African Kingdoms

Kingdoms of AfricaKingdoms of Africa

Early trade with Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Chinese, and Indians

trading communities set up by Arab and

Asian immigrants on east coast

EAST EAST AFRICAN AFRICAN

KINGDOMSKINGDOMS

Thriving trade

Rise of slave trade

Introduction of crops and animals from Middle East & Asia

Rich mix of cultures

Development of Swahili language

The Indian Ocean linked East Africa to India and The Indian Ocean linked East Africa to India and other Asian lands.other Asian lands.

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East African City-StatesEast African City-StatesAround 600, Arab Around 600, Arab

merchants merchants established trading established trading cities along the coast cities along the coast of East Africa.of East Africa.


Trade led to cultural Trade led to cultural diffusion in East diffusion in East Africa.Africa.

This led to a new This led to a new language, Swahili, in language, Swahili, in which Arabic words which Arabic words were mixed with were mixed with Bantu, an African Bantu, an African language.language.


1. Nubia1. Nubia (1000 B.C. – 150 A.D.) (1000 B.C. – 150 A.D.)

• built a wide trade built a wide trade networknetwork

• exported ivory, exported ivory, animal skins, animal skins, gold, perfume, gold, perfume, slavesslaves

• developed an developed an alphabet instead alphabet instead of hieroglyphicsof hieroglyphics

2. Axum2. Axum (350 CE -600 CE) (350 CE -600 CE) Linked Africa, India, Linked Africa, India,

and the Mediterranean and the Mediterranean tradetrade

Christianity spread Christianity spread through trade through trade

Ancestors to present-Ancestors to present-day Ethiopiansday Ethiopians

II. Kingdoms of II. Kingdoms of WestWest Africa Africa

o People needed salt to survive in People needed salt to survive in Africa’s hot climate. There was plenty Africa’s hot climate. There was plenty of salt in the Sahara, but there was of salt in the Sahara, but there was little in the savanna. So people trade little in the savanna. So people trade salt for gold.salt for gold.

o Strong West African rulers created Strong West African rulers created powerful kingdoms by gaining control powerful kingdoms by gaining control over the trade routes for over the trade routes for salt and salt and gold.gold.

1. Ghana 1. Ghana (800-1000)(800-1000)• Controlled gold-salt Controlled gold-salt

trade routes across trade routes across West AfricaWest Africa

• High status held by High status held by womenwomen

• Muslim advisors to the Muslim advisors to the king spread Islamic king spread Islamic religion and learningreligion and learning

• Camels were valued.Camels were valued.

These people These people called their chief called their chief ghanaghana, or war , or war chief. chief.

By the 700s, the By the 700s, the kingdom of Ghana kingdom of Ghana was growing rich was growing rich from taxing from taxing traders’ goods.traders’ goods.


u Gold came from a Gold came from a forest region forest region south of the south of the savanna between savanna between the Niger and the Niger and Senegal rivers.Senegal rivers.

u Miners dug gold Miners dug gold from shafts as from shafts as deep as 100 feet or deep as 100 feet or sifted it from fast-sifted it from fast-moving streams.moving streams.


B.B. Although rich in Although rich in gold, West gold, West Africa lacked Africa lacked salt, which is salt, which is essential to essential to human life.human life.

C.C. The Sahara The Sahara contained contained deposits of salt.deposits of salt.


u In the Saharan In the Saharan village of Taghaza, village of Taghaza, workers built their workers built their houses from salt houses from salt blocks because it blocks because it was the only was the only material available.material available.


D.D. Arab traders would cross the desert with salt and Arab traders would cross the desert with salt and exchanged it for gold in trading cities like Ghana.exchanged it for gold in trading cities like Ghana.


A.A. Only the king had the Only the king had the right to own gold and right to own gold and salt.salt.

B.B. The king limited the The king limited the supply of gold and supply of gold and salt and kept prices salt and kept prices from falling.from falling.


u ““The king…adorns The king…adorns himself… wearing himself… wearing necklaces and necklaces and bracelets… The court of bracelets… The court of appeal is held in a appeal is held in a domed pavilion around domed pavilion around which stand ten horses which stand ten horses with gold embroidered with gold embroidered trappings. Behind the trappings. Behind the king stand ten pages king stand ten pages holding gold shields holding gold shields and swords.”and swords.”

Decline of GhanaDecline of GhanaA.A. In 1076, the Muslim In 1076, the Muslim

AlmoravidsAlmoravids of North of North Africa conquered Africa conquered Ghana.Ghana.

B.B. This badly disrupted This badly disrupted the gold-salt trade, the gold-salt trade, and Ghana never and Ghana never regained its power.regained its power.


2. Mali2. Mali (1200-1450) (1200-1450)

Expanded influence over gold-salt Expanded influence over gold-salt trade routestrade routes

MansaMansa MusaMusa--

The greatest Mali emperor The greatest Mali emperor

He expanded borders to Atlantic OceanHe expanded borders to Atlantic Ocean

He converted Mali to Islam He converted Mali to Islam

He based justice system on the KoranHe based justice system on the Koran

He made a famous hajj to Mecca, formed He made a famous hajj to Mecca, formed new trade ties and spread news of Mali’s new trade ties and spread news of Mali’s wealth.wealth.

2. Mansa Musa Expands Mali2. Mansa Musa Expands MaliA.A. Mansa MusaMansa Musa, ,

a Muslim, next a Muslim, next ruled Mali.ruled Mali.

B.B. He was a He was a skilled military skilled military leader whose leader whose 100,000 man 100,000 man army army protected protected Mali.Mali.


The great leader of Mali, Mansa The great leader of Mali, Mansa Musa in a medieval manuscriptMusa in a medieval manuscript

C.C. Under Mansa Musa, Mali expanded to twice its size.Under Mansa Musa, Mali expanded to twice its size.

D.D. Mali was divided into provinces for more effective rule.Mali was divided into provinces for more effective rule.

3. Islam and Mali3. Islam and Mali

A.A. Mansa Musa Mansa Musa went on a went on a hajjhajj to to Mecca from 1324 Mecca from 1324 to 1325.to 1325.

B.B. When he When he returned, he returned, he ordered the ordered the building of new building of new mosques at the mosques at the trading cities of trading cities of TimbuktuTimbuktu and and GaoGao..

C.C. Timbuktu Timbuktu attracted attracted Muslim judges, Muslim judges, doctors, doctors, religious religious leaders, and leaders, and scholars from scholars from far and wide to far and wide to its mosques its mosques and and universities.universities.

D.D. Manuscripts Manuscripts were brought to were brought to Timbuktu to be Timbuktu to be sold.sold.

4. Ibn Battuta4. Ibn BattutaA.A. In 1352, In 1352, Ibn Ibn

Battuta, Battuta, a a traveler and traveler and historian, historian, visited Mali and visited Mali and was amazed at was amazed at its lack of crime.its lack of crime.

B.B. A devout A devout Muslim, he Muslim, he praised Mali for praised Mali for their study of their study of the Koran.the Koran.

u ““They are seldom They are seldom unjust, and have a unjust, and have a greater hatred of greater hatred of injustice than any injustice than any other people. Their other people. Their sultan shows no sultan shows no mercy to anyone mercy to anyone who is guilty of the who is guilty of the least act of it. There least act of it. There is complete security is complete security in their country. in their country. Neither traveler nor Neither traveler nor inhabitant in it has inhabitant in it has anything to fear anything to fear from robbers.”from robbers.”

C.C. Within 50 years Within 50 years of Ibn Battuta’s of Ibn Battuta’s visit, Mali began visit, Mali began to weaken.to weaken.

D.D. Many leaders Many leaders did not govern did not govern well, and the well, and the gold-salt trade gold-salt trade shifted as new shifted as new goldfields were goldfields were developed.developed.

3. Songhai3. Songhai (1450-1600) (1450-1600) Largest West African Largest West African statestateControlled key trade Controlled key trade routes and wealthy routes and wealthy citiescitiesHeld traditional Held traditional religious beliefs religious beliefs (animism, forces of (animism, forces of nature) then adopted nature) then adopted IslamIslam

u Set up efficient government and Set up efficient government and bureaucracy (separate departments) bureaucracy (separate departments)

u TimbuktuTimbuktu-leading center of learning by -leading center of learning by 14001400

A.A. Despite its wealth, Despite its wealth, Songhai lacked Songhai lacked modern weapons.modern weapons.

B.B. In 1591, a Morrocan In 1591, a Morrocan fighting force fighting force equipped with equipped with gunpowder and gunpowder and cannons invaded cannons invaded Songhai. Songhai.

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Modern AfricaModern Africa

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African Kingdoms