Portfolio Questions – Right
Page
Kingdoms of Africa:
Ghana, Mali, and Songhai
• From your knowledge of African
geography (yesterday), what means of
travel do you think African Empires used
to create economies?
• Also, what types of resources do you think
were available for the people of Africa to
use for their economy and personal use?
Kingdom of Ghana
• Western Africa, located on the Senegal River
– Emerged in 500 A.D.
• 1st Great Traders of West Africa
– Gold and Salt trade
• Farming communities throughout nation
• Strong rulers, no laws to govern with
– Rulers acted as religious leader, judge, and military
commander as well
• Well trained army to protect Kingdom
• Vast wealth- resources of gold, silver, and iron
ore
Ghana Continued
• Traded gold and salt but also cloth and weapons
• Berbers- traders whom carried the products
across the desert
– Camels used
– About 3 miles per hours, about 60 days to reach
destination
• Spread of Islamic ideas through trade
– Literacy grew- study of the Qu’ran
Trade Routes
Empire of Ghana
• King collected taxes on all goods traded
– Usually took tax payments as gold or salt blocks
• King controlled/ owned all gold
– Preventing it from losing its value you at market
– Type of economy- Government Controlled!
• Elaborate dress for the wealthy
• 800 A.D.- reached empire status
– Smaller rulers left in place over territories
• Like a bureaucracy
– Independent rulers pay tax = freedom of state
End of Ghana
• Lived in luxury for hundreds of years
• Weakened by war
• Collapsed in the 1200’s
– Invasion
Mansa
• Meaning “ruler”
• Major Ruler- Sundiata – ruler of the
Malinke peoples
– Defeated Takrur ruler, Sumanguru
– provided wealth and power to empire
– re-organized government
– Capital- Niani
• moved government westward provided more
trading posts
Kingdom of Mali
• 12th Century
• Defeated Ghana, captured capital 1240
– Disputed fact, some say Ghana fell in 1096
• Extended from Atlantic Coast to Timbuktu
• Wealth came from gold and salt trade
• Each village had its own ruler
– Ruler governed and sent money to the king of
Mali
Mansa Musa
• Powerful king, 1312- 1337
• Extended kingdom (double
the size)
• Strong central govt.,
kingdom divided into
provinces
• Timbuktu- Islamic learning
center
– Pilgrimage to Mecca,
wanted education in Mali
– Built mosques and
libraries
• Civil War, 1359 divided
Mali, beginning of the end
Division of Mali
• Following Mansa Musa’s death around
1340, he was succeeded by Mansa
Suleiman
– Proved to be an able leader
– Ruler at the time of Ibn Battuta’s visit
• Successor’s of Mansa Suleiman were not
so able
– Led to rebellions – Tuareg retake Timbuktu
• Islam continued to spread to east Africa
Kingdom of Songhai
• Niger River Valley
– Land very fertile (yearly flooding)
• Islamic kingdom
• Benefited from Muslim trade routes
• Askia the Great- expanded the kingdom, 1464
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Cities- Timbuktu and Jenne
Created a professional army
Gave total control of trade routes to Songhai
Ruled for over 30 years
HOMEWORK
• Read page 379, Personal Styles of Rule in
India and Mali.
• Answer the questions at the end of the
passage and be prepared to discuss them
at the beginning of class tomorrow.
Songhai Continued
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Muhammad Ture- Golden Age ruler
Expansion, peaceful and secure time
After his reign entered into a decline
By 1600- Songhai completely declined
– Lacked modern weapons
– Overthrown finally by North African armies