TOPIC 1 EARLY HISTORY of EAST AFRICA Who Were the Early
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TOPIC 1 EARLY HISTORY OF EAST AFRICA Who were the early inhabitants of the East African coast? 1. Little is known about these early inhabitants 2. But it is said some were hunters and food gathers 3. They were at times called Bushmen / Hottentots 4. They were Khoisan as known to modern historians 5. These occupied the Tanzanian and Kenyan Highlands 6. The Bantu and Cushites later displace these early inhabitants 7. The Hadzapi, Sandawe and the Ndorobo are said to be some of their survivors 8. The Bantu came from Central Africa around 500AD 9. They occupied towns like Sofala, Malindi, Kilwa and Mombasa. 10. Their main occupation was farming 11. The Cushites were also among the first inhabitants 12. They migrated from North or North- eastern Ethiopia, because of the Galla 13. They occupied the Northern part of the coast and were cattle keepers 14. They are classified into the Northern Cushites and Southern Cushites 15. Examples of Cushites include the Galla, Rendile, Somalis etc 16. The Arabs and Persians came from the 7th C and took over the coast What was the way of life of these early inhabitants by 1000AD? Describe the organization of the Zenj Empire before the coming of foreigners? 1. The coast by 1000AD was inhabited by three groups of people 2. These were the Bushmen, Bantu and Cushites 3. They were organized politically, economically and socially as below 1 4. Politically, each settlement was independent and had its own chief. 5. For example, the Bantu had chiefs. 6. Chiefdoms were therefore the basic political settlements for these early people 7. Each group had its own unique political features 8. For example, those of the Bantu were different from those of the Cushites 9. They also had small armies armed with axes and spears for defence purposes 10. The Cushites had no centralized administration 11. Instead they were led by clan leaders 12. Economically, the bantu carried out agriculture 13. Growing mainly bananas and millet 14. They also carried out fishing especially those who lived near rivers 15. Hunted wild animals as a way of getting food 16. Traded in food stuffs and iron tools like hoes with their neighbours 17. Iron working was also carried out 18. They made hoes, spears and arrows for use in defence and agriculture 19. Pastrolism was carried out especially by the Cushites who were nomads 20. They also mined especially gold which they exchanged with their neigbours 21. Socially, the Bantu stayed in settled communities 22. Built small wattle houses that were grass thatched 23. Primitive societies like the bushmen had no permanent settlement 24. They instead lived in caves and tree branches 25. Unlike the Bantu who had permanent homes, the Bushmen were wanderers 26. There was traditional worship/ worshipped small gods 27. They believed in life after death 28. Some of these early inhabitants were cannibals had sharpened teeth/ fierce 2 What was the land of Zenj? 1. It refers to the stretch of land between Mogadishu and cape Delgado 2. It was approximately 3000 kilometers long 3. It stretched 10 miles into the interior of East Africa 4. Later it came to be the “Zenj Empire” 5. The name was given to the coastal settlements by the early Arabs and Persians 6. To mean ‘the land of the blacks’ 7. It was also called Azania by the Greeks 8. Modern Historians refer to it as Zinjanthropole 9. The Zenj land was grouped into 3 clusters of settlement 10. Benadir (North of Mogadishu) comprising of Mogadishu, Barawa, Merca, Kismayu 11. Malindi (Gedi, Kaliifi, Takangu) 12. South Coast (Kilwa and Sofola) 13. These towns and settlement totaled up to 37 in number 14. Today, the name – Zanj survives in the name Zanzibar 15. Its original inhabitants were the Bushmen, followed by the Bantu and Cushites 16. Later the Arabs, Persians, Indonesians, Egyptians and Indians came to the coast 17. But it was a misleading interpretation of the East African coast 18. Such an empire never existed on the east African coast Why did the Arabs have little interest in the interior of East Africa before 1840? 1. They had not come to spread Islam – not Muslim missionaries 2. They were more interested in trade than Islam 3 3. They could obtain all the trade goods at the coast e.g. ivory, slaves, gold, tortoise shells, copper and leopard skins 4. The demand for goods they traded in with the people of the interior was low 5. The demand for goods from the interior could be met by African suppliers from the interior 6. They came as refugees 7. They were ignorant of the interior potentials 8. Their knowledge of the interior was still very limited 9. Geographical barriers 10. There was the fear of hostile tribes 11. They were few 12. Wild animals in the interior 13. There was the danger of tropical diseases 14. They were also problem of transport and communication 15. Language was another problem 16. Civil war in the interior 17. The chaos at the coast between the Arabs and the Portuguese which pre-occupied them 18. No serious competition at the coast 19. Trade route from the interior had not been established on a permanent basis 20. Seyyid Said had not yet shifted his capital to the coast 21. Africans had not realized the importance of the Arabs and thus did not welcome them 22. The good climate at the coast 23. Lack of support from their home governments Why did they finally get interested between 1840 and 1885? 1. The abundant trade opportunities in the interior 4 2. The increased demand for goods from the interior could not be met by the African suppliers 3. The arrival of Seyyid Said and his interest in trade 4. He helped organize caravans into the interior 5. He also gave them protection with a red flag from Zanzibar 6. The Bayans who financed the caravans asked for heavy interest because of the risks involved 7. He signed commercial treaties with France, USA and Britain, thus the volume of trade increased and increased demand forced the Arabs inland 8. By 1840, the Arabs had got the knowledge of the interior and could hope for safety 9. They had even known where to get trade commodities 10. They had grown richer and stronger 11. Transport had improved from head portage to donkeys 12. They wanted to eliminate the African middlemen and control the sources of the commodities directly so as to earn more profits they were expensive 13. Some Arabs had already settled in the interior e.g. Tippu Tip 14. They were welcomed by the interior chiefs e.g. Kabaka Muteesa of Buganda, Mirambo 15. Some Arabs wanted to spread Islam in the interior e.g. Abraham 16. The establishment of clove plantation led to increased demand for slaves 17. Stiff competition for trade items 18. Population increase at the coast 19. The coming of Christians forced them to move into the interior 20. With the introduction of the gun, security in the interior improved 21. African leaders realized the importance of the gun 22. They wanted to establish military bases in the interior Why did the Arabs settle on the East African coast between 1000 – 1500? 5 1. These came to the coast between 1000 – 1500AD 2. Came from modern state in the middle east like Arabia, Syria, Iran, Iraq and turkey 3. Desire to control the profitable trade at coast 4. Desire to control the coastal trade / Indian Ocean trade 5. Availability of trade items like gold, ivory, copper, slaves 6. Due to religious disputes in Arabia 7. Political prosecutions in Arabia 8. Defeated groups were forced to escape as refugee 9. Desire to spread Islam 10. To create a Muslim empire 11. Hospitality of the coastal people 12. Attracted by the monsoon winds and dhows 13. Good coastal climate that was ideal for their settlement 14. Rich fertile soils, good for agriculture 15. Presence of good natural harbors 16. Presence of fresh drinking water 17. The spirit of adventure/ exploration 18. Influence of the first Arabs 19. To colonize/ rule the coast/ imperialistic nature of the Arabs What were the effects of the Arab settlement at the coast? 1. Islam was introduced and flourished at the coast 2. Introduced Arabic architecture i.e. ways of building using bricks, flat topped houses 3. Introduced the art of boat building 4. Led to the introduction f new forms of currency e.g. cowrie shells 6 5. Some towns minted and used coins like Kilwa and Sofola 6. Led to intermarriages between Arabs and the local Africans 7. Intermarriages gave raise to Swahili race and culture 8. Birth of Swahili language 9. Led to new form of dressing i.e. use of Kanzus 10. Spread of Muslim habits like fasting, eating etc 11. Arabic was introduced as the official language 12. Guns were introduced at the coast 13. New form of weaponry like daggers, swords etc 14. Fighting increased due to the introduction of guns 15. Sharia law/ administration was introduced 16. Agriculture and fishing intensified to feed the increased population 17. New crops were introduced at the coast e.g. Banana, rice, wheat, sugarcanes etc 18. Use of human feaces as manure 19. Initially population increased 20. Africa was linked to the outside world/ international market 21. Led to the prosperity of the participants 22. Many coastal towns developed e.g. Kilwa, Sofola, Mogadishu etc 23. Rivalry / conflicts for the control of the trade e.g. Malindi vs Mombasa, Kilwa vs Sofola 24.