African Kingdoms and Salt
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While it may look like snow, it is not.
This precious commodity is salt!
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And you may not believe this but the
human body needs salt.
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Salt is needed by the human body
to help muscles and nerves to
work and to regulate blood
pressure.
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If the human body
goes for a long
period of time without
salt, it will die.
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As agriculture developed, salt became
more important. Farmers ate less
meat than hunters and gatherers.
Therefore, they needed more salt.
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Africa was
home to
many great
kingdoms
prior to the
arrival of the
Europeans.
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A series of
powerful
trading
kingdoms
emerged
in West
Africa.
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The West
African
kingdoms
controlled
important
trade routes
that connected
North Africa
and West Africa.
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North Africa was rich in the salt that
West Africa lacked. West Africa was
rich in gold. The Trans-Saharan
trade led to an exchange of salt for
gold.
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Ghana was called the “land of gold”
but it did not have gold. Instead,
the trade routes passed through Ghana
and the kings of Ghana taxed all
entering and exiting the kingdom.
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The kingdom
of Ghana
emerged
as early as
500 A.D. It
collapsed in
the 11th
century.
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The kings of Ghana used their wealth
to build a powerful army and keep
the peace within their empire.
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Religious Muslims invaded and
destroyed Ghana in the 1100s
but another West African kingdom
rose to power to protect
the valuable Salt for Gold Trade.
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The Big Eight
•
•
•
•
•
Why is salt essential for human beings?
What did West Africa lack?
What did North Africa possess?
Describe the Trans-Saharan Trade.
Which was the first powerful West African
kingdom?
• Why was Ghana called the “land of gold” if
it had no gold?
• How did Ghana use its wealth?
• What led to the decline of Ghana?
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The West African Kingdom of
Ghana
In this lesson, students will be able to
define the following terms:
The Kingdom of Ghana
“The Land of Gold”
Trans-Saharan trade
Taxation in Ghana
The Decline of Ghana
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A series of powerful trading kingdoms
developed in West Africa.
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The Kingdom of Ghana
• In the grasslands of West Africa, a series
of trading kingdoms emerged.
• The first great kingdom of West Africa was
Ghana.
• Ghana was called the “land of gold” even
though it did not have gold.
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The Kingdom of Ghana did not own
gold fields but it did control the
trade in gold.
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Trans-Saharan Trade
• The Kingdom of Ghana controlled the
Trans-Saharan trade.
• This was a trade connecting North Africa
to West Africa via the Sahara desert.
• North African nomads carried salt and
other goods across the Sahara in
exchange for gold.
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West Africa lacked salt.
Humans need salt to live.
Due to its importance, salt was
exchanged for gold!
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Control of the Trade
• The Trans-Saharan trade passed through
Ghana.
• Due to its location, the kings of Ghana
were able to tax traders entering and
exiting Ghana.
• Therefore, Ghana was able to control the
trade.
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Due to location, Ghana controlled the trade.
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Wealth and Power
• Wealth from trade helped Ghana maintain
a powerful army.
• A powerful army allowed the kings of
Ghana to expand the kingdom.
• The kings of Ghana kept the peace for
many years.
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The kings of Ghana kept the peace.
This allowed nomads to travel safely
and trade to prosper.
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The Decline of Ghana
• In 1076 A.D., the Almoravids invaded
Ghana.
• The Almoravids were religious Muslims
from North Africa.
• Ghana never fully recovered from this
invasion.
26
The Kingdom
of Ghana
emerged
as early as
500 A.D. It
collapsed
in the 11th
century.
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Questions for Reflection:
• Describe Trans-Saharan trade.
• Why was the Kingdom of Ghana called the
“land of gold” if it didn’t own any gold
fields?
• What were the effects of the TransSaharan trade on the kingdom of Ghana?
• Who were the Almoravids and how did
their actions affect the kingdom of Ghana?
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The West African Kingdom of
Mali
In this lesson, students will be able to
define the following terms:
Trans-Saharan Trade
Mansa Musa
Pilgrimage
The Five Pillars of Islam
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After the demise
of Ghana, the
West African
Kingdom of Mali
emerged as
a great
trading empire.
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Trans-Saharan Trade
• The Trans-Saharan trade was a trade
across the Sahara desert.
• This trade connected North Africa and
West Africa.
• North African salt and other goods were
exchanged for West African gold.
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The Trans-Saharan trade connected
North Africa and West Africa.
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The Kingdom of Mali
• The rulers of Mali took control of the gold
fields.
• By controlling the gold fields, the rulers of
Mali greatly increased the kingdom’s
revenue.
• Traders entering and exiting the kingdom
were also taxed.
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Mansa Musa was a great king of Mali.
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Mansa Musa
• The most powerful king of Mali was Mansa
Musa.
• Mansa Musa set up a great center of
learning in Timbuktu.
• He also expanded the empire.
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A great center for learning was
established in Timbuktu.
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Conversion to Islam
• Mansa Musa converted to Islam.
• He made a pilgrimage to Mecca.
Pilgrimage to Mecca is one of the Five
Pillars of Islam.
• During his pilgrimage, Mansa Musa gave
away a tremendous amount of gold.
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Mansa Musa was a famous ruler of
Mali. He expanded his empire,
established a great center for learning,
and made a pilgrimage to Mecca.
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The Five Pillars
•
The Five Pillars of Islam:
1. Belief in One God
2. Pray five times a day facing the holy city
of Mecca
3. Fasting during Ramadan
4. Charity to the Poor
5. Pilgrimage or holy trip to Mecca
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The Hajj is
the pilgrimage
to Mecca. A
Muslim must
visit Mecca, the
birthplace of the
Prophet, once in
his lifetime, if able.
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Mecca is a
holy city to
Muslims. It
is the birthplace
of the Prophet
Muhammad.
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Questions for Reflection:
• What was the Trans-Saharan trade and
how did it increase cultural diffusion?
• Who was the most significant ruler of Mali
and why was he important?
• Why did this ruler take a pilgrimage to
Mecca?
• What are the Five Pillars of Islam?
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The West African Kingdom of
Songhai
In this lesson, students will be able to
define the following terms:
The Kingdom of Songhai
Cultural Diffusion
Monotheism
Trans-Saharan Trade
The Fall of Songhai
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Great trading kingdoms emerged
in West Africa.
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The Kingdom of Songhai
• In 1464, the people of Songhai captured
Timbuktu.
• The people of Songhai seized control of
the profitable Trans-Saharan trade.
• The West African Kingdom of Songhai
was the largest of the three trading
kingdoms.
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The West African kingdom of Songhai was
the largest of the three trading kingdoms.
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Conversion to Islam
• The rulers of Songhai were Muslims.
• Many West Africans had converted to
Islam. They accepted the Five Pillars of
Islam and became monotheists (believers
in one God).
• North Africans were Muslims. Through
trade, cultural diffusion or cultural
exchanges occurred.
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North African nomads
were Muslims.
Through trade, Islam
entered West Africa.
Trade increased
cultural diffusion or
the exchange of
cultural ideas and
objects.
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Trans-Saharan Trade
• Like Ghana and Mali, the kingdom of
Songhai controlled the profitable TransSaharan trade.
• The Trans-Saharan trade connected North
Africa and West Africa.
• North African salt was exchanged for West
African gold.
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North African nomads exchanged
salt for West African gold.
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The Fall of Songhai
• Eventually, the kingdom of Songhai fell to
invading armies from Morocco in 1591.
• The Moroccan armies had guns.
• The Moroccans had acquired guns from
Europeans.
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The Moroccans had acquired guns
from Europeans.
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The largest of the trading kingdoms,
the kingdom of Songhai, only lasted
100 years.
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Summary
• Three great West African kingdoms
controlled the Trans-Saharan trade routes.
• While profiting greatly from the trade, the
three kingdoms built beautiful cities and
great centers of learning.
• Trade between North Africa and West
Africa increased cultural diffusion.
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The Trans-Saharan
trade greatly
increased cultural
diffusion.
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Questions for Reflection:
• How did the people of Songhai gain
control of the Trans-Saharan trade routes?
• What was the Trans-Saharan trade?
• Why did the Trans-Saharan trade greatly
increase cultural diffusion?
• How did the introduction of Islam to West
Africa affect the cultures of West Africa?
• Why did the kingdom of Songhai collapse?
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