Lesson 3: African Society and Culture

Key Idea

In many early African societies, life centered on the family. People often lived in extended families, which included parents, children, and other relatives in one household. These families belonged to larger lineage groups, connecting everyone who shared a common ancestor.

Many of these societies were matrilineal, a tradition common among Bantu-speaking peoples. In this system, people traced their ancestry and inherited property through their mothers. This practice highlighted the important role of women within the community.

Key Idea

Beginning around 3000 B.C.E., groups of people speaking Bantu languages began a long journey from their homeland in West Africa. This massive, centuries-long movement is known as the Bantu migrations.

As these groups traveled south and east, they introduced new skills to the regions they settled. They were skilled farmers who brought new crops. They also carried the advanced technology of iron-working, which allowed for stronger tools and weapons.

Key Idea

In many early African societies, women's work was vital to the community. They were often responsible for raising children, managing the household, and farming the land.

However, women could also hold great power. In matrilineal societies, where family lines were traced through the mother, women had significant influence. Some women even became powerful leaders and soldiers.

Key Idea

In medieval West Africa, history was not always recorded in books. Instead, societies relied on a powerful oral tradition to pass down their stories, laws, and cultural values from one generation to the next.

At the heart of this tradition were poet-historians known as griots. These respected artists memorized vast amounts of information. They used music and storytelling to perform the histories of kings, families, and entire empires for the community.