For centuries Arabs had traded with African kingdoms such as Great Zimbabwe and Mwanamutapa in order to supply Arabia, the Persian Gulf, India and even China with African ivory and gold. The Arab settlers intermarried with the indigenous African people living along the east coast.
What is the history of West Africa?
The history of West Africa has been commonly divided into its prehistory, the Iron Age in Africa, the major polities flourishing, the colonial period, and finally the post-independence era, in which the current nations were formed. West Africa is west of an imagined north-south axis lying close to 10° east longitude, ...
When did the Europeans colonise West Africa?
French armies followed not long after. In the Scramble for Africa in the 1880s the Europeans started to colonise the inland of West Africa, they had previously mostly controlled trading ports along the coasts and rivers.
Where did the Moroccans settle in West Africa?
They moved from Mauritania and settled in Futa Tooro, Futa Djallon, and subsequently throughout the rest of West Africa. By the 14th century CE, they had converted to Islam.
Where did the jihads settle in West Africa?
They moved from Mauritania and settled in Futa Tooro, Futa Djallon, and subsequently throughout the rest of West Africa. By the 14th century CE, they had converted to Islam. During the 16th century, they established themselves at Macina in southern Mali. During the 1670s, they declared jihads on non-Muslims.
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How was Arabic used in West Africa?
West Africans often blended Islamic culture with their own traditions. For example, West Africans who became Muslims began praying to God in Arabic. They built mosques as places of workshop. Yet they also continued to pray to the spirits of their ancestors, as they had done for centuries…
Did Arabs conquer West Africa?
It was at this point that Arab military expeditions into North African regions west of Egypt were first launched, continuing for years and furthering the spread of Islam....Muslim conquest of the Maghreb.Date647–709 ADResultUmayyad victoryTerritorial changesMaghreb brought under Umayyad rule1 more row
How was West Africa affected by Islam?
Islam promoted trade between West Africa and the Mediterranean. The religion developed and widened the trans-Saharan Caravan trade. The trade enriched the West African and the Muslim traders. Muslims from North Africa came in their numbers and settled in the commercial centres.
Who settled West Africa?
West African hunter-gatherers occupied western Central Africa (e.g., Shum Laka) earlier than 32,000 BP, dwelled throughout coastal West Africa by 12,000 BP, and migrated northward between 12,000 BP and 8000 BP as far as Mali, Burkina Faso, and Mauritania.
Who first brought Islam to West Africa?
North African traders were major actors in introducing Islam into West Africa. Several major trade routes connected Africa below the Sahara with the Mediterranean Middle East, such as Sijilmasa to Awdaghust and Ghadames to Gao.
Why were the Arab conquests successful?
The success of the Arab Conquests can be easily broken down into two factors: the strengths of Islam and the weaknesses of their enemies.
What was the impact of Arab trade on the three great empires of West Africa?
Extensive trade routes brought the people of Ghana into contact with people of many different cultures and beliefs. As the kingdom of Ghana extended into the Sahara, increased contact with Arab traders from the east brought the religion of Islam to Ghana.
How is the image an example of Arab influence on West African culture?
How is the image an example of Arab influence on West African culture? It reflects the ways in which gold was used to build palaces for West African rulers. It illustrates how Arab merchants peacefully introduced their religion during trading trips.
What is the history of West Africa?
The history of West Africa can be divided into five major periods: first, its prehistory, in which the first human settlers arrived, developed agriculture, and made contact with peoples to the north; the second, the Iron Age empires that consolidated both intra-Africa, and extra-Africa trade, and developed centralized ...
What is West Africa called?
western Africa, region of the western African continent comprising the countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cabo Verde, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
What was the culture of West Africa?
West African culture is an amalgamation of various tribes and cultures that have come together over time to create a diverse and fascinating regional subculture. Similar to other regions on the continent, West African culture is rich with traditions and customs.
Which Arab countries colonized Africa?
The European powers colonized one Islamic country after another. France occupied Algeria in 1830, and Britain Aden nine years later. Tunisia was occupied in 1881, Egypt in 1882, the Sudan in 1889 and Libya and Morocco in 1912.
Do Middle Easterners have African DNA?
Middle Eastern groups have inherited about 4 to 15 percent, with the mixing of populations dating back roughly 32 generations. A diverse array of Jewish populations can date their Sub-Saharan African ancestry back roughly 72 generations, on average, accounting for 3 to 5 percent of their genetic makeup today.
When did Islam invade Africa?
7th century CEIslam spread from the Middle East to take hold across North Africa during the second half of the 7th century CE when the Umayyad Caliphate (661-750 CE) of Damascus conquered that area by military force.
What are the boundaries of West Africa?
Colonial boundaries are reflected in the modern boundaries between contemporary West African states, cutting across ethnic and cultural lines, often dividing single ethnic groups between two or more states. In contrast to most of Central, Southern and Southeast Africa, West Africa is not populated by Bantu -speaking peoples.
What is the western border of West Africa?
West Africa is west of an imagined north-south axis lying close to 10° east longitude. The Atlantic Ocean forms the western and southern borders of the West African region. The northern border is the Sahara Desert, with the Ranishanu Bend generally considered the northernmost part of the region.
What did the Europeans do in Africa?
At the same time, the Europeans started to travel into the interior of Africa to trade and explore. Mungo Park (1771–1806) made the first serious expedition into the region's interior, tracing the Niger River as far as Timbuktu. French armies followed not long after.
What countries were part of the Songhai Empire?
Following the collapse of the Songhai Empire, a number of smaller states arose across West Africa, including the Bambara Empire of Ségou, the lesser Bambara kingdom of Kaarta, the Fula / Malinké kingdom of Khasso (in present-day Mali 's Kayes Region ), and the Kénédougou Empire of Sikasso.
How long did the Liberian Civil War last?
The peace did not last long, and in 1999 the Second Liberian Civil War broke out.
What peoples lived in West Africa during the Pleistocene?
During the Pleistocene, Middle Stone Age peoples (e.g., Iwo Eleru people, possibly Aterians ), who dwelled throughout West Africa between MIS 4 and MIS 2, were gradually replaced by incoming Late Stone Age peoples, who migrated into West Africa as an increase in humid conditions resulted in the subsequent expansion of the West African forest.
Where are the Upper and Lower Guinean forests?
The Upper Guinean forests and Lower Guinean forests are divided by the Dahomey Gap, a region of savanna and dry forest in Togo and Benin. The forests are a few hundred kilometres inland from the Atlantic Ocean coast on the southern part of West Africa.
How much land was settled in West Africa between 1975 and 2013?
Land use maps show that settled or built-up areas increased by 140 percent in West Africa between 1975 and 2013 — to occupy 36,400 sq km by 2013 (0.7 percent of the land surface).
What has happened to West Africa in the past 50 years?
In the past 50 years, West Africa has been experiencing intensive urbanization, which has affected the region’s largest and smallest urban centers (Cour and Snrech, 1998). In 1975, the distribution and pattern of West Africa’s settlements were little changed compared to their historical size and extent. These settlements — built up areas comprising ...
Where are the cities in West Africa?
Across the region, numerous towns have grown into large urban centers or secondary towns like Bobo-Dioulasso (Burkina Faso), Bouaké (Côte d’Ivoire), Touba (Senegal), Kumasi (Ghana), and several large cities in Nigeria. The number of small agglomerations has also multiplied spectacularly across the region.
Where are the most urbanized countries in West Africa?
In this coastal corridor, population has grown fast and population density is the highest in the West African region. With the exception of the small countries of The Gambia and Cabo Verde where settlements are concentrated in one large metropolis, the Gulf of Guinea countries are the most urbanized in the region, with settlements occupying between 1 percent (Benin) and 2 percent (Nigeria) of their national territory in 2013 (see graph). In the western part of the Atlantic coast, some areas remain relatively underpopulated and also under- urbanized. The prolonged political uprisings and conflicts in Liberia and Sierra Leone, as well as the Casamance conflict in Senegal, still hinder trade and the movement of people (Moriconi-Ebrard, Harre, and Heinrigs, 2016). During these conflicts, economic growth and infrastructure development were impeded, and part of the population migrated not only toward rural areas but also to neighboring countries (especially Guinea and Côte d’Ivoire). In the recent decade (2000–2013), settlements have greatly expanded along several axes perpendicular to the coastline — inwards from the coast, such as Dakar–Touba, Accra–Kumasi, or Lagos–Ibadan, and also following the major north-south routes, such as Maradi–Kano, and Abijdan–Ouagadougou. In the landlocked Sahel countries, large cities are sparser but new clusters and major regional hubs, such as Bamako and Ouagadougou, have emerged. Many new settlements also appeared along the major rivers in Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Chad. Because these countries have important agricultural resources to meet the growing demands of the regional market (cereals, fruits and vegetables, intensive livestock farming), the long east-west corridor from N’Djamena to Dakar constitutes a strategic area for regional trade and a very dynamic region for population flow and settlement in West Africa (Konseiga, 2005). Recent migration flows have been observed toward western Burkina Faso, a phenomenon that is accelerated by the success of cotton production and the urbanization of secondary cities, such as Bobo-Dioulasso.
Why were the Arabs fleeing persecution?
The Arabs were fleeing religious persecution and seeking fortune, much like the Europeans in the New World.
Why did Napoleon colonize Africa?
Napoleon Bonaparte saw colonization in Africa as a way to improve France's stature compared to the British.
Who promoted the 3 Cs in Africa?
On the whole, Europe's colonization of Africa actually underdeveloped the country. David Livingstone, an early African missionary, promoted the "3 Cs" —commerce, Christianity, and civilization, while exploring the African interior. Describe the Songhai society.
The Phoenicians, the First Sailers to Discover West Africa?
When people think of explorers, many people think of Europeans such as Vasco de Gama, Columbus, or Ferdinand Magellan.
The Phoenician Civilization
Map of Phoenician Colonies throughout the Mediterranean by en.wikipedia.org
Where are the ancient Arab settlements?
Ancient Arab settlements of the Swahili coast. Often overlooked by visitors to East Africa, the coastal areas of southern Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania and northern Mozambique boast several ruined and extant historical towns of significant cultural importance.
Who settled in East Africa?
When a Greek author and traveller from Egypt visited East Africa about the middle of the first century of the Christian era he found the Coast and its islands already settled by Arabs who recognized the King of Yemen as their suzerain lord. According to the writings of this author in his book The Periplus Of The Erythrean Sea, those Arabs had made their settlements in East Africa for centuries before his visit, and had already mixed their blood with the local population. By this evidence it becomes clear that Arabs have been inhabiting East Africa for much more than 2,000 years (John Gray: History of Zanzibar pp 10-11). W.H. Ingrams, quoting Rev. W.A. Crabtree, writes in his book - Zanzibar Its History and Its People that about four thousand years ago Arabs, known to the ancient Egyptians as "Aamu" and "Arapin", came to East Africa. Says Ingrams
How long did the Rihlah travel?
His 27-year wanderings through Africa, Asia, and Europe covered some 75,000 mi (120,000 km). On his return, he dictated his reminiscences, which became one of the world's most famous travel books, the Rihlah.
What was the major port city of Kenya in the Middle Ages?
In the late pre-colonial period (late 19th century), it was the metropolis of a plantation society, which became dependent on slave labour (sources contradict whether the city was ever an important place for exporting slaves) but ivory caravans remained a major source of economic prosperity. Mombasa became the major port city of pre-colonial Kenya in the Middle Ages and was used to trade with other African port cities, Persia, Arab traders, Yemen India and China.
What was the importance of Mombasa?
During the pre-modern period, Mombasa was an important centre for the trade in spices, gold, and ivory. Its trade links reached as far as India and China and oral historians today can still recall this period of local history. Throughout the early modern period, Mombasa was a key node in the complex and far reaching Indian Ocean trading networks, its key exports then were ivory, millet, sesamum and coconuts.
Who engraved the map of Swahili?
Map of the Swahili coast, from Jan Huyghen van Linschoten's "Itinerario: Voyage ofte schipvaert van Jan Huyghen van Linschoten naer Oost ofte Portugaels Indien, 1579-1592", engraved by Arnold Florentius van Langeren and published in Amsterdam by Cornelis Claesz in 1596.
When was Mombasa founded?
The exact founding date of the city is unknown, but it has a long history. Kenyan school history books place the founding of Mombasa as 900 A.D. It must have been already a prosperous trading town in the 12th century, as the Arab geographer Al Idrisi mentions it in 1151.
When did the Islamic traders come to Africa?
it brought the first Islamic traders to central Africa in the first century B.C.E.
When did Berber resistance stop Arab expansion?
Berber resistance blocked Arab expansion to the westward continental limits until after 1200
What was the Berber resistance?
Berber resistance blocked Arab expansion to the westward continental limits until after 1200. All of the following statements about the arrival of Islam in Africa are true. - it began with the Arab defeat of the Byzantines in Egypt. - Muslim conversion was probably stimulated by tax incentives.
Overview
Cuisine
West African peoples were trading with the Arab world centuries before the influence of Europeans. Spices such as cinnamon were introduced and became part of the local culinary traditions. Centuries later, European explorers and slave traders influenced regional cuisines, but only to a limited extent. However, as far as is known, it was European merchant and slave ships which brought chili peppers and tomatoes from the New World to West Africa, and both have beco…
Geographic background
West Africa is west of an imagined north–south axis lying close to 10° east longitude. The Atlantic Ocean forms the western and southern borders of the West African region. The northern border is the Sahara Desert, with the Ranishanu Bend generally considered the northernmost part of the region. The eastern border is less precise, with some placing it at the Benue Trough, and ot…
Cultural history
Colonial boundaries are reflected in the modern boundaries between contemporary West African states, cutting across ethnic and cultural lines, often dividing single ethnic groups between two or more states. In contrast to most of Central, Southern and Southeast Africa, West Africa is not populated by Bantu-speaking peoples.
Historiographic and Conceptual Problems of North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa
The current major problem in African studies that Mohamed (2010/2012) identified is the inherited religious, Orientalist, colonial paradigm that European Africanists have preserved in present-day secularist, post-colonial, Anglophone African historiography. African and African-American scholars also bear some responsibility in perpetuating this European Africanist preserved paradigm.
Following conceptualizations of Africa developed by Leo Africanus and Hegel, European Africanist…
Health
Traditional African medicine is a holistic discipline involving indigenous herbalism and African spirituality. Practitioners claim to be able to cure various and diverse conditions. Modern science has, in the past, considered methods of traditional knowledge as primitive and backward. Under colonial rule, traditional diviner-healers were outlawed because they were considered by many nations …
Genetic history of West Africa
According to a 2020 study by Durvasula et al., there are indications that 2% to 19% (or about ≃6.6 and ≃7.0%) of the DNA of four West African populations may have come from an unknown archaic hominin which split from the ancestor of humans and Neanderthals between 360 kya to 1.02 mya. However, the study also suggests that at least part of this archaic admixture is also present in Eur…
Timeline of archaeological cultures and sites
• Ounjougou (Middle Pleistocene)
• Ugwuele (1,600,000 BP - 95,000 BP)
Ngodo
• Mousteroid (30,000 BP)
• Bingerville (13,000 BP)