West African Society

1
West African Society

• Section 2

2
Standard 7.4.2

• Analyze the importance of family, labor
  specialization, and regional commerce in the
  development of states and cities in West Africa.

3
Section Focus Question

• What were the characteristics of society and the
  economy in West Africa?

4
Background Knowledge

• Songhai, like earlier West African empires,
  was made up of many groups of people. Each had
  its own language and traditions. In this section,
  will show that these diverse groups created a
  vibrant society.

5
Kinship and Castes

• West Africans had well-organized societies.
• Families were the foundation of these societies.

6
Family Ties

• kinship, or connection based on family
  relationships.
• Families were not just made up of parents and
  children. They included grandparents, aunts and
  uncles, and cousins.

7
Family Ties

• Lineage - a group of people who are related to a
  common ancestor.

8
Family Ties

• Clan - a larger group of related families.
• Several closely related clans lived together in a
  village.

9
Family Ties

• several villages united into larger ethnic
  groups.
• ethnic group shared a distinct culture, language,
  and identity.

10
The Social Structure

• Caste or social class is individuals place in
  the social structure.
• system divided people into social groups, each
  with a specific occupation and rank.
• A persons caste was determined at birth.

11
West African Slavery

• Enslaved people made up the lowest level of
  society.
• came from groups that had been defeated in wars.
• Slaves had certain rights.
• They could marry, and families could not be
  separated.
• protected from harsh punishment
• earn money and even buy their freedom.

12
City and Village Life

• West African families lived clustered together in
  towns and villages.
• urban areas
• Arabic was the main language of trade and
  worship.
• rural villages
• families spoke the languages of their ancestors
  and worshiped the ancient gods.

13
Farming Villages

• The economy of West African villages was based on
  producing food.
• Farmers grew rice, yams, beans, and other crops.
• Herders raised cattle and other animals for meat,
  milk, and skins.
• Fishers sold dried or smoked fish.
• In the local markets, villagers traded things
  they produced for things they needed.
• Villagers also set up trade with other towns.

14
Trading Cities

• Trade was central to the economy of cities.
• Markets offered goods from all along the caravan
  routes.
• Goods were bought with cowrie shells or gold
  coins.

15
Trading Cities

• As trade flowed into cities, their populations
  increased.
• City dwellers buy a varied and steady supply of
  food and finely crafted goods

16
Looking Back and Ahead

• This section discussed the West Africans strong
  belief in family and the importance of kinship
  ties in West African society. You also learned
  how trade affected the lives of both villagers
  and city residents. The next section, will
  discuss the arts and oral history traditions of
  West Africa.