1. Chapter 1
Section 3

2. Terms and People
Ghana – prominent kingdom in West Africa, known for its wealth and trade in gold, lasting from A.D. 800-A.D. 1050
Mali – West African empire lasting from 1200 to the 1400’s that prospered from the gold trade
Mansa Musa – king of Mali in the early 1300’s who expanded the kingdom’s domain, increased the role of Islam, and promoted scholarship
Songhai – Large West African empire lasting from 1460 to the 1600’s

3. Trade
The early civilizations of West Africa grew into great trading empires with rich and varied cultures
Trade between West Africans and Europeans – including trade in slaves – would shape the future of both peoples for years to come
A thriving trade network promoted the growth of trading towns.
Trading towns eventually grew into great and powerful empires
Trade promoted rich and thriving cultures

4. Ghana
The earliest kingdom, Ghana, supplied much of the gold for the Mediterranean region by the 11th century.
Ghana had large towns, beautiful buildings, a system of commerce, and a complex political structure.
A thriving caravan trade with African peoples across the Sahara to Morocco resulted in extensive Muslim influence in North Africa.

5. Attacks from outsiders weakened Ghana until it was supplanted around A
Attacks from outsiders weakened Ghana until it was supplanted around A.D by a new kingdom known as Mali
Mansa Musa, who reigned in the early 1300’s, expanded Mali’s domain
His promotion of Islamic scholarship led to the founding of the famous university at Timbuktu
Mali weakened after his death in 1332

6. Songhai Empire
Songhai sustained an Islamic system of education based at Timbuktu
Like Ghana and Mali, Songhai grew rich from trade
In 1468, Songhai conquered Mali
As a result, Songhai became the largest and most powerful kingdom in West Africa

7. Slavery Common in West Africa Slaves were often used as items of trade
West African rulers sold about 1,000 salves annually to Arab traders, who took them to the Mediterranean.
The slave trade was an important part of West Africa’s economy

8. In time, the Portuguese established a profitable trade with the West Africans
The Portuguese exported peppers, ivory, copper, and African slaves
In this way, Europeans first became involved in the long-standing slave trade of Africa

9. The Portuguese greatly expanded the slave trade
Some slaves were shipped to Europe
Most worked on sugar plantations on islands in the East Atlantic
Growing numbers went to new plantations in the Americas
By 1500, Europeans purchased about 1,800 Africans a year, nearly doubling the trade between the West Africans and the Arabs.

10. Thus began the brutal exploitation of West Africans enslaved by Europeans
This fate would befall millions more African men and women in the centuries ahead