1.3 Africa and Europe Flashcards
What are some different ways of organizing communities that Africans used in the period 1200-1450?
Africans organized communities using various systems like elders’ councils, sodalities, chieftaincies, kingdoms, city-states, and confederations.
What group of people were particularly influential in the governing of Swahili city-states?
Swahili city-states were ruled mostly by merchant families, with merchants having significant influence over trade policies.
What kinds of factors helped individuals to elevate themselves to be chiefs and then kings in the southern African region that included Great Zimbabwe?
In southern Africa, individuals rose to power by controlling cattle, forming alliances through marriage, and dominating trade.
What kinds of factors helped individuals to elevate themselves to be chiefs and then kings in the Congo River region?
In the Congo River region, kings emerged to settle disputes due to population growth and increased trade.
Tyo was a Confederation. Kongo was an empire. What was the difference? What were the similarities?
Tyo was a confederation of smaller kingdoms, while Kongo was a centralized monarchy. Both relied on trade and religious figures for power.
To what extent does this article explain how and why states in Africa developed and changed over time?
The article extensively discusses the development and change of states in Africa, highlighting factors like population growth, trade dynamics, and societal structures.
What factors stand out to you as particularly distinct and important in the way communities were organized in Africa in this period? How do these seem similar or different to other parts of the world you have studied for this period?
Factors like lineage-based systems, chieftaincies, and city-states were distinct in African communities, while similarities can be drawn with other regions in terms of trade networks and governance structures.
What were the various forms of government and social organization in Africa during the 13th to 15th centuries?
Chieftaincies, kingdoms, confederations, and empires.
How was Africa connected to Eurasia during this period?
Africa was connected to Eurasia through trade, conflict, and shared values and beliefs.
What challenges exist in identifying general patterns of community organization in Africa during this time?
Diversity among African societies and misconceptions about African communities make identifying general patterns challenging.
What were some common systems of community organization in Africa during this period?
Lineage-based systems, sodalities, chieftaincies, kingdoms, city-states, and confederations.
What type of state emerged along the Indian Ocean coast during this era?
City-states, collectively referred to as the Swahili states, emerged along the Indian Ocean coast.
What characterized Swahili societies during this period?
Swahili societies were characterized by the blending of Bantu-speaking communities with Islamic religion and Arabic script, thriving on trade with Arab and Indian merchants.
How were Swahili port cities governed during this time?
Swahili port cities were often governed by kings from wealthy merchant families, with power primarily held by the merchant communities.
What factors contributed to the development of large states in southern Africa?
Factors such as the control of cattle, trade with Swahili merchants, and the demand for gold contributed to the development of large states in southern Africa.
What was the significance of Great Zimbabwe in southern Africa?
Great Zimbabwe dominated a large gold-producing region and played a crucial role in the trade network, especially with the Swahili city-state of Sofala.
What factors led to the emergence of large states like Tyo and Kongo in the Congo River basin?
Population growth, trade expansion, and the need for dispute resolution contributed to the emergence of large states like Tyo and Kongo in the Congo River basin.
Who was Mansa Musa, and why might he have had a problem with his portrayal in the first photo?
Mansa Musa was the ruler of the Mali Empire, possibly the wealthiest man of his time due to his control over goldfields. He might have had a problem with his portrayal in the first photo because it depicts him with European symbols of kingship, such as a crown and a scepter, which were not typical in West African culture.
Examine the map shown in the article. What does it tell us about settlements of communities in the Sahel?
The map in the article shows several Sudanic states and their locations in West Africa during the 9th to 11th centuries. It reveals the distribution and settlements of communities in the Sahel, indicating the establishment of various kingdoms and states in the region.
What is the Sahelian state model? What is its significance?
The Sahelian state model refers to the political organization and governance structures of states in the Sahel region of West Africa. It is significant because it demonstrates common elements shared by these states, such as reliance on long-distance trade, densely populated grain-producing centers, and religious pluralism.
What is religious pluralism? How is it relevant to understanding west African communities?
Religious pluralism refers to the coexistence of multiple religious beliefs and practices within a society. In West African communities, it is relevant for understanding the inclusive approach to religion adopted by rulers, who allowed the practice of Islam alongside local non-Muslim religions, fostering diversity and tolerance.
What are some of the arguments for and against considering Mali an empire?
Arguments for considering Mali an empire include its control over a vast territory, wealth from trade, and dominance in the gold trade. Arguments against include the decentralized nature of governance and the inclusive treatment of conquered peoples, which may not align with traditional notions of empire.
Describe the extent to which this article explains how and why states in Africa developed and changed over time.
The article provides a comprehensive explanation of how states in Africa, particularly in the Sahel region, developed and changed over time. It highlights the emergence of various kingdoms and states, their reliance on trade, governance structures, and religious dynamics.
Based on the evidence in this article, what was unique about the states of West Africa in this period, and what features did they share with states in other regions?
West African states in this period were characterized by their reliance on long-distance trade, densely populated centers, and religious pluralism. They shared similarities with states in other regions in terms of governance structures and economic dependencies on trade networks.
How does this article support, extend, or challenge your understanding of the “state” when viewed through the filter of the governance theme?
This article extends understanding of the concept of the “state” by illustrating diverse governance models and political structures in West Africa. It challenges conventional views by highlighting the complexities of state formation and the interconnectedness of African societies with global trade networks.
John Green points out that most sub-Saharan African histories were preserved by oral tradition rather than written down. He also says there is a prejudice against oral tradition. What evidence does he use to argue that oral tradition is in fact important?
John Green argues that oral tradition is important because literary artifacts like the Iliad and the Odyssey were composed and memorized orally for centuries before being written down. He also challenges the prejudice against oral tradition by highlighting the engagement with spoken language, as viewers do when watching his videos.
