CHANGE AND CONTINUITY FROM 8000 BCE- PRESENT

Political -Mostly lived in clan based villages ruled over by head chiefs

- Bantu speaking people move southward and westward

- Population pressure might be the cause of migrations

-Iron helped them gain an advantage over those whom they were competing for land and natural resources

8000 BCE- 600 CE

Economic -Agriculture is the most important part of their economy

-Cultivated Yams, oil palms and grains

-Traded with hunter and gathers, and forest dwellers

Religion - Chiefs led their clan in religious rituals - Some people in societies like the Sudani and Niger-Congo were monotheistic. They believed in the

Divine force - As they came in contact with more cultures their beliefs were changed as they adapted new customs.

Social-Bantu people all speak the Bantu languages. As they migrated and interacted with other people the language was broken up to 500 different variations

- People split into groups called sects based on their ages in order to complete tasks

- Men were farmers an in military

- Women had domestic chores but also traded in markets

8000 BCE- 600 CE

Interaction- During migrations spread language and culture- Traded and fought with forest dwellers- Bantu spread agriculture throughout Africa- Introduced sheep pigs and cattle to rest of Africa

Art- Learned to use canoes and their development led to quick transportation along the rivers

8000 BCE- 600 CE

Political- Kingship legitimized by Islam -Bantu (stateless societies) -Ghana Empire → declined due to Islamic forces -Mali Empire → Mansa Musa -Songhai → Sonni Ali

Economic-Trade with Islam as unifying factor → Islamic traders wanted gold and Africans wanted salt; eventually led to explosion of trade in Africa-Mali empire and trade →

- - Controlled and taxed almost all trade passing through D west Africa - - Enormous caravans linked Mali to north Africa

600-1450

Religion -Islam → spread by the traders; led to the decline of Ghana- Muslims in North Africa explored the potential of trade across the Sahara - Improved relations with Muslim merchants from north Africa and Muslim nomads from the desert - Influenced Mansa Musa – built mosques in trading centers, sent students to study with Islamic scholars, and

established Muslim schools

Social- Merchants valued -Patriarchal society-Islamic law -Class centered around age group -Islam did little to curtail women's opportunities in sub-Saharan Africa

600-1450

Interaction - The emergence and growth of states that became highly influential in the cross-cultural interactions of this period

- The states of Ghana and Malibecame trade and religious centers whose fortunes were clearly tied into those of Eurasia - Trade with Muslims → led to political, social, and economic changes → cultural diffusion

Art- Benin Culture → famous for their bronze sculptures and pottery making-Oral literature → passed down traditions and stories from generation to generation

600-1450

Political -Songhai Empire(1464-1493)- took place of Mali Empire in west Africa-Leader Sunni Ali expanded the empire, and built an elaborate administrative system-Askia Mohommed- most famous ruler of Songhai-Kongo- West Central African kingdom- traded in gold-Ashanti- grew powerful from the slave trade-Ndongo(Angola)-despite efforts of Queen Nzinga, became the 1st European colony in sub-Saharan Africa-Great Zimbabwe- stone-fortified city-Slave trade encouraged African states to participate in conflicts that may not have otherwise occurred

1450-1750

Economic -Trans-Saharan trade was used to exchange foreign materials for gold, ivory and spices -Manioc from the Americas became a major staple crop -Atlantic slave trade- capture and forced deportation of 12 million African -Triangular trade -Guns traded for slaves

Religion-Many states were Islamic because this helped in relations with Muslim traders-However, some still practiced their native animism-Still some states (Kongo) converted to Christianity as a way to better relations with Portuguese merchants-The Antonian Movement(Dona Beatriz)-Ancestor worship

1450-1750

Social-Some states were matrilineal (Queen Nzinga)-Upper class women wore veils; lower class women worked outside the home-Columbian exchange enriched diets-Demography -States fought each other for slaves to sell to Europeans-Slave trade distorted sex ratios- exported mostly men-African Diaspora- hybrid cultural traditions (religion, music, language, etc)-Slave revolts (most successful was Haiti)

1450-1750

Interaction -Atlantic slave trade

-Boers harsh treatment of South Africans-Indian Ocean Trade network in East Africa-European colonization of African coast-> spread of European culture

Art-Epic of Askia Mohommed- fictionalized account of his reign-Oral tradition-Askia sponsored art-Sculpture-Textile arts-Woven basketry-Human adornment(masks, beads, etc)-Art and technology suffered due to the slave trade

1450-1750

Political - The Berlin Conference led by Otto von Bismarck was designed to set the rules among the European powers on colonizing Africa - All European powers like Britain France Germany Italy Spain Portugal and Belgium raced to get land in Africa - All nations besides Britain imposed direct rule over their colonies (They had European leaders had authority in Africa) - The British colonies allowed Africans to rule themselves more directly and to continue following native customs - Europeans ignored pre-existing tribal boundaries and set up their own boarders, so tribes were split in half or enemy tribes were combined

Economic- Africa was rich with natural resources like gold salt and diamonds that Europeans wanted as many colonies as possible.

- The more colonies the richer and more powerful the country became

- Slave trade is abolished and slavery becomes illegal

- Africans not allowed to keep any of the resources they worked to produce

1750-1914

Religion - Christian Missionaries were brought to the African colonies.

- This hurt their culture as it was being replaced by European ways

Social- The African customs were being replaced as Christianity and European schools were set up

- The boundaries between tribes were changed

- As European officials were brought into Africa they brought with them their own culture did not tolerate the traditional ways.

- Brought the English language

- Africans were treated cruelly even though the slave trade ended in this time frame.

-The Africans were still regarded as inferior and had to work in dangerous mines and could not keep what the produced.

1750-1914

Interaction -As the Europeans went to colonize Africa the African people were unhappy. Their lifestyle was being

replaced - When the slave trade ended Europeans turned toward the continent of Africa itself and they became like

slaves on their own homeland - African traditions disregarded completely except in British colonies - Ethiopia and Liberia were the only African states to remain free from foreign rule

Art/Technology- Europeans helped Africa advance somewhat by building railroads dams and roads

1750-1914

Political -In World War 1, Europeans invaded German colonies in Africa- military soldiers fought directly- During World War1, as European attention was on the war, the Africans mounted bold challenges to European control - After the Cold War, America looks to another goal, the introduction of democracy -struggle to create successful independent states-African National Congress and Zulu Confederation- freedom movement-Nelson Mandela- leader of ANC- Many states became dictatorships- Corruption was widespread, dictatorship or not-Ghana independence- nonviolent- inspired others -Democratic Republic of Congo(Mobutu Sese Seko- corrupt, “vampire elite”)

1914-Present

Economic -Suffered during the Great Depression-Europeans opened up Africa to its 1st modern infrastructure after WW1 by force (roads, railways, telegraph lines, etc)-Rich in resources, raw materials and agricultural products-Forced 1 of the world’s richest sources of gold and diamonds-Became the wealthiest, most modern and most industrialized on the continent (1960’s-1990’s)-Failure to industrialize and modernize economies-Continue to come closer into the global economy-African Union works towards economic unity

1914-Present

Social-Clash between the white and black citizens of the newly free country-Apartheid- extreme racial segregation-Antiapartheid movements (Desmond Tutu)-Most boundaries drawn left a lack of linguistic or cultural unity-Women have achieved a certain degree of equality-Population growth-Food shortages -HIV/AIDS pandemic

1914-Present

-Decolonization of British and French colonies went smoothly-Worst transition was that of Portuguese and Belgians-Advantage of Cold War: received subsidies from each sideDisadvantage- dictators were supported

Interaction

Changes- Native Animism→ Spread of Christianity and Islam- Trans-Saharan Trade promoted cultural diffusion among

African nations- Slave Trade took 12 million slaves from their homes to

Western World→ Disrupted Society, Politics and Culture- European Colonization - Columbian Exchange brought new crops and better diet- New medical advances→ Prevention of diseases such

as malaria- Transition from European colonies to independent states- Extreme racial segregation- HIV/AIDS pandemic causes huge population decrease

Continuities

- Agriculture supports economy- Europeans always view Africans as

inferior - Religions (Animism, Ancestor worship)- Interaction (Trans-Saharan Trade, Indian

Ocean Trade)- Fight against oppression (Boer Wars,

African National Congress) - Source of gold, ivory, and spices