. Mali was one of the largest empires in the world at the time. Infact, the kingdom was so vast that Mansa Musa once bragged it would take a year to travel from the northern border to the southern border.

Despite Mali’s enormous size and wealth,the kingdom was not well-known outside thecontinent of Africa. Mansa Musa’s pilgrimage to Makkah in 1324, however, announced Mali’sriches and achievements to the world. Traveling on horseback, Mansa Musa was joined by manypeople, including 8,000 enslaved people, 100 camelsto carry baggage, and 24,000 pounds of gold. Eachperson carried a staff of gold. According to Egyptian historians and the accounts of observers,Mansa Musa spent so much gold in Cairo, Egypt, that the value of gold dropped in Cairo anddid not recover for more than 12 years.

Mansa Musa’s famous pilgrimage toMakkah brought attention to his kingdom.Mali was included on world maps as early as1339. Many European nations and kingdomsin North Africa and the Middle East wishedto establish trade connections with Mali andgain some of its wealth.

226

Mali was unnoticed by the rest of the worlduntil Mansa Musa’s pilgrimage. Is it possible for a present-day country to go unnoticed?Why or why not?

Mansa Musa

A village in Mali today

WH7.4.3 Describe the role of the trans-Saharan caravan trade in the changingreligious and cultural characteristics of WestAfrica and the influence of Islamic beliefs,ethics, and law.

WH7.4.4 Trace the growth of the Arabiclanguage in government, trade, and Islamicscholarship in West Africa.

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WH7.4.4 Trace the growth of the Arabic language in government, trade, and Islamic scholarship in West Africa.

Islam’s Impact on Africa Islam had a far-reaching impact on northern and easternAfrica. Africans who accepted Islam alsoadopted Islamic laws and ideas. Sometimesthese changes were opposed by people whofavored traditional African ways.

In 1331 Ibn Battuta visited Mogadishu, atrading port on the East African coast. Itssultan (SUHL • tuhn), or leader, said in perfectArabic, “You have honored our country bycoming.” A moment later, Ibn Battuta heardthe sultan speak in Swahili (swah • HEE • lee).

The word Swahili comes from an Arabicword meaning “people of the coast.” By1331, however, it had come to mean twothings: the unique culture of East Africa’scoast and the language spoken there.

The Swahili culture and language are ablend of African and Muslim elements.African influences came from the cultures ofAfrica’s interior. Muslim influences camefrom Arab and Persian settlers. The Swahiliculture still exists in Africa today.

Islam also advanced learning. Muslimschools drew students from many parts ofAfrica and introduced the Arabic languageto many Africans. These helped pass alongAfrican culture and history. Arabic soonbecame an important language of govern-ment and education.

In addition, Islam also influenced Africanart and buildings. Muslim architects builtbeautiful mosques and palaces in Timbuktuand other cities.

Explain How did AskiaMuhammad gain control of Songhai?


The carving above shows a king of Benin. The ivoryarmband (lower left) was worn by the king duringceremonies. Why did African kings allow localrulers to keep some power?

Government and SocietyThe growth of West African empires led

to the growth of centralized governments ruled bykings.

Reading Connection What makes a system of gov-

ernment effective? Read to learn how African rulers

governed their empires.

The loud thumping of drums called thecitizens of Ghana to a meeting with the king.Anybody with a complaint could speak. Inthe royal courtyard, the king sat in an opensilk tent. He wore a cap of gold and a jewel-covered robe. Royal officials surroundedhim. Guard dogs with gold and silver col-lars stood watch. Before talking to the king,

Web Activity Visit ca.hss.glencoe.com and click on Chapter 3—Student Web Activities tolearn more about medieval Africa.

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subjects poured dust over their heads or fellto the ground. Bowing, they stated theirbusiness and waited for the king’s reply.

Ruler and Subject This, said Arab travel-ers, was how government worked in WestAfrica. Kings settled arguments, managedtrade, and protected the empire. But theyexpected complete obedience in return.

With the growth of empires, Africansinvented new ways to govern themselves.The most successful states, like Ghana,formed some type of central authority.Power usually rested with a king—or, in afew cases, a queen.

Both rulers and people benefited.Merchants received favors from the kings,

and the kings received taxes from the mer-chants. Local rulers kept some power, andthe kings in turn received their loyalty. Thisallowed kingdoms to grow richer and toextend their control over a larger area.

Ghana’s Government The kings of Ghanarelied on help from a council of ministers,or group of close advisers. As the empiregrew, rulers divided it into provinces.Lesser kings, often conquered leaders, gov-erned each of these areas. Beneath them,district chiefs oversaw smaller districts.Each district usually included a chief’sclan—a group of people descended fromthe same ancestor.

Kings held tightly to their power. Theyinsisted that local rulers send their sons tothe royal court. They rode through thecountryside seeking reports of rebellion.Most important, they controlled trade.

Nobody could trade without the king’spermission. Also, nobody could own goldnuggets except the king. People traded onlyin gold dust. “If kings did otherwise,” saidone Arab traveler, “gold would become soabundant as practically to lose its value.”

One policy of Ghana’s government,however, confused outsiders. “It is theircustom,” exclaimed an Arab writer, “thatthe kingdom is inherited only by the son ofthe king’s sister.” In Arab states, propertypassed through a man’s sons, not the sonsof his sister. In Ghana, the throne went tothe king’s nephew.

What Was Mali’s Government Like? Malifollowed Ghana’s example but on a largerscale. It had more territory, people, andtrade, so royal officials had more responsi-bilites than in Ghana. One supervised fish-ing on the Niger. Another looked after theempire’s forests. A third oversaw farming,and a fourth managed money.


Ghana ProfitsFrom Trade

Al Bekri described the way Ghana taxed merchants to increase its own wealth.“The king [of Ghana] exacts the right of onedinar of gold on each donkey-load of salt thatenters his country, and two dinars of gold oneach load of salt that goes out. A load of coppercarries a duty of five mitqals and a load of merchandise ten mitqals. The best gold in thecountry comesfrom Ghiaru, atown situatedeighteen days’journey from the capital[Kumbi].”

— Abdullah Abu-Ubayd al Bekri,

“Ghana in 1067”

Which do you think has more worth, adinar or a mitqal? Why?

Ghana’s wealth camefrom trade caravans.

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Most kings divided their kingdoms intoprovinces, like Ghana. However, Sundiata,the founder of Mali, put his generals incharge of them. People accepted this policybecause the generals protected them frominvaders. Also, the generals often camefrom the provinces they ruled.

Mali’s other great king, Mansa Musa,rewarded citizens with gold, land, andhorses to keep them loyal. He granted mili-tary heroes the “National Honor of theTrousers.” As one Arab said:

Whenever a hero adds to the lists ofhis exploits, the king gives him apair of wide trousers. . . . [T]hegreater the number of the knight’s[soldier’s] exploits, the bigger thesize of his trousers.

—Al-Dukhari, as quoted inTopics in West African History

Because only the king and royal familycould wear sewn clothes, this was a bighonor indeed. Most people wore onlywrapped clothes.

Songhai’s Government Songhai built onthe traditions of Ghana and Mali. Itsfounder, Sunni Ali, divided his empire intoprovinces. However, he never finished set-ting up his empire. Sunni continuallymoved, fighting one battle or another.

In 1492 Sunni Ali died mysteriously on areturn trip home. Some say he drownedwhile crossing a stream. Others say his ene-mies killed him. The next year, generalMuhammad Ture seized control of the gov-ernment. Unlike Sunni Ali, Ture was a loyalMuslim. His religious ideas affectedSonghai’s government.

Contrast How was Maliruled differently from Ghana?


Reading SummaryReview the

• Many Africans believed in a singlecreator and honored the spirits ofancestors.

• Islam became the dominant reli-gion in the kingdoms of West andEast Africa.

• The empires of West Africa wereruled by kings who closely con-trolled trade and divided theirlands among lesser chiefs to aidin governing.

1. How did Mansa Musa attemptto strengthen Islam in Mali?

2. How did the kings of Ghanastrengthen the government andmaintain their power?

Critical Thinking3. Draw a diagram

to show the effects of Islam onAfrica.

4. Predict How might Africa’s his-tory be different if Islam had notbeen introduced?

5. Analyze How did a strongcentral authority benefitAfrican kingdoms? In whatways does this reflect modern-day government?

6. Writing Research ReportsUse the library and Internet toresearch Mansa Musa. Write anessay describing his pilgrimageto Makkah.

7. UnderstandingProblems What kinds of prob-lems did Africa’s people faceduring medieval times? Writean essay explaining howAfricans tried to solve theseproblems. CA HI1.

CA 7WA2.3

CA 7RC2.0

CA HI2.

CA 7RC2.3

What Did You Learn?

Study Central Need help understanding African religion and government? Visit ca.hss.glencoe.com and click on Study Central.

Effectsof

Islam


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African Societyand Culture


Looking Back, Looking AheadBy the time Europeans came to

Africa, people all over the continenthad developed complex cultures. Formost Africans, life centered onfarming villages like the ones youwill read about in this section. Herethe family formed the basis ofsociety.

Focusing on the • Despite Africa’s great size, its

societies shared many commontraits. (page 231)

• The African slave trade changedgreatly when Muslims and Europeansbegan taking captives from thecontinent. (page 233)

• Enslaved Africans developed richcultures that influenced many othercultures, including our own.(page 235)

Meeting PeopleDahia al-Kahina (dah•HEE•uh ahl•

kah•HEE•nah)Nzinga (ehn•ZIHN•GAH)

Content Vocabularyextended family

matrilineal (MA•truh•LIH•nee•uhl)oral history

Academic Vocabularybond

release (rih•LEES)

Reading StrategyCompare and Contrast Create aVenn diagram like the one belowshowing the similarities anddifferences between the enslavementof Africans in Africa and theenslavement of Africans in Europe.

230

Enslavementin Africa

Enslavementin Europe

c. A.D. 650Queen Dahiaal-Kahina fightsMuslims

c. 1441First enslavedAfricans arrivein Europe

1623QueenNzinga fightsPortuguese

A.D. 500 1000 1500A.D. 500 1000 1500

Richard Bickel/CORBIS

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WH7.4.2 Analyze the importance of family, labor specialization, and regional commerce in the development of states and cities in West Africa.

WH7.4.5 Describe the importance of written and oral traditions in the transmission of African history and culture.

Life in Medieval AfricaDespite Africa’s great size, its societies

shared many common traits.

Reading Connection Have you ever noticed that

even though people are different, they all have some

things in common? Read to learn why people in different

regions of Africa have similar traditions and cultures.

The family formed the basis of Africansociety. People often lived in extended families, or families made up of severalgenerations. They included anywhere fromten to hundreds of members.

Many villages, especially Bantu villages,were matrilineal (MA • truh • LIH • nee • uhl).They traced their descent through mothersrather than fathers. When a woman mar-ried, however, she joined her husband’sfamily. To make up for the loss, her familyreceived gifts—cloth, metal tools, cattle, orgoats—from the husband’s family.

All families valued children greatly.They saw them as a bond between the pastand the future. Some people, like theYoruba of what is today Nigeria, believedan ancestor might be reborn in a child. Theyalso knew children guaranteed that thefamily would live on.

Education In Africa’s vil-lages, education was theresponsibility of the fam-ily and other villagers.Children learned the his-tory of their people andthe skills they wouldneed as adults.

In West Africa, griots,or storytellers, helped inschooling. They kept alivetheir village’s oral his-tory—the stories passeddown by word of mouth

This panel shows a family from the Congo at work.What was an extended family in Bantu society?

from generation to generation. Many storiesincluded a lesson about living. Lessons alsowere given through short proverbs. OneBantu proverb stated: “A good deed willmake a good neighbor.”

What Was the Role of Women? As inother medieval societies, women in Africaacted mostly as wives and mothers. Menhad more rights and controlled much ofwhat women did. Visitors to Africa, how-ever, saw exceptions. European explorerswere amazed to learn that women served assoldiers in some African kingdoms.

African women also won fame as rulers.In the A.D. 600s, Queen Dahia al-Kahina(dah • HEE • uh ahl • kah • HEE • nah) led the fightagainst the Muslim invasion of her king-dom, which was located about whereMauritania is today. Another woman rulerwas Queen Nzinga (ehn • ZIHN • GAH), whoruled lands in what are now Angola andCongo. She spent almost 40 years battlingPortuguese slave traders in an effort to stopthem from enslaving her people andexporting them to America.

Explain How were Bantufamilies organized?


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QUEEN NZINGAc. 1582–1663

Angolan Warrior-LeaderIt was rare in the 1600s for women to take

active roles in politics and war, but one African woman—Queen Nzinga of Matamba—was known for her military leadership and political skills. Nzinga was the daughter of the king of the Ndongo people. The Ndongo lived in southwest Africa in what is today called Angola. Nzinga quickly learned archery and hunting. She was intelligent and a natural athlete. Nzinga’s fatherfailed to notice his daughter. He was too busydefending the kingdom from the Portuguese,who wanted to buy enslaved Africans and ship them overseas.

Even though she was female, Nzinga knew she could be a strong leader. She did notwant to learn the enemy’s language, but she soon realized that it could benefit her. Sheasked a captured priest to teach her Portuguese.

In 1623 Nzinga became queen. She declared all of her territory to be free territoryand promised that all enslaved Africans who made it to the kingdom would be free. Fornearly 30 years, she led her people in battles against the Portuguese. She allied with otherAfrican kingdoms to seal the trade routes used to ship enslaved Africans out of thecountry. In 1662 she negotiated a peace agreement with the Portuguese. She died the

next year at age 81.

232

Do research to find the name of a modernfemale leader. Compare her leadership skills to those of Queen Nzinga.

WH7.4.1 Study the Niger River and therelationship of vegetation zones of forest, savannah,and desert to trade in gold, salt, food, and slaves;and the growth of the Ghana and Mali empires.

WH7.4.3 Describe the role of the trans-Saharancaravan trade in the changing religious and culturalcharacteristics of West Africa and the influence ofIslamic beliefs, ethics, and law.

Enslaved Africans in a ship’shold being taken to America.

The Portuguese built Elmire Castle onthe coast of Ghana to hold enslavedAfricans before shipping them overseas.

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WH7.4.1 Study the Niger River and the relationship of vegetation zones of forest, savannah, and desert to trade in gold, salt, food,and slaves; and the growth of the Ghana and Mali empires.


SlaveryThe African slave trade changed greatly

when Muslims and Europeans began taking captivesfrom the continent.

Reading Connection Do you know why the shipment

of enslaved Africans to America began? Read to learn

about slavery in African society and the beginning of the

European slave trade.

In 1441 a Portuguese sea captain saileddown Africa’s western coast. His goal wasto bring the first African captives back toPortugal. During the voyage, the captainand his 9 sailors seized 12 Africans—men,women, and boys. The ship then sailedback to Portugal. These captives repre-sented only a small portion of a slave tradethat would grow into the millions.

How Did Slavery Develop? Within Africa,Europeans did not invent slavery. For along time, it had existed throughout theworld. In Africa, Bantu chiefs raided nearbyvillages for captives. These captives becamelaborers or were released for a fee.

Africans also enslaved criminals or ene-mies taken in war. These enslaved Africansbecame part of the Saharan trade. However,as long as Africans stayed in Africa, hope ofescape still existed. Enslaved Africansmight also win their freedom through hardwork or by marrying a free person.

The trade in humans also grew as thetrade with Muslim merchants increased.The Quran forbade enslavement ofMuslims. Muslims, however, could enslavenon-Muslims. Arab traders, therefore,began to trade horses, cotton, and othergoods for enslaved, non-Muslim Africans.

When Europeans arrived in West Africa,a new market for enslaved Africans opened.Africans armed with European guns beganraiding villages to seize captives to sell.


The European Slave Trade In 1444 aPortuguese ship docked at a port inPortugal. Sailors unloaded the cargo—235enslaved Africans. Tears ran down the facesof some. Others cried for help. APortuguese official described the scene:

But to increase their sufferingsstill more, . . . was it needful to part fathers from sons,husbands from wives, brothers from brothers.

—Gomes Eannes de Zurara, as quoted in The Slave Trade

Barely three years had passed since thearrival of the first African captives inPortugal. Some merchants who had hopedto sell gold brought from Africa now sold

On a slave ship, enslaved people weretransported in the dark, crowded spaces of the ship’s cargo deck. Why were enslavedAfricans used on Portuguese plantations?

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humans instead. At first, most enslavedAfricans stayed in Portugal, working aslaborers. This changed when thePortuguese settled the Atlantic islands ofMadeira, the Azores, and Cape Verde.There the climate was perfect for growingcotton, grapes, and sugarcane on planta-tions, or huge farms.

Harvesting sugarcane was hard labor.Planters could not pay high wages to getworkers, so they used enslaved Africans.Many Africans had farming skills and theability to make tools. Enslaved people were

not paid and could be fed and kept cheaply.By 1500, Portugal was the world’s leadingsupplier of sugar.

The rest of Europe followed Portugal’sexample. In the late 1400s, Europeansarrived in the Americas. They set up sugarplantations and brought enslaved Africansacross the Atlantic Ocean to work the fields.They also used enslaved people to growtobacco, rice, and cotton.

Analyze How did explo-ration change the African slave trade?

Lambert Azimuthal Equal-Area projection2,000 km0

2,000 mi.0

N

S

W E

30°E90°W

60°W

30°W 0°

0°

30°S

30°N

EQUATOR

TROPIC OF CANCER

TROPIC OF CAPRICORN

ATLANTICOCEAN

CaribbeanSea

Congo

R.

Niger R

.

.R

ippi

ssis

siM

.RnozamA

AFRICA

EUROPE

SOUTHAMERICA

NORTHAMERICA

WEST INDIES

BRAZIL

MOROCCO

Timbuktu

Mozambique

Zanzibar

Sofala

Luanda

The Slave Trade c. 1450–1800

Slave-gathering areasGold CoastIvory CoastSlave CoastRoutes of slave traders

KEY

Long before enslaved Africans were sent to the Americas,they were traded within Africa and to Muslim countries.1. Location From which part of Africa were the most

enslaved people taken?2. Location To what parts of the Americas were enslaved

people taken?

West Africanstatue ofPortuguesesoldier


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WH7.4.5 Describe the importance of written and oral traditions in the transmission of African history and culture.

Kente Cloth Kente is the name of acolorful woven cloth. Its name comesfrom a word that means “basket.” Thefirst weavers were mostly men. Theyused fibers to make cloth that lookedlike the patterns in baskets. Strips weresewn together to make colorfulpatterns. Kente was worn by tribal chiefsand is still popular today. This Africanfolktale about kente cloth has beenhanded down for generations:

One day two friends walked through arain forest and saw a spider creatingdesigns in its web. They took the spiderweb to show their friends, but the webfell apart. They returned the next day towatch as the spider did a weaving danceand spun another web. The friends tooktheir newfound skills to their looms andmade colorful cloth they called kente.

Connecting to the Past1. Why does the legend suggest that Africans

learned to weave kente cloth from a spider?

2. Why do you think the first kente clothweavers were mostly men?

African women wearing kentecloth

African CultureEnslaved Africans developed rich cul-

tures that influenced many other cultures, includingour own.

Reading Connection Do you have any traditions that

have been in your family for a long time? Read to learn

how Africans took their culture with them when they

were enslaved and sent overseas.

“We are almost a nation of dancers,musicians, and poets,” declared OlaudahEquiano in describing the Igbo people ofWest Africa. He might have added artists,weavers, woodcarvers, and metalworkerstoo. African peoples like the Igbo excelledin many art forms.

When slave traders seized Africans likeEquiano from their homelands, they alsouprooted their cultures. Africans carriedthese cultures with them in what hasbecome known as the African Diaspora—the spreading of African people and culturearound the world.

People of African descent held on tomemories of their cultures and passed themdown from generation to generation. Theheritage of Africa can be seen and heard inthe United States today—not just in thefaces and voices of African descendants butin their gifts to our culture.

African Art Cave paintings are the earliestform of African art we know about. Theyshow people hunting animals, dancing, anddoing everyday chores. As in other parts ofthe world, African art and religion devel-oped hand in hand. Early African cavepaintings, as well as later art, almost alwayshad some religious meaning or use.Woodcarvers made masks and statues, forexample, to celebrate African religiousbeliefs. Each carved piece of wood capturedsome part of the spiritual world.

230-237 CH3S3-868876 8/23/05 4:35 PM Page 235

African works of art also told storiesand served practical purposes. Artistsworking in wood, ivory, or bronze showedthe faces of important leaders, everydaypeople, and, later, European explorers andtraders. Weavers designed cloth similar tocloth still worn today. You may have seenthe brightly colored kente cloth of WestAfrica. Many people wear it today.

Music and Dance Music played a part inalmost all aspects of African life. Peopleused it to express their religious feelings or

to get through an everyday task, like plant-ing a field.

In many African songs, a singer calls outa line, then other singers repeat it back.Musical instruments, such as drums, whis-tles, horns, flutes, or banjos, were used tokeep the beat.

Africans believed dance allowed thespirits to express themselves. So they usedit to celebrate important events such asbirth and death. Nearly everybody danced.Lines of men and women swayed andclapped their hands. Individual dancers


Traditional African musicinfluences rap, hip-hop, pop, and

rock music. The use of drums and a steady beat comes from African

tribal music. Can you name current groups orartists who have been impacted by the African

musical style?

African Music

Traditional African music comes from many different sounds and rhythms. Every culturein Africa contributed to its development.Some used drums. Others used wind andstring instruments. Many imitated naturethrough voice and dance. African musicwas handed down from one generationto another.

Traditional African musicians

Modern-day musicians

230-237 CH3S3-868876 1/14/05 12:33 PM Page 236


leaped and twirled. In the background,drummers sounded out the rhythm.

Enslaved Africans sometimes relied onmusic to remind them of their homeland.Songs of hardship eventually developedinto a type of music that we know today asthe blues. Songs of religious faith and hopesfor freedom grew into spirituals or gospelsongs. Over time, other forms of African-based music developed, such as ragtime,jazz, rock and roll, and, more recently, rap.

Why Was Storytelling Important?Africans also kept alive their storytellingtradition. A few enslaved Africans escapedand were able to record their stories. Othersretold their stories aloud. Those who heardthe stories repeated them. They also retoldtales taught by griots in the African home-land. Popular stories often told how small

Griots still sharethe stories andlessons of theirancestors. Whatwere traditionalAfrican storiesoften about?

Reading SummaryReview the

• Many Africans south of theSahara lived in small villages.Family was very important, andwomen had fewer rights thanmen.

• Africans had kept slaves longbefore they began to tradeenslaved persons to Muslims andEuropeans.

• As enslaved Africans were takento new areas, African culture,including art, music, and story-telling, spread around the world.

1. What was the AfricanDiaspora?

2. What is the earliest form ofAfrican art known? Describesome of the subjects portrayed.

Critical Thinking3. Organizing Information

Draw a diagram like the onebelow. Fill in details aboutAfrican music and dance.

4. Analyze Why do you thinkstorytelling helped keep Africanculture alive? How did Africansuse their stories to teach val-ues and offer hope?

5. Compare Write an essaycomparing the role of music inmedieval African society to therole of music in your life today.

6. Write a paragraphcomparing the reasonsAfricans, Muslims, andEuropeans enslaved peoplefrom Africa.

7. Summarize Write an essaydescribing the influence of artand music on African culture.

CA 7WA2.5

CA 7RC2.0

CA 7WA2.0

CA HR4.

CA 7RC2.0

What Did You Learn?

Study Central Need help understanding African society and culture? Visitca.hss.glencoe.com and click on Study Central.

animals, such as turtles and rabbits, out-smarted larger ones.

In more recent times, some AfricanAmericans have renewed ties with theirpast by taking African names or givingthem to their children. This also helps keepalive African history and culture.

Explain Why did Africansuse dance to celebrate important events?

African Music and Dance

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The King of Ghana

Ghana was one of the first powerful states inAfrica south of the Sahara. Its kings lived sothat they appeared great to any who sawthem. The following quote by a Muslim trav-eler named Al-Bakri describes the splendor inwhich King Tenkaminen held court.

“When the king gives audience to hispeople, to listen to their complaints and toset them to rights, he sits in a pavilionaround which stand ten pages holdingshields and gold-mounted swords. On hisright hand are the sons of the princes of hisempire, splendidly clad and with goldplaited in their hair. The governor of thecity is seated on the ground in front of the

king, and all around him are his counselorsin the same position. The gate of the cham-ber is guarded by dogs of an excellent breed.These dogs never leave their place of duty.They wear collars of gold and silver, orna-mented with metals. The beginning of aroyal audience is announced by the beatingof a kind of drum they call deba. This drumis made of a long piece of hollowed wood.The people gather when they hear itssound.”

—Basil Davidson, A History of West Africa:To the Nineteenth Century

African SplendorThe kingdoms of Ghana and Mali grew powerful from the gold

and salt trade. In each kingdom, strong leaders arose—some good,some bad. Some kings wanted to amaze and frighten people withtheir wealth and power. In addition, the kingdom of Mali developeda strong center of learning at Timbuktu.

Read the following passages on pages 238 and 239, and answer thequestions that follow.

pavilion (puh•VIHL•yuhn): a large tentpage: attendantclad: clothed

plaited (PLAY•tuhd): woven; braidedebony (EH•buh•nee): a hard, heavy

woodmitqals: an ancient unit of measure

Reader’s Dictionary

Camel caravan

WH7.4 Students analyze thegeographic, political, economic,religious, and social structures of thesub-Saharan civilizations of Ghanaand Mali in Medieval Africa.

238-241 CH3CRA-868876 1/14/05 12:45 PM Page 238


The King of Ghana

1. What does the clothing of the princes, dogs,and soldiers tell you about the king’s wealth?

The Sultan of Mali

2. What conclusions can you draw about MansaMusa’s power?

3. Why do you think Mansa Musa treated hissoldiers so well?

White Gold

4. Why did the people of Taghaza use salt tobuild their houses?

5. Do you think it rained in Taghaza? Explain.

Timbuktu

6. Do you think that books were valued morethan gold and salt in cities that were notcenters of learning? Explain.

Read to Write

7. Imagine you have visited an African kingdomduring the Middle Ages. Using the primarysources you have just read, write a letterhome describing the power of the king andhis influence over trade and education.

CA HR1.CA 7WA2.1

The Sultan of Mali

An Arab scholar named Ibn Fadl Allah alOmari describes the West African court and armyof Mansa Musa in the 1330s. He refers to MansaMusa as sultan, the Arab word for “king.”

The sultan of this kingdom presides in hispalace on a great balcony called bembe wherehe has a seat of ebony that is like a throne fitfor a large and tall person: on either side it isflanked by elephant tusks turned towardseach other. His arms stand near him, being allof gold, saber, lance, quiver, bow and arrows.He wears wide trousers made of about twentypieces [of stuff] of a kind which he alone maywear. . . . His officers are seated in a circleabout him, in two rows, one to the right andone to the left; beyond them sit the chief com-manders of his cavalry. . . .

The officers of this king, his soldiers and hisguard receive gifts of land and presents. Someamong the greatest of them receive as much asfifty thousand mitqals of gold each year,besides which the king provides them withhorses and clothing.

—Al Omari, “Mali in the Fourteenth Century”

White Gold

Salt and gold were what made the kingdoms ofAfrica rich. Here Ibn Battuta describes the saltcity of Taghaza in northern Mali in 1352.

“Its houses and mosques . . . are built ofblocks of salt, roofed with camel skins. Thereare no trees there, nothing but sand. In the sandis a salt mine; they dig for the salt, and find it inthick slabs . . . [They] use salt as a medium ofexchange . . . they cut it up into pieces and buyand sell with it. The business done at Taghaza. . . amounts to an enormous figure in terms ofhundredweights of gold-dust.”

—Basil Davidson, “The Niger to the Nile”

Timbuktu

Timbuktu was a center of trade and learning.The following passage by Leo Africanus describesthe city in the 1500s.

“In Timbuktu . . . there are numerous judges,professors, and holy men, all being hand-somely maintained by the king, who holdsscholars in much honour. Here, too, they sellmany handwritten books from North Africa.More profit is made in selling books in Tim-buktu than from any other branch of trade.”

—Basil Davidson, A History of West Africa:To the Nineteenth Century

238-241 CH3CRA-868876 7/11/05 4:02 AM Page 239


16. Explain What caused the decline ofGhana, Mali, and Songhai?

17. Contrast How was property inherited inGhana and the Arab states?

18. Analyze Why do you think the Bantu language changed as people moved intodifferent parts of Africa?

Geography SkillsStudy the map below and answer the follow-ing questions.19. Human/Environment Interaction What

obstacle did the empires in western Africahave to overcome in order to trade withcities in northern Africa?

20. Movement In which part of Africa do youthink groups had the best opportunities totrade by sea?

21. Place How do you think inland waterroutes would have changed the cultures ofAfrica? CA CS3.

CA CS3.

CA CS3.

CA CS3.

CA 7RC2.0

CA HI2.Review Content VocabularyWrite True beside each true statement. Replacethe word in italics to make false statements true._____ 1. Wooden boats known as bantu were

powered by triangular sails._____ 2. An area of high, flat land is a plateau._____ 3. Each district in Ghana usually

included a chief’s clan._____ 4. African dhows are storytellers._____ 5. Matrilineal societies trace their

descent through mothers._____ 6. Swahili culture and language exist in

Africa today.

Review the Section 1 • The Rise of African Civilizations

7. How did the climate and environmentinfluence the way people lived in Africa?

8. How did early empires in West Africa gainwealth and power?

Section 2 • Africa’s Religion andGovernment9. How did the shared belief in traditional

religions differ among groups in Africa?

10. What religion was introduced to Africa inthe A.D. 600s? What was its influence?

11. What did the kings in West Africa do fortheir people? What did they get in return?

Section 3 • African Society and Culture

12. Describe the accomplishments of twofamous African queens.

13. Why were enslaved Africans taken toNorth and South America?

14. How were many African songs per-formed?

Critical Thinking15. Predict What do you think would have

happened in Ghana if the people had beenallowed to trade with gold nuggets insteadof gold dust? CA 7RC2.3

Standard WH7.4


1,000 mi.0

N

S

W E

40°E

0°

0°S

20°N

20°S

EQUATOR

20°E 60°E

ETHIOPIA

Madagascar

EGYPT

S A H A R A

MOROCCO

ATLANTIC OCEAN

INDIANOCEAN

Mediterranean Sea

Gulf ofGuinea

RedSea

LakeChad

Nile

R.

Niger R

.

Con

go

R.

Zam beziR.

CairoThebes

Tripoli

Mogadishu

MalindiMombasaZanzibar

Kilwa

SofalaZimbabwe

GaoTimbuktuKumbi

Niani

Kingdoms of Africa

BeninGhanaMaliSonghaiZimbabwe

KEY

238-241 CH3CRA-868876 1/14/05 12:46 PM Page 240

Read to Write22. Writing Summaries Review

the chapter, taking notes on the influenceof Islam as you go. Use these notes towrite a summary of Islam’s effect onAfrica.

23. Making Connections Write an essaydescribing evidence of the AfricanDiaspora in your community, city, or state.Make note of music, dance, literature, art,and other aspects of culture.

24. Using Your Use the answers inyour foldable to create a poster that showswhat Africa was like in the past. Drawsketches, create maps, and find pictures tovisually describe the cultures.

Using Academic Vocabulary25. Each of the following words can be used in

more than one way. Use your dictionary tohelp you understand the different uses ofthese words. Then write a sentence for thedifferent meanings of each word.

prime bond benefitelement release

Linking Past and Present26. Narrative Writing People often tell sto-

ries about their lives as oral histories. Aska family member, neighbor, teacher, orother adult to tell a story that has beenpassed down in his or her family. Askthem if and how the story has changedsince they first heard it. Record the oralhistory in narrative form.

Reviewing Skills

27. Summarizing Imagine thatyour friend wants to learn about Africaduring the Middle Ages. Create a briefsummary of the chapter that will teachhim or her all of the important parts ofAfrica during this time. Create a time line,an outline, or a graphic organizer that willhelp your friend better understand theevents in the chapter. CA 7RC2.2CA 7WS1.3

CA HR5.

CA 7WA2.1

CA CS3.

CA 7WA2.1

CA 7WS1.3; 7WA2.4


28. Creating Time LinesChoose a present-day African country toresearch. Find information on that countryfrom its early history to the present. Thencreate an illustrated time line about thatcountry, including images and importantevents in the country’s history. Be sure toinclude aspects of culture, naturalresources, and government. CA CS2.; CS3.

Self-Check Quiz To help you prepare forthe Chapter Test, visit ca.hss.glencoe.com

Select the best answer for eachof the following questions.

Ghana and Mali became suc-cessful kingdoms because

A their kings allowed traders topass through without having topay taxes.

B they controlled the trade alongthe Niger River trade routes.

C they accepted the religion ofIslam and lived in peace.

D farmers in that region had foodthat was in great demand.

Speaking the Arabic languageand following the Islamic faithbecame acceptable in WestAfrican cities partly because

A all West African governmentswere led by Muslim kings.

B other religions were not toler-ated.

C these influences helped Africanmerchants trade goods withMuslim Arabs.

D the people had forgotten all thetraditional African religions.

30

29

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Where did thesegroups develop? • Began on Italian peninsula

• Won control ofMediterranean world

• Began in Arabia

• Arab Empire stretchedfrom North Africa tocentral Asia

• West Africa; SouthernAfrica; East Africa

• Farming villages

• Major cities includedRome and Alexandria

• Desert oases

• Farming villages

• Major cities includedMakkah and Baghdad

• Farming villages;trading centers,such as Timbuktu and Kilwa

Who were someimportantpeople?

Where did mostof the peoplelive?

242

Ancient Rome

Chap ter 1

MedievalAfrica

MedievalAfrica

Chap ter 3

EarlyIslamEarlyIslam

Chap ter 2

AncientRome

Making Comparisons

Compare ancient Rome, earlyIslam, and medieval Africa byreviewing the chart below. Canyou see how people during thistime had lives that were verymuch like yours?

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

• Augustus, ruled27 B.C.–A.D. 14

• Theodorac. A.D. 500–548

• Muhammadc. A.D. 570–632

• Omar KhayyamA.D. 1048–1131

• Suleiman I, ruledA.D. 1520–1566

• Ibn Battuta,A.D. 1307–1377

• Mansa Musa, ruled A.D. 1312–1332

• Sunni Ali, ruled A.D. 1464–1492

• Queen Nzinga, ruled c. A.D. 1623–1663

(t)Scala/Art Resource, NY, (bl)Smithsonian Institution, (bc)Michael Holford, (br)Giraudon/Art Resource, NY

242-243 UR1-868876 7/20/05 8:05 AM Page 242

What werethese people’sbeliefs?

243

Ancient Rome

AncientRome

EarlyIslamEarlyIslam

Chap ter 1 Chap ter 2

MedievalAfrica

MedievalAfrica

Chap ter 3

• Belief in many gods andgoddesses

• Emperors honored asgods

• Many local religions

• Belief in one God (Allah)

• Muhammad is final prophet

• Major groups:Sunni and Shiite

• Traditional Africanreligions, Christianity,Islam

What was theirlanguage andwriting like?

• Latin was officiallanguage; Greek spokenin the east of the empire

• Many local languages

• Quran written inArabic

• Arabic was Arab Empire’sofficial language

• Persian and Turkish alsospoken

• Many languages anddifferent writing systems,but much knowledgepassed on by oral history

How do thesechanges affectme? Can youadd any?

• Latin contributed manywords to Englishlanguage

• Rome’s idea of a republicfollowed by governmentstoday

• Islam is a major religion today

• Developed algebra

• Developed game of chess

• Early Africans passed onmusical traditions thatled to jazz, rap, gospel,reggae

What was theirgovernmentlike?

• Rome developed from arepublic into an empire

• An emperor was the chief leader

• Army played role in government

• Muhammad foundedIslamic state

• After Muhammad,leaders called caliphsheld religious andpolitical power

• Ruled by kings, closeadvisers, and local officials

Whatcontributionsdid they make?

• Introduced ideas about law and government

• Developed new styles of building

• Islam became a worldreligion

• Developed ideas in medicine andmathematics

• Produced tradition ofstorytelling, dance,music, and sculpture

• Developed trade routesacross North Africa andsupplied salt and gold toEuropeans and Arabs

242-243 UR1-868876 1/28/05 5:06 PM Page 243

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