Chapter 8 Vocab

1) Stateless Societies: African societies organized around kinship and other forms of obligation
lacking the concentration of political power and authority associated with states
2) Ifriqiya: The Arabic term for eastern north Africa
3) Maghrib: The Arabic term for western north Africa
4) Almohadis: An Islamic movement among the Islamic Berbers of northern Africa; later than the
Almoravids; penetrated into sub-Saharan Africa
5) Juula: Malinke merchants; formed small partnerships to carry out trade throughout Mali
Empire; eventually spread throughout much of West Africa
6) Sundiata: The "Lion Prince"; a member of the Keita clan; created a unified state that became the
Mali Empire; died about 1260
7) Griots: Professional oral historians who served as keepers of traditions and advisors to kings
within the Mali Empire
8) Ibn Batuta: Arabic traveler who described African societies and cultures in his travel records
9) Timbuktu: Port city of Mali; located just off the flood plain on the great bend in the Niger River;
population of 50,000; contained a library and university
10) Songhay: Successor state to Mali; dominated middle reaches of Niger valley; formed as
independent kingdom under a Berber dynasty; capital at Gao; reached imperial status under
Sunni Ali (1464-1492)
11) Muhammad the Great: Extended the boundaries of the Songhay Empire; Islamic ruler of the
mid-16th century
12) Hausa: People of northern Nigeria; formed states following the demise of the Songhay empire
that combined Muslim and Pagan traditions
13) Sharia: Islamic law; defined among other things the patrilineal nature of Islamic inheritance
14) Zenj: Arabic term for East African coast
15) Demography: The scientific study of population characteristics
16) Demographic Transition: Shift to low birth rate; low infant death rate; stable population; first
emerged in western Europe and United States in late 19
th
century

17) Benin: Powerful city-state (in present-day Nigeria) which came into contact with the Portuguese
in 1485 but remained relatively free of European influence; remained an important commercial
and political entity until the 19th century
18) Kongo: Kingdom, based on agriculture, formed on lower Congo River by late 15th century;
capital at Mbanza Kongo; ruled by hereditary monarchy
19) Great Zimbabwe: Bantu confederation of Shona-speaking peoples located between Zambezi
and Limpopo rivers; developed after 9th century; featured royal courts built of stone; created
centralized state by 15th century; king took title of Mwene Mutapa