The examples of Ghana and Mali to disprove stereotypes of Africa West African Kingdoms The examples of Ghana and Mali to disprove stereotypes of Africa

European view of Africa and Africans in 1700’s Africa was uncivilized place It has only little villages and primitive cultures and little technology This was all Africans were capable of because Africans were inferior (less equal) to white Europeans They weren’t as smart or clever as “real” people

Reality Africa had many villages, but also had cities and even big empires

Reality One aspect of stereotype was true: there was less technology in 1700s Africa than there was in Europe Why? The “Guns, Germs, and Steel” Thesis: Africa’s climate was far harder to survive in than Europe’s More disease, less easy farming land, etc. meant more time just trying to survive vs. less time to devote to advancing technology. Not a huge deal in the 1200-1400’s when Europe was still in Middle Ages and not learning much, but when Renaissance starts, Europe leaps ahead technologically

Ancient Ghana = African cleverness Scenario: You are a leader of a town and wish to become powerful. You have a good army, but not so strong that you could take over huge areas of land. You lack any significant resources. To the Northwest are Muslim traders who have the incredibly valuable resource of salt. To the South are African villages who have the incredibly valuable resource of gold. In your group, come up with a step by step plan to become richer and more powerful

What Ghana did.. Used their army to make their city very safe Invited Muslim salt merchants and African gold traders to trade in Kingdom of Ghana Since they spoke different languages-used “dumb barter”

Ancient Mali

Ancient Mali Mali broke away from Ghana in 1200 Sundiata expanded the Kingdom of Mali so it controlled the gold mines and the salt trade routes Mansa Musa converted to Islam and founded the university at Timbuktu

City of Timbuktu 50,000- 100,000 people in 1300’s and 1400s An African city at its height of preserving knowledge/ideas that were being lost in Europe at the time in Middle Ages Europe Trade center linking N. Africa and W. Africa to Middle East. Learning center- University at center of with 1/4 of the residents as scholars or students City started to decline in 1600’s when became faster to sail around Africa than travel through desert

Just how rich and powerful was Mali at its height? Mansa Musa- Mali’s king took a pilgrimage to Mecca in early 1300s According to stories, brought 10,000 servants with him Brought so much gold with him and spent so much that the price of gold crashed for 10 years since there was so much of it available