West African Change & continuity essay
Describe and analyze the cultural, economic, and political impact of Islam on West Africa between 1000 C.E and 1750 C.E.
Between 1000 and 1750 C.E. Islam entered West Africa and increased its trade, many Islamic states rose and fell, but many aspects of African religion and gender roles remained unchanged. Between 1000 and 1700, Islam caused West Africa to experience an increase in trade and economic activity, the rise and fall of several Islamic states and empires, and provided new practices to be blended with the traditional African culture. In the period of 1000 and 1750 C.E Islam increased West African economics by increasing trade. Muslim merchants brought Islam into West Africa and it spreads throughout the rest of Africa. Many aspects of African religion and gender roles remained unchanged, however new practices were blended in with the traditional African culture. African rulers began to adopt Islam while ruling over populations with diverse faiths and cultures. Many of these rulers blended Islam with traditional and local practices in what is called the mixing phase. Islam impacted West Africa greatly by increasing trade, and blending its culture with West African culture.
By 1000 C.E. Bantu cities were governed by kinship groups rather than bureaucracies. A group of villages, based on ethnic loyalties, made up a district, but there usually was no head or chief of a district. Village chiefs resolved district issues. The terms stateless societies or segmentary societies are often used to refer to this type of social organization. After 1000 C.E. though, these kin-based societies faced difficult challenges as population growth strained land resources. Ensuing conflicts encouraged Bantu communities to formally organize first their military and then their governments. The West African kingdoms of Ife and Benin developed as complex city- states during this time. The kingdom of Kongo emerged as the most tightly centralized Bantu kingdom and as a prosperous
Between 1000 and 1750 C.E. Islam entered West Africa and increased its trade, many Islamic states rose and fell, but many aspects of African religion and gender roles remained unchanged. Between 1000 and 1700, Islam caused West Africa to experience an increase in trade and economic activity, the rise and fall of several Islamic states and empires, and provided new practices to be blended with the traditional African culture. In the period of 1000 and 1750 C.E Islam increased West African economics by increasing trade. Muslim merchants brought Islam into West Africa and it spreads throughout the rest of Africa. Many aspects of African religion and gender roles remained unchanged, however new practices were blended in with the traditional African culture. African rulers began to adopt Islam while ruling over populations with diverse faiths and cultures. Many of these rulers blended Islam with traditional and local practices in what is called the mixing phase. Islam impacted West Africa greatly by increasing trade, and blending its culture with West African culture.
By 1000 C.E. Bantu cities were governed by kinship groups rather than bureaucracies. A group of villages, based on ethnic loyalties, made up a district, but there usually was no head or chief of a district. Village chiefs resolved district issues. The terms stateless societies or segmentary societies are often used to refer to this type of social organization. After 1000 C.E. though, these kin-based societies faced difficult challenges as population growth strained land resources. Ensuing conflicts encouraged Bantu communities to formally organize first their military and then their governments. The West African kingdoms of Ife and Benin developed as complex city- states during this time. The kingdom of Kongo emerged as the most tightly centralized Bantu kingdom and as a prosperous