EMPIRES OF WEST AFRICA

GHANA

LOCATION

• Ghana is located in western Africa, and lies above the equator in the northern hemisphere. The country is situated between both the eastern and western hemispheres.
• Ghana is bordered by the countries of Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, and Togo, as well as the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Guinea.
• It was located south of the Sahara desert and northwest of the Niger River in modern day Mauritania and Mali.

IRON AND POWER

• They used it to make iron weapons and tools to keep the empire strong.

TAXES AND GOLD

• They gained wealth from taxes by adding a new tax for traders.

PRODUCTS TRADED

• Gold
• Kola Nuts
• Ivory

SALT IS IMPORTANT

• To preserve food
• To give food taste
• Preserve body fluids

MAJOR CITIES

• Koumbi saleh

GHANAS DECLINE

• Invasions
• Overgrazing
• Rebellion

MALI

LOCATION

• Most of Mali, in West Africa, lies in the Sahara.It is bordered by Guinea, Senegal, Mauritania, Algeria, Niger, and Burkina Faso.The only fertile area is in the south, where the Niger and Senegal rivers provide water for irrigation.

SUNDIATA

• Founder of mali
• He ruled from 1235-1255 CE
• The soso people captured Mali and he revolted and took it back

ECONOMY

• Salt and gold trades
• Taxes

PRODUCTS TRADED

• Gold
• Salt
• Cotton cloth
• Cowrie shells

RELIGION AND MANSA MUSAS PILGRAMGE

• The religion of Mali was Islam
• Mansa musa made the pilgramige to Mecca,he brought along so much gold and he gave it away,he gave away so much gold he even ruined the economy of egypt.

EDUCATION AND CULTURE UNDER MANSA MUSA LEADERSHIP

• Mansa musa supported education, he turned timbuktu into a education city and also djenne.
• He divided the empire into provinces and made a governer for each province.
• Religous freedom

MAJOR CITIES

• Niani
• Timbuktu
• Gao
• Djenne
• Walata

THE FALL OF MALI

• Invasion
• States breaking away
• Bad leaders

SONGHAI

LOCATION

• The Songhai Empire was located in Western Africa south of the Sahara Desert and along the Niger River. At its peak, it stretched well over 1,000 miles from the current modern day country of Niger to the Atlantic Ocean. The capital city of the Songhai was the city of Gao which was located in modern-day Mali on the banks of the Niger River.

SUNNI ALI

• He ruled songhai
• He conquered land and expanded his territory and divided it into provinces.

ASKIA THE GREAT

• Made the policy for trade routes
• He allied himself with the scholars

MAJOR CITIES

• Gao
• Timbuktu
• Djenne

SONGHAIS DECLINE

• Invaders
• Political struggles