Chapter 15.3: African Society and Culture
woodcarvers
made masks and statues -religious ceremonies -teaching purposes -believed masks held spiritual power
African Women (Info)
-Acted as wives and mothers -Men = more rights -Women = warriors -rulers -Dahia al-Kahina -Nzinga
purpose of art
-Arts served a religious purpose -Art taught about history of their communities
The European Slave Trade
-Beginning around 1440, Portuguese merchants began selling enslaved Africans -Many African slaves were initially laborers in Portugal -Later, sent to Atlantic islands settled by the Portuguese (Madeira, the Azores, and Cape Verde) -Mild climate perfect for growing sugarcane on plantations (huge farms) -Harvesting sugarcane = hard work -Plantation owners couldn't pay high wages -Used enslaved Africans for labor -Paid no wages -In the late 1400s, Europeans arrived in the Americas
Family Ties (Info)
-Formed the basis of African society -Extended families -Lineage groups -Helped to trace ties -Older = superior -Multiple generations in these extended families
Towns and Cities (Info)
-Large protected wall -Protected larger communities -Centers of government and trade between traders and artisans
How did African children learn?
-Learned history of the people and basic skills -learned from griots -oral history -proverbs
Rural Villages (Info)
-Most people lived here in Africa's early stages -Small round dwellings made from packed mud -Many people were farmers.
As Africa's contact with Muslim world increased, trade in humans grew
-Quran banned enslavement of Muslims -Could enslave non Muslims -Arab Muslim merchants traded cotton/other goods for enslaved non-Muslims Africans
Bantu Migrations (Info)
-Shared similar -Languages -Cultures -Technologies -Migrated from west Africa to south and east -Matrilineal -woman joined husbands family when married -her family received gifts from husbands family
African Dance
-communicate with spirits -express life of a community -rituals to mark particular stages of life -ex. young boys and girls becoming adults
For centuries, Africa had no written language
-did not record a written history -recorded history using oral history -passed on history, traditions, and cultural values through stories
Rock Painting
-earliest art forms in Africa -Show lives of people in the area -Hunted -Danced -Carried out everyday tasks
Figures of animals often used in West African sculptures
-expressed qualities valued in African culture Crocodile: Strength Tortoise: Old Age Antelope: Speed/Agility Lizard: Life Horses: Power Birds: Wisdom
Music and dance connected to everyday African life
-expressed religious feelings -ease an everyday task -important role in community activities
African Music
-group singing -Musical instruments -drums, whistles, horns, flutes, or banjos -> keep the beat -Inspired many genres of music: blues, spiritual/gospel songs, ragtime, jazz, rock n roll, and rap.
Believed departed ancestors watched over them
-help living communicate with the dead ask ancestors for favors and protection
Griot: an official storyteller
-helped teach children by telling the village's oral history -stories gave a life lesson -often used music in their stories -Korie = stringed instrument -Stories entertained and educated, creating a sense of community -passed down from generation to generation
Africa excelled in these art forms:
-painting -weaving -woodcarving -poetry -dancing -metalwork
How was African Slavery practiced?
-practiced since ancient times -bantu warriors raided nearby villages for captives -Used as laborers, servants, soldiers -some set free for payment -Africans enslaved their enemies -traded them for goods -Difficult lives -could win their freedom through work or by marrying a free person
clay and metal figures/statues
-represented people and animals
Why might European explorers have been surprised to observe women serving in these roles?
Europe's customs had fewer rights for women.
Europeans arrived in West Africa ->
New market for enslaved Africans opened -Africans armed with European guns began to raid villages and seize captives to sell.
What geographic features prevented the Bantu from heading further North? Why might this barrier have stopped migration?
The Sahara prevented migration because of lack of resources.
Why might historians be unable to determine the cause of the Bantu migrations?
There were no written records of them.
What are two examples of ways in which some women broke out of traditional roles in early African society?
They became soldiers and rulers.
How did the Bantu migrations cause Africa to have many common beliefs and customs?
They were widespread and spread the same messages throughout.
In what way were children especially valued in African families?
Without children, people could not pass down teachings.
