African Mask Project Colin Sheen
Mr. Asato September 23, 2014 WH9-C
DBQ: Africa Before European Arrival

In the US when one thinks of communities or groups in Africa before European influence, they imagine savage tribesmen running around with sharpened sticks and tribal paintings, but this is a major misconception. Before European arrival, The civilizations of pre-contact Africa flourished with complex systems of government, trade and culture.
Some of the major governments of Africa became super-powers with many of the systems that nations have today; Ghana is a superb example of these government systems as Al-Bakri, an Arab scholar describes “The court of appeal is held in a domed pavillion around which stand ten horses with gold embroidered trappings. Behind the king stand ten pages holding shields and swords decorated with gold, and on his right stood the kings of country… the governor of the city sits on the ground before the king, and around him were ministers seated likewise” (doc 2). There are different …show more content…
Trade allows goods to be traded for money or other goods. The stronger the trade in a community is the more economically sturdy the government can become because of tax revenue. Ibn Battuta visited Kilwa and describes it as “one of the most beautiful cities in the world. He admitted the luxury enjoyed by Muslim rulers and traders” (doc 8). The money made for the rulers was payed for by taxes. Kilwa owned trade in the near islands because of its central location, which made it a thriving city-state. Aksum is another city-state that rose to power by trade. “Aksum reached its height between 325 and 360. Aksum’s location made it an important international trading center” (doc 1). Aksum was a prosperous empire, because of trade. The wealth of peoples greatly depended on how many people can buy ones goods or services. The larger customer base, the richer one may