What was the function of secret societies in African culture?
a. They smuggled valuable gold across the Sahara and established vital trade routes with the Mediterranean.
b. Because secret societies were restricted to females, they permitted women to have an invisible, but powerful, role in political affairs within African societies.
c. They served as a disruptive and revolutionary force in African society forestalling the formation of larger states.
d. Because their membership cut across lineage divisions, they acted to maintain stability within the community and diminish clan feuds.
e. They brought the practice of slavery to the African continent, which led to the eventual adoption of Christianity by a majority of African tribes.
Answer: D