SOCIETIES OF WEST AFRICA

U.S. History

Physical Map of Africa

Sahara

Kalahari

West Africa

African Geography and World Trade

• By 1500 CE, coastal ports had linked Africa with the rest of the world, for many centuries.

• Ports on the Mediterranean and red sea linked to Arabia and Persia.

• East coast Africa carried out trade through the Indian ocean.

Ghana Grows Wealthy

Camels made it possible to link Ghana across the Sahara.

Ghana the first to grow wealthy from trade.

Ghana became wealthy by

controlling the trade of gold

and salt.(Salt helps the body retain water in hot weather.)

Ghanaian kings imposed taxes on goods. taxes had to be paid in gold.

Used the wealth to pay for an army and to build an empire.

Islam Enters Ghana

Many traders who came to Ghana from North Africa were Muslim.

Muslims are the followers of the religion of Islam.Islam:• Founded by the prophet

Mohammad in the 600s CE.• One God, Allah.• Must perform five prayers

daily.• Must make a pilgrimage to

Mecca.As Islam was brought to Ghana, its rulers allowed Muslims to build Mosques in the capital Kumbi Saleh.

Mali Replaces Ghana

By 1200 CE, Mali had taken over most of Ghana’s territory.

It was better able to control the trade with the use of the Niger River.

It’s wealth came from the Gold and Salt Trade.

The Empire of Songhai

As Mali’s power decreased, the Songhai people living by the Niger River broke away from its control

Captured the great city of Timbuktu and the city of Djenné.

In addition to conquering trade territories, set up an organized system of government..

Songhai

By 1591, The Songhai were defeated by Northern African fighting force from Morocco. Despite its

wealth and learning, Songhai lacked modern weapons to compete with the gunpowder and cannons. The Songhai were armed with spears

and swords.