Extended families

Matrilineal

Queen Dahia al-Kahina

Queen Nzinga

Oral history

Africa Diaspora- page 235

Vocabulary 3.3

Extended families - families made up of several generations - family was the core of African society

Matrilineal - tracing your descent through your mom rather than dad (Bantu did this)

Queen Dahia al-Kahina - led the fight against Muslim invasion of her kingdom

Queen Nzinga - battled the Portuguese slave traders in an effort to stop them from enslaving her people

Africa Diaspora - the spread of African people and culture around the world

Vocabulary 3.3

Life in Medieval AfricaLife in Medieval Africa

Africa is huge but it’s people Africa is huge but it’s people shared many common beliefsshared many common beliefs

Family was the foundation of African Family was the foundation of African society. society. Extended familiesExtended families lived lived together (clan). It could include from together (clan). It could include from 10 to 100 family members.10 to 100 family members.

Life in Medieval AfricaLife in Medieval Africa

Many villages, including the Bantu, traced Many villages, including the Bantu, traced their families through the mother their families through the mother ((matrilinealmatrilineal). When a woman married she ). When a woman married she went to live with her husband’s family and went to live with her husband’s family and husbands gave gifts like cattle, tools, husbands gave gifts like cattle, tools, goats, cloth to the wife’s family.goats, cloth to the wife’s family.

Children were cherished and seen as link to Children were cherished and seen as link to past and guarantee for future. Many past and guarantee for future. Many believed ancestors could be reborn in a believed ancestors could be reborn in a child.child.

Life in Medieval AfricaLife in Medieval Africa

Children learned clan history and skills from Children learned clan history and skills from the family and other villagers. In W. Africa the family and other villagers. In W. Africa griots (storytellers) helped teach the griots (storytellers) helped teach the village oral history by telling stories pasted village oral history by telling stories pasted on from generation to generation. Most on from generation to generation. Most stories had a lesson about living.stories had a lesson about living.

Life in Medieval AfricaLife in Medieval Africa

Women in Africa were mostly wives and Women in Africa were mostly wives and mothers with men having more rights and mothers with men having more rights and control over the family. control over the family.

There were some exceptions - some were There were some exceptions - some were soldiers and some were legendary rulerssoldiers and some were legendary rulers

Queen Queen Dahia al-KahinaDahia al-Kahina who lead a fight who lead a fight against Muslim invasion and against Muslim invasion and Queen NzingaQueen Nzinga battled the Portuguese slave traders to stop battled the Portuguese slave traders to stop them from taking her people.them from taking her people.

SlaverySlavery

African slave trade changed when African slave trade changed when Muslims and Europeans started Muslims and Europeans started taking captives from the African taking captives from the African

continentcontinent

In 1441 a Portuguese sea captain took In 1441 a Portuguese sea captain took the first African slaves to Portugal.the first African slaves to Portugal.

SlaverySlavery

Slavery has existed throughout the world Slavery has existed throughout the world for a long time. It did not begin with for a long time. It did not begin with the African slave trade.the African slave trade.

Africans had war captives that they kept Africans had war captives that they kept as laborers (workers) but would as laborers (workers) but would release them for a fee. They also release them for a fee. They also enslaved criminals and their enemies. enslaved criminals and their enemies. These slaves could earn their These slaves could earn their freedom.freedom.

SlaverySlavery

The Quran forbade Muslims to enslave other The Quran forbade Muslims to enslave other Muslims so when Muslim merchants Muslims so when Muslim merchants began trade with Africans they began to began trade with Africans they began to trade goods for non-Muslim Africans.trade goods for non-Muslim Africans.

When Europeans came to W. Africa a new When Europeans came to W. Africa a new market began. Europeans gave Africans market began. Europeans gave Africans guns to raid villages to get slaves to sell. guns to raid villages to get slaves to sell. Many Europeans who first planned to sell Many Europeans who first planned to sell gold from Africa quickly changed their gold from Africa quickly changed their plans and joined the slave trade.plans and joined the slave trade.

SlaverySlavery

The first African slaves went to Portugal The first African slaves went to Portugal and then traveled with the Portuguese as and then traveled with the Portuguese as their free labor. Portugal became the their free labor. Portugal became the world’s leading supplier of sugar thanks world’s leading supplier of sugar thanks to the skills and labor of African slaves.to the skills and labor of African slaves.

Other Europeans followed Portugal’s Other Europeans followed Portugal’s example and by the late 1400s example and by the late 1400s Europeans brought Africans to work the Europeans brought Africans to work the sugar, tobacco, rice and cotton sugar, tobacco, rice and cotton plantations in America.plantations in America.

African CultureAfrican Culture

African slaves developed a new African slaves developed a new culture that influenced many other culture that influenced many other

culturescultures

When slaves were stolen from their When slaves were stolen from their country they took their culture with country they took their culture with them. This is called them. This is called Africa Diaspora.Africa Diaspora.

Africans kept their memories and culture Africans kept their memories and culture and passed it on from generation to and passed it on from generation to generation.generation.

African CultureAfrican Culture

African art told stories or had a religious African art told stories or had a religious meaning or use. meaning or use. Cave paintingsCave paintings are the are the earliest known form of African art.earliest known form of African art.

African music and dance was a part of African music and dance was a part of most everyday life including religion and most everyday life including religion and everyday tasks. They believed dance everyday tasks. They believed dance lets spirits express themselves.lets spirits express themselves.

African CultureAfrican Culture

Slaves used music to remind them of their Slaves used music to remind them of their homeland. Songs of hardship became homeland. Songs of hardship became the bluesthe blues and songs of hope, faith and and songs of hope, faith and freedom became freedom became gospelgospel

Other forms of African based music is jazz, Other forms of African based music is jazz, rock and roll and rap rock and roll and rap