Reading: Spodek, "Sub-Saharan Africa," pp 379-382
Spodek, "South Africa, 1652-1902"
Africa--A Large, Complex Continent
Much of Africa Very Wealthy and Prosperous Before Europeans:
Berber Camel Traders--"Caravans of Gold"
Timbuktu Elite
Swahili Merchants on the Indian Ocean:
Kilwa
Africans Early Learned Metalworking and the Crafting of Gold
22 B.C.E. Africans living in what is now Tanzania produced carbon steel in 1,800 degree blast furnaces
Architecture Impressive:
Large Mosques and Libraries in Timbuktu
Impressive Mosques, Houses and Other Structures:
Kilwa, Swahili Cities Along East African Coast
Rich African Gold Deposits: Niger River, Great Zimbabwe
Early African Scientific Achievements Impressive
6020 B.C.E. Africans living in what is now the Congo used marks on bones to develop a numeration system
300 B.C.E. Africans in Kenya develop a complex calendar system based on astronomical reckoning
1290 C.E. The Dogon of the Kingdom of Mali plot the orbits of
various universes and star systems including Sirius B!
Major Kingdoms in West Africa:
Ghana (5th-6th Century-13th Century)
Mali (13th-15th Century)
Founded by King Sundiata Keita (1230-1255)
Spread Mande culture and language
Mansa Muhammad--Possible African Explorer
Syrian Geographer wrote that Mansa Kankan Musa told people on his pilgrimage:
Mansa Muhammad sent 400 canoes with men and supplies across Atlantic Ocean
1 returned and explained that the rest got caught in a violent current
He then went out himself with a larger expedition
Never returned
Mansa Kankan Musa--Great Mali Emperor
Made large pilgrimage to Mecca, visited Cairo
Spent so much gold, there was so much gold in circulation, it's value declined
Supported scholars, built university
Ibn-Battuta wrote that Mali was one of the safest, civilized places he visited
Songhay Empire (1464-1591)
Sunni Ali--Consolidator and Administrator
Something of a tyrant--murdered Islamic scholars, who supported Mali
Gao Capital
Islam Accepted as Useful for Trade
Reached height under Muhammad Toure (1493-1528)
Expanded Empire from Niger River almost to Morocco
Songhay Collapsed After Attack By Morocco, 1591
Armed with guns
Empire Disintegrated into Smaller States
Rise of Coastal Chiefs of Diula and Mande
East Africa--City States Dominated
1505--Portuguese Sack Kilwa and Other Swahili Trading Cities
Portuguese Gain Control of Indian Ocean Trade
Central African Kingdoms:
Kongo, Ndongo, Luba, and Lunda
Kongo (14th Century Power)
1492 Congo Kings Begin Trade with Portuguese
Congo Kings Convert to Christianity
King Affonso (1506-1543)
Wants to Convert Everyone to Catholicism
Many Churches Built
Many Involved in Slave Trade
Eventually Leads to War
Kongo Begins to Disintegrate
Christianity persists and flourishes though Kongolese continue to worship ancestors, territorial spirits, and royal charms
Also formed group-healing cults
Portuguese and Italian missionaries tried to stop these practices but couldn't
Angola
Queen Nzinga (1623-1663) Resisted Portuguese
Dressed as a Male
Wanted Subjects to Call Her King
Had Male Concubines Dressed as Women
Why the Gender Bending?
An Effective Military Leader, But…
Portuguese Control Angola after Her Death
South Africa
Dutch (Boers) Begin to Settle Region:
Dutch East India Company Wants Colonists
Took Land
Enslaved Population (the Khoikhoi)
Became Worse With Arrival of Religious Refugees
Smallpox Kills Many
Dutch East India Company Takes Control
Race Hatred Pronounced
Everything Made Worse By Slave Trade
Europeans Want Slaves for Atlantic Plantations:
Addictive Crops:
Sugar (Rum), Tobacco, Coffee, Chocolate
Portuguese Had Been Trading for Slaves for Labor
Most Slaves Men--Why?
Theory 1: Europeans Only Think Men good for Labor
Theory 2: Africans Want to Keep Women for LaborCoastal Chiefs in West Africa Begin to Trade Slaves for Guns
Impact in West Africa:
More men than women--Polygamy
Many coastal chiefs become very wealthy from slave trade
Interior chiefs decline in power
Economies begin long decline
Impact in East Africa:
Chinese Want Slaves for Prostitutes
Most Slaves Women
Long Term Economic Decline
Probable Population Decline
Much Political Instability