C. Lewis
Chapter 15 id questions
Section 1 - Hunters - Gather societies
In Africa during the 800's- 1500's Seminomadic hunter- gathers were around. They relied on hunting and gathering for survival. Scholars learn clues about how hunting and gathers may have lived in the past.
2. Stateless Societies
In Africa during the 800's -1500's Lineages and Igbos controled Africa. They did not have a centralized system of power. They belived in the age system. They developed system of governing based on lineages.
3. Muslims States
In the 600's Muslims spreaded throughout North Africa. Two groups of Muslims reformers founded empires. This boasted tremendous economic and political power and strong links to international
P.Ford
World History Chapt. 15 Sec. 2
4. Ghana: Land of Gold
By a.d. 200, trade across the Sahara had existed for centuries and remained infrequent and irregular because of the harsh desert conditions. The trade routes crossed the Savannah through the Sonike region south of the savanna between Niger and Senegal Rivers that Muslim traders began to refer to as Ghana after the region's leader.The two most important trade items were gold and salt. Merchants met in trading cities, where they exchanged goods under the watchful eye of the king's tax collector.The king limited the price of gold and kept its price from falling by only allowing himself to own gold nuggets. He was the religious leader,chief judge, and military commander. By the year 800, Ghana had become an Empire. South of the Sahara, Islam spread through trade. Eventually ghana's rulers converted to Islam.In 1076 the Muslim Lmoravids of North Africa completed their conquest of Ghana. Although the yeventually withdrew from Ghana, the war had badly disrupted the gold-salt trade. ghan never regained its power.
5. Empire of Mali
By 1235 the kingdom of mali had emerged, and the kingdom's wealth was built on gold.Mali's first great leader, Sundiata, came to power by conquering the previous leader. He proved to be as great a leader in peace as he had been in war. Sundiata died in 1255, aome of the next rulers became Muslims. Mansa Musa was a skilled military leaderwho exercised royal control over trade and put down every rebellion. Mansa Musa went on a hajj to Mecca from 1324 to 25, and when he returned ordered the building of of new mosques in Timbuktu and Gao.
WHc15IDQuest.Section 3 EASTERN City-States and Southern Empires
East Coast Trade Cities
By 1100, waves of Bantu-speaking people had migrated across central Africa to the east coast and established farming and fishing villages. Traders took advantage of the monsoons and migrated across the Indian Ocean to East Africa causing the existing coastal line to grow into a bustling seaport. The traders included East African, Arabian, Persian, and Indian merchants. As trade increased, Muslim Arab and Persian traders settled in the ports, and the mixture of the Arabic and Bantu languages created the Swahili language. Persian traders moved south from the Horn of Africa-a triangular peninsula near Arabia. Here they traded Asian goods-porcelain bowls-and African raw materials-ivory, gold, and tortoiseshell. By 1300, more than 35 trading cities dotted the coast from Mogadishu in the north to Kilwa and Sofala in the south (producing cloth and iron).
The City-State of Kilwa The city was very eloquent, among the most beautiful of that time. The rich family lived in houses of coral and stone, and slept in beds inlaid with ivory. Kilwa grew rich because it was as far south on the coast as a ship from India could sail in one monsoon season, thus increasing trade graetly here. In the late 1200s, Kilwa had seized the power of Sofala, which was a trading center for gold mined inland; helping Kilwa to control the overseas trade of gold, making it the wealthiest, most powerful city-state in the world.
Portuguese Conquest In 1448, the first Portuguese ships rounded the southern tip of Africa and sailed north, looking for a sea route to India. When the Portuguese saw the wealth of the East African city-states, they decided to conquer these cities and remained a presence here for the next centuries.
Islamic Influences
As in West Africa, Muslim trade introduced Islam to the East African coast, and the growth of commerce caused it to spread. A Muslim sultan, or rule, governed most cities.
Islamic Law Most government officials and wealthy merchants were Muslims. However the vast majority of people along the East African coast held on to their traditional religious beliefs.
Great Zimbabwe The gold and ivory that helped the coastal city-states grow came from the interior of Southern Africa. In southeastern Africa the Shona people established a city called the Great Zimbabwe, which grew into an empire built on the gold trade. By 1000, the Shona people had claimed the fertile, well-watered plateau between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers in modern Zimbabwe. Its location had an economic advantage because it stood near an important trade route linking the inland gold-fields with the city of Sofala. Sometime after 1000, Zimbabwe gained control of these trade routes. From the 1200s through the 1400s, it became the capital of a thriving state. Its leaders taxed the traders who traveled these routes and demanded payments from less powerful chiefs. Zimbabwe was the economic, political, and religious center of its empire. By 1450, Zimbabwe was abandoned. No one knows for sure why this happened. Yet, it is believed that the area could no longer support such a large population.
WHc13Idquest.R.Hall
Section 3
Knighthood and Chivalry
Early in the Middle Ages, knights were expected to display courage in battle and loyalty to their lord. By the 1100sm the code of chivalry, a complex set of ideals, demanded that the knight fight bravely in defense of his earthly feudal lord, his heavenly Lord, and his chosen lady. The chivalrous knight protected the weak and the poor, was loyal, brave and courteous. Yet, most failed to meet these high standards and treated the poor brutally.
War Games for Glory Sons of nobles began training for knighthood at an early age sand learned the code of chivalry. After being dubbed knight, most young men traveled with companions for a year or two. The young knights gained experience fighting in local wars and mock battles called tournaments.
Brutal Reality of War the small-scale violence of tournaments did not match the bloodshed of actual battles. Stone castles were enriched by massive walls and guard towers. The castle was home of the lord and lady, their family, knights and other men-at-arms, and servants. A castle under siege was a gory sight. Defenders of a castle poured boiling water, hot oil, and molten lead on enemy soldiers. Archers were stationed on the roof of the castle.
The Literature of Chivalry
In the 1100’s, the theme of medieval literature downplayed the brutality of knighthood and feudal warfare. Many stories idealize castle life. They glorified knighthood and chivalry, tournaments and real battle. Songs and poems about a knight’s undying love for a lady were also popular.
Epic Poetry Feudal lords and their ladies enjoyed listening to epic poems. These poems recounted a hero’s deeds and adventures. Many epics retold stories about legendary heroes of the early Middle Ages, such as King Arthur and Charlemagne.
The Song of Roland was one of the earliest and most famous medieval epic poems.
Love Poems and Songs Under the code of chivalry, a knight’s duty to his lady became as important as his duty to his lord. In many medieval poems, the hero’s difficulties resulted from a conflict between those two obligations. Troubadours were poet-musicians at the castles and courts in Europe. The most celebrated woman of this age was Eleanor of Aquitaine (1122-1204). Troubadours flocked to her court. Later as queen of England, Eleanor was the mother of Richard the Lion-Hearted and King John. Her daughter, Marie of Champagne, turned love into a subject of study and presided at a Famed Court of Love where troubled lovers came to air their grievances.