Changes

==Africa==

==Africa==

[[Image:Bantu migration.png|400px|right]]

[[Image:Bantu migration.png|400px|right]]

As we have already seen in this course, language plays a central role in defining a society.  This was true again in sub-Saharan Africa (south of the Saharan desert), where the Bantu language was shared by peoples in West Africa prior to 1000 B.C.  Historians refer to the West Africans as “Bantu speakers” who lived along the rain forest on the edge of what is now Nigeria.  The Bantu speakers began migrating to the east and south of Africa around 2000 B.C. (see the movement from the region labeled as "1" in the first map below), and this migration was at its peak between 700 and 500 B.C. (forming the nucleus labeled as "9" in the second map below).  By A.D. 1000, the migration southward (e.g., the three downward arrows labeled as "10" in the second map) had ceased and several Bantu kingdoms then arose in southern Africa.

As we have already seen in this course, language plays a key role in defining a society.  This was true again in sub-Saharan Africa (south of the Saharan desert), where the Bantu language was shared by peoples in West Africa prior to 1000 B.C.  Historians refer to the West Africans as “Bantu speakers” who lived along the rain forest on the edge of what is now Nigeria.  The Bantu speakers began migrating to the east and south of Africa around 2000 B.C. (see the movement from the region labeled as "1" in the first map below), and this migration was at its peak between 700 and 500 B.C. (forming the nucleus labeled as "9" in the second map below).  By A.D. 1000, the migration southward (e.g., the three downward arrows labeled as "10" in the second map) had ceased and several Bantu kingdoms then arose in southern Africa.

In eastern Africa, the Arabic language was influential.  When the Bantu language collided with Arabic, the result was the Swahili for the peoples of east Africa.

In eastern Africa, the Arabic language was influential.  When the Bantu language collided with Arabic, the result was the language of Swahili for the peoples of east Africa.

There was no private property in these settlements, as property was shared among the community.  Typically a family member served as the leader of each family or “kinship group,” and there was no formal government.

There was no private property in these settlements, as property was shared among the community.  Typically a family member served as the leader of each family or “kinship group,” and there was no formal government.

Fruits, particularly bananas, initially imported from Southeast Asia by traders, were a major source of nutrition that helped increase the health and population.  Malay sailors brought the banana over the Indian Ocean to an island known as Madagascar (see the isolated island off the southeast coast of Africa in the figures to the right), where the people still speak a language similar to that spoken in Malaysia.

Fruits, particularly bananas, initially imported from Southeast Asia by traders, were a major source of nutrition that helped improve the health of the people.  Malay sailors brought the banana over the Indian Ocean to an island known as Madagascar (see the isolated island off the southeast coast of Africa in the figures to the right), where the people still speak a language similar to that spoken in Malaysia.

The primary African religion was “animism”, or a belief that spirits exist in nature similar what some American Indians believe.  The religion was handed down from generation to generation not in writings, but in oral stories.  The storytellers are called “griots”.  There was a little bit of farming along the edges of the rain forests, but most of the activity was a “hunting-gathering” type, in when men hunted for food rather than growing it on farms.  In central Africa there was some cattle raising.

The primary African religion was “animism”, or a belief that spirits exist in nature similar what some American Indians believe.  The religion was handed down from generation to generation not in writings, but in oral stories.  The storytellers are called “griots”.  There was a little bit of farming along the edges of the rain forests, but most of the activity was a “hunting-gathering” type, in when men hunted for food rather than growing it on farms.  In central Africa there was some cattle-raising.

By 700 B.C. the Bantu speakers in West Africa discovered iron smelting, and began using it to make tools and weapons.  The distribution of knowledge of that invention followed the same path as the Bantu language itself in spreading through central and southern Africa.

By 700 B.C. the Bantu speakers in West Africa discovered iron smelting, and began using it to make tools and weapons.  The distribution of knowledge of that invention followed the same path as the Bantu language itself in spreading through central and southern Africa.

'''The [[Kingdom of Zimbabwe]] existed from southeastern Africa to the Indian Ocean around A.D. 1200s to the 1500s.'''  Like other African empires, the city of Great Zimbabwe was built on trade, particularly gold.  Numerous Swahili towns in this region of Africa profited from trade in slaves, ivory and goods from Persia, China and India, such as cotton, silk and perfumes.

'''The [[Kingdom of Zimbabwe]] existed from southeastern Africa to the Indian Ocean around A.D. 1200s to the 1500s.'''  Like other African empires, the city of Great Zimbabwe was built on trade, particularly gold.  Numerous Swahili towns in this region of Africa profited from trade in slaves, ivory and goods from Persia, China and India, such as cotton, silk and perfumes.

Islam and Christianity both spread in Africa, and still do today.  However, the Africans would often retain some of their tribal customs.  Historians claim that the Africans treated women better under tribal customs than under Islam, citing less use of the veil by women in African societies than Arab Muslim societies.  African Christians also had conflicts with principles of faith established by European Christians, such as issues related to the divinity of Christ, although the Catholic Church today is growing much faster in Africa than in Europe.  Coptic Christians in Egypt slightly differ from European Christians in their view of Christ, and they split in A.D. 451.

Islam and Christianity both spread in Africa, and still do today.  However, the Africans would often retain some of their tribal customs.  Historians claim that the Africans treated women better under tribal customs than under Islam, citing less use of the veil by women in African societies than in Arab Muslim societies.  Christianity is growing much faster in Africa today than it is in Europe.  Coptic Christians in Egypt slightly differ from European Christians in their view of Christ, and they split in A.D. 451.

Islam was more popular in North Africa, where it became the main religion for the peoples bordering the Mediterranean Sea.  The Berbers converted to Islam, and then merged with the Almoravid and Almohad dynasties to bring North Africa under Muslim rule by the end of the seventh century.  From northern Africa, the Muslims entered and conquered southern Spain, where they were known as Moors.  The Muslims then increased trade with other African peoples and regions bordering in the Indian Ocean.  The Almoravid dynasty conquered Morocco in the A.D. 1000s and Ghana and parts of southern Spain in A.D. 1076.  By the mid-1100s, the Almoravids conquered the Almohads also.

Islam was more popular in North Africa, where it became the main religion for the peoples bordering the Mediterranean Sea.  The Berbers converted to Islam, and then merged with the Almoravid and Almohad dynasties to bring North Africa under Muslim rule by the end of the seventh century.  From northern Africa, the Muslims entered and conquered southern Spain, where they were known as Moors.  The Muslims then increased trade with other African peoples and regions bordering in the Indian Ocean.  The Almoravid dynasty conquered Morocco in the A.D. 1000s and Ghana and parts of southern Spain in A.D. 1076.  By the mid-1100s, the Almoravids conquered the Almohads also.