Download West African Kingdoms

West African Empires
The Empire of Ghana
750-1076
Political:
•Led by powerful King who ruled over a splendid court
•Capital city was Kumbi Saleh
•Had a large army of foot soldiers and cavalry – helped to expand kingdom
The Empire of Ghana
Economic System
Commercially based empire.
Gold-Salt Trade
► Controlled and secured trade
routes.
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Also traded in ivory, slaves,
horses, cloth, salt.
Conversion by emperors to Islam
improved diplomatic and
economic relations between West
Africa and the Islamic World.
The Empire of Ghana
Achievements
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Influenced by Muslims:
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Military technology
Arabic writing
Architecture
Women had a high status and
active role in market place
The Mali Empire
1100-1400
Mali Empire
Political:
Ruled by powerful kings called Mansas.
► Expanded territory and appointed governors to rule areas
► Laws based on Muslim system of justice (The Quran)
► Mansa Musa: Most powerful leader, converted to Islam and made
pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj)
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Mali Empire
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Economic:
Controlled Gold Salt Trade:
Its wide variety of environments
produced a wide variety of goods.
The rule of the Mansa (king)
created peace and security for
merchants to travel and trade
freely.
As a result, merchants began to
establish family firms, with
different individuals settling in
far-flung parts of the Mali empire
to carry on trade.
Common items of exchange were
kola nuts, butter, textiles and
metal goods.
Mali Empire
Achievements:
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Developed the city of Timbuktu which became a great trading city and
center of Muslim learning.
Conversion to Islam and Mansa Musa’s pilgrimage to Mecca brought
world wide attention to West Africa
Made the need of a large population and a large army a permanent
necessity for states in West Africa.
Songhai
Empire
Political:
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Sunni Ali- 1464 gained power and restored order
Powerful army used war and force to control region
Askia Muhammad- great leader who made pilgrimage to Mecca
Organized provinces and created a bureaucracy
Developed a code of laws based on Islam
Songhai Empire
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Economic:
Controlled Gold Salt trade
Industrious farmers and skilled
craftsmen in iron and copper
Slave trade developed
Merchants became very wealthy and
influential
Timbuktu remained a major
economic and cultural city
Djenne Mosque
Songhai Empire
Achievements:
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Encouraged Muslim Scholars to settle in Timbuktu
Timbuktu became a cultural and learning center
University of Sankore - study of medicine, grammar, literature
Expanded empire with the use of force