Early African Societies
Describe the development and decline of the Sudanic
kingdoms (Ghana, Mali, Songhai); include the roles of
Sundiata, and the pilgrimage of Mansa Musa to Mecca.
I. Trans-Saharan trade
A. trade across the Sahara
B. camel caravans used to transport goods
II. Ghana
A. Rulers in the region gained
wealth by taxing traders that
crossed their area
B. Through wealth, the region
developed into a kingdom where
salt and gold was traded and
taxed
C. Islam spread throughout the
kingdom-Muslims eventually
attacked the area disrupting
trade and left the kingdom in
ruins
Ghana
D. Decline:
1. Muslims eventually attacked the area
disrupting trade and left the kingdom in ruins
2. by 1076 the leaders of Ghana lost the ability
to keep the trade of the empire safe
3. when their power of the trade routes was
gone, they also lost control of their people
4. by 1240 the empire of Ghana was gone
III. Mali(1300s)
A. Mali became established
in the early 1200s when
several kingdoms were
united after the fall of
the Ghana Empire
B. Became wealthy through
the salt and gold trade
Mali
C. Decline:
1. Weakened succession to the throne was
disrupted
D. Sundiata (sun-JAHT-ah)
1. The first great leader of
Mali
2. Established a strong
government (finance,
defense, and foreign
affairs)
3. Made travel through the
kingdom safe and
reestablished a strong
gold/salt trade
E. Mansa Musa (1280-1337)
1. Emperor of Mali who
made a pilgrimage to
Mecca
2. Gave out vast amounts
of gold along his way
3. Brought back Muslim
scholars and architects,
who built mosques,
libraries, and universities
4. Timbuktu became a
center of Muslim culture
IV. Songhai (1375-1591)
A. Largest and last West
African Empire
B. Took over territories from
the weakened Mali Empire,
eventually replacing it
C. Well governed empire with
a large military
Songhai
D. Decline:
A. Empire collapsed after Moroccan
invaders with gunpowder and cannons
defeated Songhai warriors
V. Trading Networks
A. Gold was mined in the
western sub-Sahara:
supplying about 66% of
the world’s gold supply
B. The sub-Sahara lacked
salt-essential for
preserving food
C. Traders brought salt, and
European goods with them
in exchange for gold-trade
was taxed by local rulers
(Timbuktu)
VI. African Slave Trade
A. Arab traders exported
slaves from Africa to
Arabia and India to be
used as domestic
servants and soldiers
B. The slave trade was
minor compared to the
later slave trade to the
Americas
VII. Religion
A. religious syncretism is
the blending of
religions through
conquest or trade
B. Though many Africans
converted to either
Islam or Christianity,
most also retained their
local religious beliefs as
well (many were
animistic in nature)
• Matrilineal – when you trace your
ancestry through your mother’s
side of the family
• Patrilineal – when you trace your
ancestry through your father’s side
of the family
•Griot- story tellers and they
passed on their civilizations
history