1. The Kingdoms of West Africa
Preview
Main Idea / Reading Focus
Empire of Ghana
Mali Empire
Map: West African Kingdoms
Faces of History: Mansa Musa

2. The Kingdoms of West Africa
Preview, continued
Empire of Songhai
Quick Facts: Trading Empires of West Africa
Other West African States
Visual Study Guide / Quick Facts
Video: The Impact of the Salt Trade

3. The Kingdoms of West Africa
Main Idea
The expansion of trade across the Sahara led to the development of great empires and other states in West Africa.
Reading Focus
How did trade contribute to the rise of Ghana?
How did strong rulers build the empire of Mali?
What were the greatest achievements of the Songhai Empire?
What other societies arose in West Africa?

4. Empire of Ghana
Trade was vital to the societies of West Africa. That region produced valuable resources—notably gold—that brought high prices. By the 800s, rulers of Ghana had used the wealth from these products to create a huge, powerful empire.
Ghana had many resources, but location delayed development as trading empire
Had no easy access to sea
Sahara desert blocked overland trade routes
The Rise of Ghana
First few centuries AD, North African traders learned how to cross Sahara
Traveled in large caravans with camels
Camels did not need much water, could survive trip across harsh desert
Desert Travel
Once traders began crossing Sahara, Ghana became key player in African trade
Berber traders traded food, hard goods, copper, salt for gold
Ghana traded salt to people in south, where salt scarce
Goods for Gold

5. A Trading Empire Control Salt Taxes Gold Supply Scarce
800 AD, Ghana controlled nearly all trade of salt, gold in sub-Saharan Africa
Capital, Koumbi-Saleh, located between Ghana’s gold mines, desert trade routes, was preferred trading place
Salt Taxes
Ghana’s kings built great wealth taxing goods brought to empire’s markets
Majority of taxes charged on salt: charged fee for each load of salt brought into Ghana from north, larger fee for each load exported to south
Gold Supply Scarce
Gold not taxed the same; taxes might discourage traders from buying gold
To keep gold prices high, kings ruled only they could own large gold nuggets
Others could only own gold dust; kept location of gold mines secret
This kept supply of gold scarce; kept market from being flooded

6. Kings of Ghana
Money from trade, taxes allowed kings to live lavish lifestyle
Luxury surrounding kings described by Muslim writer who visited Ghana:
“He sits in a pavilion around which stand ten pages holding shields and gold-mounted swords: and on his right hand are the sons of the princes of the empire, splendidly clad and with gold plaited into their hair.”
Ghana’s kings also used wealth to build up huge army when needed
Used army to conquer other peoples in area
Captured people sold as slaves to Muslim traders

7. Ghana’s Decline Mid-1000s, Ghana’s empire rich and powerful
King tried to expand to north into lands controlled by Almoravids, a Muslim Berber kingdom
Attempt led to long war
In 1076, Almoravids captured Koumbi-Saleh, Ghana’s capital
Attempts at Expansion
Almoravids controlled capital temporarily
Ghana’s empire was weakened
King unable to deal with rebellion in part of empire
Soon Ghana fell into decline; new empire took its place
Results of Conflict

8. How did the kings of Ghana become wealthy?
Summarize
How did the kings of Ghana become wealthy?
Answer(s): by taxing salt and gold, by controlling the price of gold

9. Mali Empire
After Ghana’s decline, no one kingdom controlled trans-Saharan trade. In the 1230s, the empire of Mali rose to power on the same territory. Mali expanded to the Atlantic Ocean and became a wealthy and sophisticated empire.
Founders of Mali, Malinke had been active in Ghana’s gold trade
1230, grew frustrated with policies of neighboring peoples, rose up to conquer them; became leading power in West Africa
Rise of Mali
Leader of Mali’s rise to power, king named Sundiata
After conquest, Sundiata ruled 25 years
Story of reign, accomplishments told in epic, also called Sundiata
Sundiata
Mali reached its height in the 1300s under the reign of a mansa, or king, named Musa.

11. Mansa Musa Growing Wealth Islam in Mali
A relative of Sundiata, Mansa Musa came to power in During his reign, Mali’s territory expanded and its population grew.
During Musa’s reign, Mali grew wealthier than ever
Much wealth came from taxation of gold-salt trade
Mali kept order along Saharan trade routes by using large army
Army also kept life in Mali relatively peaceful
Growing Wealth
Mansa Musa devout Muslim
Introduced into West Africa by Muslim traders in Ghana, Islam did not take hold initially
In Mali, Islam became powerful influence, especially among ruling class
1324, Musa set out on hajj, pilgrimage to Mecca
Islam in Mali

13. Effects Outside Africa
Pilgrimage to Mecca
Musa and entourage impressed people with their lavish clothing, generous gifts
Trip to Mecca led to great changes in Mali
Returning to kingdom, Musa brought artists, architects who designed beautiful mosques; also built schools, libraries where people could study Qu’ran, other Islamic writings
Musa’s hajj brought Mali to attention of Europe
Mali began to appear on European maps for first time
Within a century, Europeans began to search West Africa for source of Mali’s riches
Effects Outside Africa
Rulers following Musa not as strong
Several peoples broke away, set up independent kingdoms
Mali also invaded from outside
Among invaders, Tuareg
1433, captured Timbuktu, a blow from which Mali never recovered
Decline of Mali

14. What effects did Mansa Musa’s travels have in Mali and Europe?
Analyze
What effects did Mansa Musa’s travels have in Mali and Europe?
Answer(s): brought Mali to the attention of Europeans, who would later travel to West Africa in search of Mali's riches; made Timbuktu a center of learning

15. Empire of Songhai Songhai Rise of Songhai Military Leadership
Songhai existed as small kingdom for centuries, paid tribute to Ghana, Mali
Grew wealthy trading goods along Niger River
Came in contact with Muslim traders; Islam became influence on culture
Rise of Songhai
1460s, rulers had become strong, rich enough to take control of former empire of Mali
Songhai’s rise under leadership of military leader, sunni, named Sunni Ali
Military Leadership
Ali’s first act as leader: took Timbuktu from the Tuareg
Led number of campaigns against neighboring peoples to build empire
Military success came from army of skilled cavalry, navy of war canoes
Conquered new territories, replaced local leaders with Ali’s own followers

16. Askia Muhammad Pilgrimage
Songhai’s culture reached height under Askia Muhammad
Reign considered to be golden age
During 35 years he ruled, Askia Muhammad expanded Songhai, strengthened its government
Pilgrimage
Askia Muhammad, Songhai’s first Muslim ruler
Islam had been introduced earlier; Sunni Ali never became Muslim
To show commitment, Askia Muhammad decided to make pilgrimage to Mecca
Traveled through Egypt, gained support of Muslim rulers

17. Results of Pilgrimage Trade Resumed Control, Decline
During pilgrimage, Askia Muhammad made contact with traders from North Africa
Trans-Saharan trade that had slowed after fall of Mali resumed once again
Increased commerce made Songhai very wealthy kingdom
Askia Muhammad used wealth to once again make Timbuktu center of culture, Islamic scholarship
Trade Resumed
To secure control of trade, Askia Muhammad extended Songhai’s borders north into desert, home of the Tuareg
Did not want raiders to interfere with traveling merchants
Reformed government, built offices in capital city of Gao to oversee trade, agriculture, military
Eventually overthrown by son
By 1591 empire conquered by Morocco
Control, Decline

19. What kind of government did Askia Muhammad create in Songhai?
Describe
What kind of government did Askia Muhammad create in Songhai?
Answer(s): strengthened the government, appointed an official to rule the western part of the empire

20. Other West African States
Hausa City-States
East of Songhai lived people called the Hausa
Hausa society, based on independent city-states, gained regional power
Each city-state included a group of villages surrounded by wooden walls, extensive fields
Never United as Empire
City-states never united into empire, but traded, cooperated with each other
Economy based on farming, manufacturing, trade
Much farm labor performed by enslaved people
Enslaved Peoples, Artisans
Slaves used to build cities; enslaved became one of Hausa’s chief exports
Other important exports included cloth, leather goods
Hausa known as skilled weavers, dyers
Cotton cloth dyed dark blue in high demand throughout much of West Africa

21. Yoruba Kingdoms Yoruba Artistic Skills
Another complex society developed to south of Songhai among Yoruba
Yoruba several peoples who lived in same area, spoke related languages
Over time Yoruba established number of strong kingdoms
Most powerful were Ife, Oyo
Yoruba
People of Yoruba kingdoms widely admired for artistic skills
Yoruba artists produced realistic sculptures out of terra-cotta, bronze, brass, copper; many depict Yoruba leaders, or onis
Materials for statues imported from Sahara traders, who also brought salt to region; in return, Yoruba sent food, ivory north
Artistic Skills

22. Kingdom of Benin Trade with Portuguese Benin Art
Southwest of Yoruba kingdoms, powerful kingdom of Benin
Located deep in forests of Niger delta; powerful state by the 1000s
At heart of kingdom, capital of Benin
Huge city, several miles across, featuring large houses, wide streets
Mid-1400s, ambitious oba, or ruler, Ewuare came to power in Benin
Built powerful army, went to war
By Ewuare’s death, Benin stretched from Niger west into central Nigeria
Late 1400s, Portuguese sailors arrived in Benin
Benin sold war captives as slaves
Continued to trade pepper, ivory, cotton for gold from Portuguese
Trade with Portuguese
Like Yoruba, people of Benin known for arts
Statues of bronze, brass, copper created to honor notable leaders
Copper plaques displayed in cities
Brought home by Portuguese, this art became popular in Europe
Benin Art

23. What was one result of contact between Benin and Portugal?
Identify
What was one result of contact between Benin and Portugal?
Answer(s): Trade between Benin and Portugal began.

27. Video The Impact of the Salt Trade
Click above to play the video.