Post-Classical African State Building Graphic Organizer

Use the videos (at least TWO) and the articles (one for each state) to fill out this graphic
organizer. You must take notes on at least THREE elements of state building in each state for
Great Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, and the Hausa Kingdoms. You will describe these elements of state
building and must have a combination of political, economic, social, and/or cultural examples.
You will need at least TWO important quotes for each state and have to cite the sources for your
quotes!!

Great Zimbabwe Ethiopia Hausa Kingdoms

Guiding Questions:
Great Zimbabwe
 How did the people of Great Zimbabwe measure a man’s wealth and success?
 How did the people of Great Zimbabwe organize their family and social systems (who
had power and who didn’t)?
 How did chiefs gain power and rule the state?
 How were children/young adults prepared to become adults and members of the
community?
 Why was trade important for Great Zimbabwe and who did they trade with?
 Who benefitted the most from the trade and how?
Ethiopia
 How did Christianity come to Ethiopia/Axum and why was it important for the
government?
 How did Yekuno Amlak support his claim to being a king of Ethiopia?
 How did government leaders in the Solomonic dynasty use religion to encourage the
people to support them?
 How did government leaders use trade goods in the religion?
 How did Ethiopian kings use the Virgin Mary to support their rule?
Hausa Kingdoms
 What is ONE economic and ONE cultural/historical system/belief that connected the
seven main Hausa Kingdoms?
 How did the kingdoms work together to produce everything they needed as a group?
 How and why did Hausa leaders adopt Islam?
 How did Islam affect the common people and the language of the Hausa Kingdoms?
 How were the Fulani treated in the Hausa Kingdoms, and how did this contribute to the
decline of the Hausa governments?