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How did the Hausa Kingdoms gain their wealth?
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Through trans-Saharan trade, acting as intermediaries for interior goods.
What strategic advantage did the Swahili civilization have for trade?
The Swahili civilization was located on Africa's East Coast, making it accessible to Indian Ocean trade.
How did the conversion to Islam facilitate trade for the Hausa Kingdoms?
Conversion to Islam facilitated trade with Muslim merchants.
compare the political structures of Song China and the Swahili city-states.
China had a centralized political structure, while the Swahili city-states did not and were independent of each other.
How did the dominance of Islam influence the Swahili civilization?
The conversion of the Swahili elite to Islam connected them to the economic world of Dar al-Islam and fostered economic ties.
What were the key areas of focus for state-building in Africa between 1200 and 1450?
Sub-Saharan Africa, Swahili civilization, Great Zimbabwe, West Africa, Ethiopia
What were the main trade goods of the Swahili city-states?
Gold, ivory, timber, and some enslaved people.
What economic activities contributed to Ethiopia's wealth?
Ethiopia grew wealthy through Mediterranean and Indian Ocean trade, trading commodities such as salt.
Discuss the hierarchical structure of Swahili states in comparison to China during the same period.
Swahili states had a merchant elite above commoners, while China had a hierarchical class structure based on Confucian ideals.
What was significant about Ethiopia compared to other African states in this period?
Ethiopia was a Christian kingdom, unlike many other African states that adopted Islam.
Describe the central political figure in Ethiopia and their role.
Ethiopia was centralized under a king, who was at the top of the social hierarchy.
How was the Swahili language formed?
It was a hybrid between Bantu languages and Arabic.
What common trend was observed in the adoption of Islam by African states?
Islam was often adopted to facilitate societal organization and trade.
What was Great Zimbabwe's main export and economic base?
The main export was gold, and the economic base was farming and cattle herding.
How did the Swahili city-states govern themselves?
Each city-state had its own king.
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