Chapter 13

Medieval AfricaMedieval Africa

Section 3

African Society and African Society and CultureCulture

Life in Medieval AfricaLife in Medieval Africa

57.57. The The BantuBantu people traveled through people traveled through southern Africa, and had settled most of southern Africa, and had settled most of Africa by A.D. 400.Africa by A.D. 400.

58.58. The Bantu spread their culture through The Bantu spread their culture through migrationmigration..

59.59. They spread skills such as pottery making, They spread skills such as pottery making, mining, and ironworking.mining, and ironworking.

60.60. They also spread their language, They also spread their language, SwahiliSwahili..

61.61. Africans often lived in Africans often lived in extended familiesextended families, , or families made up of several generations.or families made up of several generations.

62.62. Many African villages were Many African villages were matrilinealmatrilineal, , meaning they traced their ancestors meaning they traced their ancestors through their mothers’ side of the family through their mothers’ side of the family rather than their fathers’.rather than their fathers’.

63.63. Matrilineal descent was used mainly by the Matrilineal descent was used mainly by the BantuBantu..

64.64.ChildrenChildren were valued in African culture. were valued in African culture.

65.65.They were considered the link between the They were considered the link between the past and the future.past and the future.

66.66.Some people believed ancestors could be Some people believed ancestors could be reborn in children.reborn in children.

67.67.FamiliesFamilies and and villagesvillages taught children the taught children the history of their people and the skills they history of their people and the skills they would need as adults.would need as adults.

68.68. In West Africa, In West Africa, griotsgriots, or storytellers, helped in , or storytellers, helped in schooling.schooling.

69.69. Children in medieval Western Africa were Children in medieval Western Africa were educated using educated using oral historiesoral histories and and proverbsproverbs..

70.70. Oral historiesOral histories are the are the stories passed down from stories passed down from generation to generationgeneration to generation..

71.71. Many of these stories included a Many of these stories included a lesson about lesson about livingliving..

72.72. Short proverbs, or Short proverbs, or wise sayingswise sayings, were often used , were often used in oral histories to pass along lessons.in oral histories to pass along lessons.

73.73. One Bantu proverb stated: “A good One Bantu proverb stated: “A good deed will make a good neighbor.”deed will make a good neighbor.”

This panel shows a family from the Congo at work.This panel shows a family from the Congo at work.

SlaverySlavery74.74. Slavery existed in Africa before the arrival Slavery existed in Africa before the arrival

of Europeans.of Europeans.

75.75. Africans enslaved Africans enslaved criminalscriminals and and enemies enemies captured in war.captured in war.

76.76. The slave trade grew as The slave trade grew as trade withtrade with Muslim Muslim merchants increasedmerchants increased..

77.77. Muslims were not allowed to enslave other Muslims were not allowed to enslave other Muslims, but they could enslave Muslims, but they could enslave people of people of other faithsother faiths..

78.78. The nature of slavery in Africa changed The nature of slavery in Africa changed withwith the arrival of Europeans the arrival of Europeans..

79.79. Europeans opened a Europeans opened a newnew and and largerlarger market for enslaved Africans.market for enslaved Africans.

80.80. The The PortuguesePortuguese brought enslaved Africans brought enslaved Africans to Europe in 1441.to Europe in 1441.

81.81. These enslaved people were used to farm These enslaved people were used to farm crops.crops.

82.82. In the late 1400s, European In the late 1400s, European established established plantationsplantations in in the Americas and brought the Americas and brought enslaved Africans to work enslaved Africans to work the fields.the fields.

83.83. A plantation is a A plantation is a huge farmhuge farm that grows crops for sale.that grows crops for sale.

84.84. The major crop produced The major crop produced on the Portuguese on the Portuguese plantations was plantations was sugarcanesugarcane. .

On a slave ship, enslaved On a slave ship, enslaved people were transportedpeople were transported

in the dark, crowded spacesin the dark, crowded spacesof the ships cargo deck.of the ships cargo deck.

African CultureAfrican Culture

85.85. Artistic expression was an important part Artistic expression was an important part of African culture.of African culture.

86.86. Enslaved Africans took their culture with Enslaved Africans took their culture with them when they were traded.them when they were traded.

87.87. Through slavery, African culture was Through slavery, African culture was spread around the world.spread around the world.

88.88. The earliest African art form was The earliest African art form was cave cave paintingspaintings..

89.89. These cave paintings showed scenes of These cave paintings showed scenes of daily life, told stories, and had some daily life, told stories, and had some religious meaning or use.religious meaning or use.

90.90. MusicMusic was an important aspect of almost was an important aspect of almost every part of African life.every part of African life.

91.91. Many African songs used Many African songs used musical musical instrumentsinstruments to keep a beat during singing. to keep a beat during singing.

92.92. Enslaved Africans used music to remind Enslaved Africans used music to remind them of their them of their homelandhomeland..

93.93. Their songs of hardship and religious faith Their songs of hardship and religious faith grew into grew into gospelgospel songs. songs.

94.94. Jazz, blues, ragtime, rock and roll, and rap Jazz, blues, ragtime, rock and roll, and rap are genres also based in African musical are genres also based in African musical traditions.traditions.

The Portuguese built Elmire Castle on the coast of GhanaThe Portuguese built Elmire Castle on the coast of Ghanato hold enslaved Africans before shipping them overseas.to hold enslaved Africans before shipping them overseas.