chapter19changecontinuity

Type in the content of your new page here.Sub-Saharan Africa had difficulty establishing networks of trade and communication due to geographical conditions like the sahara desert, african coastlines, and river cataracts. However, as Sub-Saharan continued to expand the amount of land under cultivation and got new crops, they developed agricultural societies. Population increased and they moved from kin based socities to organized states with specialized economic centers and interregional trade. This region grew mainly due to influences in the eastern hemisphere. As all of these changes occured, certain traditions remainded such as kin-based socities even though there were organized states. In addition, as christianity and islam came to africa, many groups added and morphed their beliefs to the incoming religions.
 * **__changes in African society__**
 * Food source - The introduction of bananas to africa encouraged a surge in migration. The bananas came from sea lanes that crossed the indian oceans, and enabled the expand into the heavy forest where yams and millet did not grow well. This new food source enriched the diet of the africans who ate them and allowed for rapid expansion.
 * Spread of Society - most societys during the bantu migrations were kin based socities which were societies that had little governmental structure and were often villages of 100 people with males at the ruling group. At about 1000 c.e., population increase and migrations strained the amount of land and caused an increase of conflict. This brought about organized military for defensive and offensive purposes, which in turn brought about more organized communities. Districts would often be overruled by by powerfull chiefs, and turned into a chiefdom.
 * Camels - The introduction of camels quickened the rate of communication and transportation across the sahara because of the camels physical structure which enabled them to carry a large amount of cargo over far distinces with little water. Camels eventually replaced camels and donkeys for the prefered transportation animal to cross the sahara.
 * City-states - Trade brought endless wealth to the east coast of africa and chiefs made money for their societies by taxing and controlling trade in their areas. City-states formed in areas where there were sheltered and conveniet locations. These states were governed by a king who would supervise trade and organize public life.
 * Building material - As large wealth came to africa, building materials changed. At first, buildings were made if dried mud and wood, which were the principal building materials. But with wealth came new building materials such as coral and stone which transformed the types of buildings, their ability to stand up to the climate, and the techniques of making such buildings.
 * Religion - The first religions in Africa were cultural religions which gave a basic understanding and reason for life. As trade increased, religions started to come into africa, including Islam and Christianity. These religions changed political structure and increased trade. Merchants would often change religion so could have a common characteristic with the traders and have an ease on dealings.
 * Slave trading - As trade increased to africa, so did the trade of slaves. Slaves became one of the main trading goods and changed africa forever. socieities would often take over smaller ones and sell them away as slaves. Over a period of 750 years, more then 10 million people were taken as slaves and sold.


 * **__Continuity in African society__**
 * Kin-based socities - Socities that had low population and that were in rural areas kept their kin-based government. They stayed with the male leaders and small government structure instead of going with the highly organized city-state government. This kept a lot of their culture into their communitie and had little outside influence.
 * Traditional culture - Many traditions and ideas from early Africa stayed with the people. This was quite relavent in kin-based socities because of the low influence from outside world but also in the city-states by people merging their beliefs with religions. People would try to change their habits but they did not understand african society and reasons for their traditions so their influence did not work well
 * womens role - women were close to the same level as men when it came to interactions and society. Men would often do the difficult work and women would work the fields and tend at the household. Yet, women had a large influence in government, were allowed to take positions of power, and could interact in public affairs, Some times women even enagaged in combat.