Final answer:
The basic building blocks of African society were Lineage Groups, often organized around matrilineal descent where inheritance and authority came from the mother's lineage.
Step-by-step explanation:
The basic building blocks of African society were Lineage Groups. Lineage groups provided social integration through extended family networks, ensuring continuity of culture and social organization. Leadership within these groups often came from elders or other situational figures.
In some African societies, these lineage groups followed matrilineal descent patterns, where family ties and inheritance traced through women, with the mother's lineage being the primary source of one's identity and property rights. Even in matrilineal societies, it was common for male figures such as a mother's brother to play significant roles in decision-making and governance.
This system ensured that descent and clan affiliation were certain, as matrilineal descent made the mother's lineage indisputable, contrasting with the potential uncertainty of paternity.