Trading States and Kingdoms

of Africa

Pre-colonial African

civilizations

Kingdoms of West

Africa

Why did powerful kingdoms emerge in

West Africa?

The Salt-Gold Trade

• Trans-Saharan trade - scarcity

• N. Africa- salt• W. Africa – gold• strong trading

kingdoms emerge in W. Africa

The Empire of Ghana

• Soninke – founders; controlled gold south of Ghana

• “middlemen” of salt-gold trade

• armed with iron tipped weapons

Modern day Ghana

• Welcomed Berbers (merchants from Northern edge of Sahara) who brought back gold to N. Africa

• Became wealthy from TAXING the TRADE

During the Middle Ages: 6th-16th

The Empire of MaliInvasion and Fall of Ghana• Berbers from the North

captured Ghana, then split into smaller states

• Mandingo farmers took advantage of weakness and est. empire of Mali

• Sundiata = first ruler

Mansa Musa• Increased empire’s

wealth (captured salt mines)

• Est. a SECURE empire• Adopted ISLAM – hajj to

Mecca made Mali famous and increased contact between the Middle East, N. Africa and West AfricaMansa = emperor

Effects of Mansa Musa’s Hajj• Based system of justice on

Koran• Built mosques• Schools/libraries - people

could study Qu’ran, other Islamic writings

• Literally put Mali on the map• Europeans began to search

West Africa for source of Mali’s riches

University of Timbuktu

Sankore University

Islamization of Mali

By the fourteenth century, Muslim traders were established in the town of Djenne, located in the inland delta of the Niger. The most impressive monument of intercultural borrowing is the Friday Mosque at Djenne. There, salt from the Sahara, goods from northern Africa and fine silks were exchanged for gold, and ivory. The monumental mosque was constructed around 1320 (the present building was reconstructed on the foundation of the original mosque in 1907).

Timbuktu: City of Legends• Crossroads of trade between

Arabia, N. Africa and W. Africa

• Salt, gold, and kola nuts passed through

• MM built the Grand Mosque which attracted

Muslim scholars• Intellectual and spiritual

center of Africa

The Grand Mosque (Timbuktu)

Rise of Songhai• Sunni Ali captured Gao

and Timbuktu• Askia Muhammad

followed Islam – made Timbuktu center of learning

• Moroccan soldiers overpowered Songhai warriors’ spears and arrows with guns and cannons

Askia Muhammad

(Askia the Great)

Timbuktu became known as "The

Center of Learning," and

"The Mecca of the Sudan"

What factors allowed for the emergence of trading city-states in East Africa?

• Location– Indian Ocean (monsoon

winds)– Access to Middle East,

India, far East• Access to raw materials

(exports from the interior) – gold, ivory, slaves, etc.

• Spread of Islam

East Africa: KilwaMonsoon winds

Cultural Diffusion

Pd 1 – Jan 10, 2007

Swahili – blend of Bantu (African) and Arab language/culture

Southeastern Africa: ZIMBABWE

Zimbabwe “stone dwelling”

10th century walls – 36 ft. high/20 ft. thick – Europeans didn’t believe Africans did this!

Ibn Battuta

Where did Ibn Battuta travel? How did his travels differ from those of Marco Polo?

Trading States and Kingdoms

of Africa

Pre-colonial African

civilizations

• In your group create a rap or a skit that addresses the following questions:– How did empires/city states in Africa become rich?– How did trade affect the lives of people in E. and W.

Africa?

The more THOROUGH details you use from your notes, the more points you will earn.

STELLAR = 20 pointsSo-so = 10 points, and so on…

**UNDERLINE all facts in your rap/skit

Bronzes of Benin/IfeBronzes (Brass) casts using the “Lost Wax Process”