Ghana and Mali
The Rise of Ghana
• Trade routes between Saharan & SubSaharan: Gold for Salt
• Ghana taxed trade
• Two major cities:
1. Arab town of traders
2. center of government
Islam used as royal cult
Mali in West Africa
• Timeline for West Africa
200-500 CE -- Decline of N-S trade routes due
to fall of Roman Empire
600-700 CE – Spread of Islam, rise of EastWest trade routes & trade city-states:
Sijilmasa
Tahert
740 – Berber revolts against Arab rule lead to
N-S trade routes in Gold, Salt
Late 790’s – Rise of Ghana (due to Gold trade)
Spread of Islam in West Africa
• Peaceful, slow process
• Rise of Tarkur state in southern Sudan
(Islamic)
• Defeat of Tarkur by Sundiata, leader of
the Malinke
• 1200 – Establishment of Mali empire
Comparison of Ghana and Mali
• Both used trade and agriculture for
economic base
• Both controlled trade routes for profit
(trade empire)
• Mali much larger than Ghana
• Mali ruled by Muslims who sponsored
spread of Islam
Mansa Musa’s Hajj
• Mali ruler Mansa Musa (1312-1337) made
pilgrimage to Mecca
• Group of over 60,000 went with, many
carrying gold (610 lbs)
• Impact on Egyptian gold economy
• Return from Hajj brought new religious
vigor
Changes to Mali after MM’s Hajj
•
•
•
•
New mosques built
Madrasas opened
Orthodox movement
Established safety within region for trade
Did West Africans Discover the
Americas
• Professor Ivan Von Sertima
• Musa took huge armada into
Atlantic – never returned
• Evidence that made it to
Mexico & influenced Olmec
culture
Fall of Mali
• Incompetent descendents ruled
ineffectively
• Attacks by Taureg from north
• Decentralization
• Establishment of other states to
east (Hausa States) that
maintained Islam