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Home , Chiefdom, Principality

are societies headed by individuals with unusual ritual, political, or entrepreneurial skills. The society is kin-based but more along hierarchical lines than a . A (or princedom) is a principality monarchical sovereign , ruled or reigned over by a with the of or princess.

A Kingdom is a kingdom instituting a , or having a monarch as its head.

Urban areas that controlled state surrounding agricultural and that were often loosely connected in a broader political structure with other city-states. Sovereign state, a sovereign state political entity in international public law

Empire is a state that extends over populations distinct culturally and ethnically from the culture/ethnicity at the center of power. Characterized by kingdoms, , city-states with well defined Social classes (ruling , merchant class, peasant class) AND Traditional kin based groups (ie: “stateless societies”) 300-500 CE

400 BCE Bantu Migrations 2000 BCE -1000 CE

500 BCE

400 BCE = 3.5 million 1000 CE = 22 million

300-500 CE

Early Political and Social organization? (Pre 1000 CE) By 11th C = 800 v “Stateless” societies distinct languages v Governed through family and kin ties v Patriarchal/ councils = male heads of family v Gender determined work role v Chief, formed v Small scale cultivation (bananas, Millet, yams, sorghum)

Problems? v Population increased = population pressure on natural resources/ increased conflict v some villages developed military forces v kingdoms formed with centralized power led by strong leaders who overrode the kin systems v kin networks did not disappear v Chiefdoms of Ife, Benin (West coast) strong until mid 17th C Social organization:

Age grades? Griots? Gender roles? Land ownership? Religion? In societies dominated by oral tradition, art replaces written language

Benin = “lost wax” process of sculpture What does the existence of these bronze plaques indicate about Benin culture c. 1000 CE? 600-1450 CE Kingdoms and Empires of Sub-Saharan Africa 800 – 1500 CE Ghana = Center of 4-5th C African Gold Trade (converted to Islam by 10th C) (from Arabia By 7th C) 70-90 days Offered protection to cross the Sahara for merchants

Impact of Islam on trade? Nature of Islam in West Africa? Islam as merchant “social glue”?

Mansa Musa’s Hajj 1324-1325

• entourage of 60,000 Empire of Mali Sundiata (r. 1230-1255 CE) • 500 men each carrying a 6 lb gold staff Mansa Musa (r. 1312-1337 CE) • 80 camels each carrying 300 lbs of gold dust • 500 slaves distributed along the way as gifts • gifts of gold led to devaluing of gold on global market by 25% • market didn’t recover for 25 yrs • brought back Arab scholars, artists and architects = built libraries, mosques, schools

1375 Catalan Map Kingdom of Centralized authority royal currency system Kongo: 1000CE (Congo River)

Slaves = war captives, Debtors, suspected witches, Criminals,

SLAVES status symbols (NOT land), Used as agricultural labor to increase productivity of their land = wealth (Chattal ??)

Internal slave trade = 10,000-20,000 slaves/ year

(With increased demand) = 10 million slaves to Islamic world (750-1500 CE)

Cowry shells (Zanj Revolt 869 CE in Mesopotamia as 15,000 slaves revolt/ controlled Basra) standardized currency Mosque at Djenne, Mali

What were the positive and negative effects of Mansa Musa’s Mali Empire on , , religion?

Songhay Empire Sunni Ali (1464-1492) African City States: East Coast

• Swahili “coasters” engage in trade with Arabs • Swahili = language (Arab influence) • 10th C Arab trade increased to East Africa • Swahili city states = great wealth 11-12th C • stone architecture/ Chinese porcelain • Kilwa exported over a ton of gold/yr By 15th C • Axum: Christian Kingdom (4th C ) Merchants, kings converted Christian influence very strong by 12th C

Great Zimbabwe: 12th C, 18,000 people Christianity arrives by CE

Ethiopian Christianity Different: HOW and WHY?

Lalibela, Ethiopia 12-13th centuries 13 churches

Contextualization= the historical circumstances surrounding a particular event