West Africa before the colonial era : a history to 1850

Author(s)

Bibliographic Information

West Africa before the colonial era : a history to 1850

Basil Davidson

Longman, 1998

  • pbk.

Available at  / 7 libraries

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Note

Includes bibliographical references and index

Description and Table of Contents

Volume

ISBN 9780582318526

Description

This is a survey of the development and history of the societies and culture of West Africa until c.1850 when European imperialism put an end, temporarily, to the story. The narrative accounts of a number of the major empires of West Africa are set in their broad context, illuminated by the findings of cultural historians and anthropologists. West Africa was the centre of the slave trade and most of the populations of the African diaspora in the US, the Caribbean and Latin America came ultimately from this region

Table of Contents

  • A very long history
  • the emergence of trading states and empires
  • pioneers in ancient Ghana
  • the majesty of Mali
  • Songhay achievement
  • Kanem-Bornu and the Hausa States
  • early Senegambia
  • the forest kingdoms - in the delta of the Niger and its peripheries
  • on the threshold of modern times - the economy of West Africa in 1600
  • religion, the arts and learning
  • the organization of society
  • new pressures from outside
  • origins and growth of the Atlantic slave trade
  • Senegambia after 1700
  • the union of the Golden Stool
  • after many disasters.
Volume

pbk. ISBN 9780582318533

Description

This is a survey of pre-colonial West Africa, written by the internationally respected author and journalist, Basil Davidson. He takes as his starting point his successful textA History of West Africa 1000-1800, but he has reworked his new text specially for a wider international readership. In the process he offers a fascinating introduction to the rich societies and cultures of Africa before the coming of the Europeans.

Table of Contents

1. The Early Centuries of Emergence: An Introduction. 2. Emergence of Trading States and Empires. 3. Pioneers in Ancient Ghana. 4. The Majesty of Mali. 5. Songhay Achievement. 6. Kanem-Bornu and the Hausa States. 7. Early Senegambia. 8. The Forest Kingdoms. 9. On the Threshold of Modern Times. 10. The Arts, Religion and Learning. 11. The Organisation of Society. 12. New Pressures. 13. Origins and Growth of the Atlantic Slave Trade. 14. Senegambia After AD 1700. 15. The Union of the Golden Stool. 16. After Great Disasters. Index.

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