West African Kingdoms Ghana/ Mali/ Songhai

The Bantu Group of people who originally live in West Africa Migrated in search of fertile land Spread their knowledge of farming, ironworking, & LANGAUGE across the continent Today almost 1/3 of Africans speak a language derived from the Bantu

West African Gold/Salt Kingdoms

Ghana (c. 400 – 1235) The first of the West African trading kingdoms Through weapon making technology (iron smelting), Ghanaian warriors expanded boundaries Gained control over trade routes

Ghana Gold &Salt Trade Location! Location! Location! Ghana was located in the midway between Saharan salt mines and tropical gold mines Caravans of Muslim merchants brought goods, which Ghanaian people exchanged for gold Trade conducted via the silent trade Muslims brought their religion to the people of Ghana

Recap

Mali (1230 – 1600s) Mali was the second of the three major West African Kingdoms Mali was the leading supplier of slaves in the Indian Ocean & Trans-Saharan trades

Read the account of Mansa Musa’s Hajj and answer the questions Mali (1230 – 1600s) Mansa Musa Devout Muslim king Bases legal and justice system on the Qur’an Makes hajj to Mecca, but stops in Egypt first Gives Egypt so much gold that the value of gold declines for 10 straight years Traveled with 12,000 servants each wearing silk & carrying gold bars, which were given to the poor Read the account of Mansa Musa’s Hajj and answer the questions

Mansa Musa Primary Source During my first journey to Cairo and sojourn there, I heard talk of the arrival of the Sultan Musa [Mansa Musa] and I found the Cairenes [residents of Cairo] very glad to talk of the large expenditures of Sultan Musa. I questioned the Emir [Muslim leader of a country], who spoke of the sultan’s noble appearance, dignity, and trustworthiness. The Emir told me, “When I went out to greet him in the name of the glorious Sultan el Malik en Nasir, he gave me the warmest of welcomes and treated me with the most careful politeness. But he would talk to me only through an interpreter, although he could speak perfect Arabic. He carried his imperial treasure in many pieces of gold, worked or otherwise.” Why do you think Mansa Musa only spoke through an interpreter even though he spoke Arabic?

Mali Mansa Musa Brings back Islamic scholars and architects to Mali Has Timbuktu built Timbuktu Center of learning and art Increased Islamic influence in West Africa Use of credit Written contracts Education for many classes

Timbuktu

I think it’s worth a try this summer Ibn Battuta 1304-1368 Moroccan born traveler and explorer Travel the Islamic world from North Africa to China Spent 30 years traveling His primary source writings inform historians about the Muslim world in Africa Batttuta! Ibn???? I think it’s worth a try this summer

Songhai (c. 1350 – 1591) The largest of the 3 major West African kingdoms Took control of Timbuktu Expanded trade to Europe and Asia Period of great cultural diffusion

Sunni Ali Sunni Ali Will the real Sunni Ali please stand up? First emperor of Songhai Will the real Sunni Ali please stand up? Some sources note his skills as a politician and military commander. Others are not so kind… Sonni Ali entered Banana, committed gross iniquity, burned and destroyed the town, and brutally tortured many people there. When Akilu heard of the coming of Sonni Ali, he brought a thousand camels to carry the fuqaha ([slamic legal expert] of Sankore and went with them to Walata..... The Godless tyrant was engaged in slaughtering those who remained in Timbuktu and humiliated them.

Songhai Askia Muhammad sets up high functioning bureaucracy 5 provinces each with A governor Tax collector Judges (Like Mansa Musa, had laws based on Qur’an) Trade inspectors Askia Muhammad’s Tomb

Assessment