EMPIRES OF WEST AFRICA

GHANA

800-1200

LOCATION
Ghana is located on the West Coast of Africa, about 750 Km north of the equator on the Gulf of Guinea between the latitudes of 4 - 11.5 north

IRON AND POWER

*MORE EFFICIENT FARMING DEVELOPED BECAUSE OF FARMING TOOLS.

*NUMBER OF FARMS INCREASED, PERMANENT SETTLEMENTS GREW ALONG RIVERS.

Economy: taxes and gold

The power of the kings of ghana rested on their ability to tax all trade passing through the region, espically the salt and gold trade.

Products traded

• Salt
• Gold
• Ivory
• Slaves

Salt is important

Because, salt was needed to flavor food, preserve meat, used for medical purposes, and to keep the body healthy.

MAJOR CITIES

• Sekondi
• Accra
• Ghana kumasi

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Where was mali located?

Mali is a landlocked country in West Africa, located southwest of Algeria. It lies between latitudes 10° and 25°N, and longitudes 13°W and 5°E. Mali is bordered by Algeria to the north, Niger to the east, Burkina Faso and Côte d'Ivoire to the south, Guinea to the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania to the west.

Who is sundiata?

the founder and ruler of the Mali Empire in West Africa.

Achievements of Sundiata Keita Military conquests Aided by brilliant generals, Sundiata conquered the lands of Ghana.

Economy

In the ancient empire of Mali, the most important industry for trading was the gold industry. Much gold was traded through the Sahara desert, to the countries on the North African coast.

Products traded

Ancient Mali Gold Trade Routes. In the ancient empire of Mali, the most important industry for trading was the gold industry. Much gold was traded through the Sahara desert, to the countries on the North African coast. The traders would travel by caravans, on camels.

Religion and Mansa Musa

ISLAM
Musa was a devout Muslim, and he decided to undertake the hajj , the holy pilgrimage to Mecca, in present-day Saudi Arabia. The hajj is the religious duty of all able-bodied Muslims who can afford to do so, and they are expected to carry it out once in their lifetimes. It involves traveling to the holy city of Mecca where, from the eighth to twelfth day of the the last month of the Isla.

Education and Flourish under Mansa Musa
Mansa Musa strengthened Islam and promoted education, trade, and commerce in Mali. The foundations were laid for Walata, Jenne, and Timbuktu becoming the cultural and commercial centers of the Western Sudan, eclipsing those of North Africa and producing Arabic-language black literature in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Diplomatic relations were established and ambassadors were exchanged between Mali and Morocco, and Malinke students were sent to study in Morocco.

MAJOR CITIES

• Timbuktu: an important trade center.
• Djenne: a city that became the center for learning.

The fall of Mali


At its height, The Mali Empire extended over an area larger than Western Europe but following Mansa Musa's death, the kingdom went into a long decline, shrinking to the size of its original territory by 1645.
Disputes over succession weakened the crown and a number of vassal states declared their independence, most notably the Songhai of Gao.
The riches of the gold and salt mines drew invaders, though, and in the late sixteenth century a Moroccan army attacked the capital

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Where was Songhai located?

The Songhai Empire was the largest and last of the three major pre-colonial empires to emerge in West Africa. From its capital at Gao on the Niger River, Songhai expanded in all directions until it stretched from the Atlantic Ocean (modern Senegal and Gambia) to what is now Northwest Nigeria and central Nigeria.

Sunni Ali

Sunni Ali was an African ruler who founded the Songhai Empire in the 15th century.
Sunni ali's first notable achievment was the capture of city Timbuktu in 1469.

Askia the Great

Askia the Great, also known as Muhammad Ture, was a Soninke king of the Songhai Empire in the late 15th century. Askia Muhammad strengthened his country and made it the largest country in West Africa's history. At its peak under Muhammad, the Songhai Empire encompassed the Hausa states as far as Kano (present-day Nigeria) and much of the territory that had belonged to the Mali Empire in the west. His policies resulted in a rapid expansion of trade with Europe and Asia, the creation of many schools, and he made Islam an integral part of the empire.

MAJOR CITIES

• Gao- capital of Songhai
• Timbuktu- an important trade center.
• Djemne- a city that became the center for learning.

Songhai falls to Morroco

The Moroccan invasion led to the fall of the Songhai Empire; part of this was because it disrupted the trade routes that went through Songhai. Trans-Saharan trade continued profitably for the Songhai until Moroccan troops conquered their empire in 1591. Trade was one of the most profitable ways that Songhai was supported economically.