1. 15.2 – Western African Civilizations (Mr. M, from Mr. Schabo)
15.2 Objectives
Explain how the gold-salt trade led to the rise of Ghana.
Describe the Songhai Empire.
Identify Benin and the Hausa and Yoruba city-states.

2. Major West African Civilizations
There are three major Western African Civilizations:
Ghana
Mali
Songhai
All three developed in the Sahel, a _______________________________________.
All three developed through controlling trade and the spread of _____________.

3. The Empire of Ghana
Use of _________ as beasts of burden meant that people in Northern Africa could traverse the immense ______________ and trade with the people living to its south.
Trade routes crossed the lands farmed by the Soninke people, who called their ruler ghana, or “____________”. Muslim traders used the term Ghana to refer to the region and its people, and the name stuck.
By 700 A.D., Ghana was a _______________________ built on taxing trade.

4. Gold-Salt Trade
The two most important resources were gold and salt. Gold for its ________________, and salt for its ________________________. (In days before refrigeration, it was also used to preserve meat!)
Gold was plentiful in Africa’s _______________ areas, and salt was plentiful in the __________.
Traders would meet in the trading ________; and gold, salt, and other goods would be exchanged.
All transactions occurred under the watchful eye of the king’s tax collectors, who collected the _______ on all transactions.

5. Ghana’s King
Ghana’s king exercised ____________________ over the empire: he was the religious leader, political leader, military leader, chief judge, etc.
To keep the price of gold ___________, the king made himself the only one who could own gold nuggets. Everyone else could trade gold dust.
Because he commanded a great army, he could ____________ taxes and gifts from chiefs of surrounding lands.
Ghana falls to Muslim __________ invaders from North Africa in Paves the way for the Empire of Mali.

6. Empire of Mali Three factors help Mali emerge as an empire:
Fall of ___________
Discovery of new __________ deposits East of Ghana
Shifting of _________routes to area of Mali
Mali’s first leader, _____________, came to power, took over Ghana’s land, and established an efficient central government.
Many years after his death, ______________ becomes the most famous of Mali’s rulers.

7. Mansa Musa’s Accomplishments
Expanded ____________.
Exercised royal control over gold-salt trade.
Kept ___________ and protected Mali from attack.
Divided empire into __________ with local rulers.
After returning from a hajj, had _____________ built throughout empire, attracting Muslim judges, religious leaders, scholars from all over Africa.
Muslim traveler/historian Ibn Battuta was impressed with Mali’s level of advancement and their justice system. Don’t believe me? Open up to p. 416 and read his own words!

8. Empire of Songhai
As Mali fell into decline, Songhi emerged as an empire by developing new gold mines and taking control of ____________________.
_______________ruled and expanded Songhi by building a strong military that consisted of fleets of river canoes and mounted soldiers.
With them he captured the Mali cities of ______________________.

9. Empire of Songhi
After Sunni Ali’s death, his son inherited the throne. ____________ _________ lead a revolt against Sunni Ali’s son and assumed control of the empire.
Askia Muhammad added to the ______________ government set up by Sunni Ali. He appointed ministers of the treasury, army, navy, and agriculture.
Defeated by _________ with more advanced weapons.

10. Other People of West Africa
__________________
Organized into city-states: Kano, Katsina, Zazzau.
Kano & Katsina were major trading states, Zazzau became rich from slave __________.
Hausa rulers held great power over subjects, but officials acted to check his power.
Hausa city-states were in a state of constant _____________ for dominance in the region. Therefore, no one held control and it was impossible to create an _______________.

11. Other People of West Africa
___________________
Originally organized into city-states, then ___________________.
_____________________ were the two most powerful Yoruba kingdoms.
Each kingdom was led by a king, who was considered _____________, and traced their heritage to the first ruler of Ife.
Both Ife and Oyo depended on farming, but Ife were also known for their ______________. They carved in wood and ivory, produced terra cotta sculptures and worked with metal.

12. Other People of West Africa
Kingdom of _________________
Led by an oba, who based his right to rule by claiming decent from the first king of Ife.
______________ – an oba named Ewuare made Benin a powerful African state by raising a huge army and using it to expand his territory and control his neighbors.
____________ – Encountered Portuguese explorers who began to trade with Benin for pepper, animal skins and slaves. Began European interference and _____________ in Africa.