1. West African Trade Kingdoms

2. West Africa Physically, ethnically, and culturally diverse
Savannah and forest
Home to a variety of cultures and languages
Divided labor by gender
Lived in villages composed of extended families
Accorded semi-divine status to their kings
Cultivated crops
Tended domesticated animals
Produced iron tools and weapons
Trade with North Africa
Essential part of the economy and kingdoms

3. Ghana First known kingdom in the western Sudan Commerce
Founded between fourth and eight centuries CE
Warfare and iron weapons created an empire
Commerce
Camel caravans
Imported silk, cotton, glass beads, horses, mirrors, dates, and salt
Exported pepper, slaves, and gold mined in another region and taxed passing through
Commerce and religion destroyed Ghana in the 12th century

4. Empire of Mali, 1230-1468 Battle of Kirina – established the empire
Sundiata – first king
Reigned
Led the Mandinka people to victory over the Sosso in 1235
Mali was Larger than Ghana
Received greater rainfall
Produced more crops
Maintained greater control of Wangara gold mines
At its height the population reached eight million

5. Empire of Mali (cont.)
Empire was known for Commerce, bureaucracy and scholarship
Most merchants and rulers were
Muslims by 1210s, they Converted to gain stature among Arab states to the north
Timbuktu
Was a major trading hub
Gold, slaves, and salt
Center of Islamic learning ~13th century
150 Islamic schools – called “Madrasas”
Cosmopolitan community
Religious and ethnic toleration common

6. Empire of Mali (cont.) Mansa Musa – Most famous king Reigned 1312-1337
Made a pilgrimage across Africa to Mecca in Arabia
Empire declined with Musa’s death

7. Empire of Songhai,
The last and largest of the Sudanese empires
Sunni Ali
Reigned
Conquered people paid tribute
Generally ran their own affairs

8. Empire of Songhai (cont.)
-- Askia Muhammad Toure
Reigned
Devout Moslem
Expanded empire
Centralized administration of the empire
Substituted taxation for tribute
Established bureaucratic trade regulation
Used his power to spread Islam within the empire

9. The End of the Great West African Kingdoms
Askia Daud – Last of the Great West African Kings
Reigned
Songhai failed to adapt to changing political atmosphere
Portuguese established trading centers along the Guinea coast
Arab rulers of North Africa threatened with loss of trade
King of Morocco sent mercenaries to Songhai in 1591
This army defeated the Songhai army and the empire fell apart
When the Moroccans left the region West Africa was left without a government powerful enough to stop the Portuguese