Mali Develops a Prosperous Trade Sundiata became king of the new empire of Mali, which had once been a part of Ghana. Sundiata first concentrated on improving agriculture. His soldiers cleared land for farming, and they planted rice, yams, onions, beans, grains, and cotton. In a few years, Mali became a productive farming region.

Camels are still important Sundiata and his successors expanded Mali's trade routes north and east across the Sahara to Cairo, Egypt, and to Tunis in Tunisia. Less than 100 years after the victory at Kirina, Mali had become the most powerful kingdom in Africa. By the late 1300s, Mali was three times as large as Ghana had ever been.

The Desert of Mali today

New Religion Arab merchants trading in West Africa brought not only valuable goods, but also new ideas about writing, numbers, and religion. Arab traders brought the first system of writing and numbers to West Africa. Many West Africans converted to Islam, and some who did still did not give up all of their traditional beliefs and practices.

Conversion to Islam Among the first of the converts to Islam were the Mandinke people from the southern Sahara, who served as middlemen in trade between Arab caravans and Wangara gold miners. The Mandinke formed small trade companies that made contact with many different people. They spread Islamic ideas throughout West Africa.

Mosque in Timbuktu

Traditions… Other Islamic practices were harder for the Ghanaians to accept. Muslims, for example, had their own idea about the succession of kings. In Ghana when a king died, he was not succeeded by his own son but by the son of his sister. This system of tracing succession through the females of the family is known as matrilineal succession. Muslims, on the other hand, practiced patrilineal succession, in which the throne passes from father to son.

Grand Mosque in Mali

Gold The Land of Gold  The kings of Ghana had well trained armies and used them as their basis for power. gold traded for salt  Ghana also had a great supply of gold. This gold was traded for salt which was used to preserve their food and to also help prevent dehydration in the hot climate.

Berbers Berbers  Ghana’s trade was carried across the desert by the Berbers who rode their fleets of camels across the desert.  Muslim merchants became the dominant force in Ghana’s trade over time.

The Rise of Islam  By 641 Arab forces captured Egypt  By the early 700s Arabs ruled North Africa’s coast west of the Strait of Gibraltar.  Initially Axum and Muslim forces were peaceful, but by the early 15 th century Axum became involved in conflict.

Copyright © 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display. 13 Islamic Kingdoms and Empires Islam spreads to west Africa  Trans-Saharan caravans  Coastal east Africa through maritime trade Profound influence after 8 th century

Copyright © 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display. 14 Trans-Saharan Trade and Islamic States in West Africa Desiccation of Sahara begins c BCE Introduction of Arabian camels revolutionizes trade  days to cross Sahara Arabs establish trading communities  Gao

Copyright © 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display. 15 Islam in West Africa Kings of Ghana convert 10 th c. Positive impact on trade, relations with north Africa Synthesized Islam with local traditions  Nearby Takrur aggressive missionaries

Africa and Trans-Sahara Trade Routes

“Always something new out of Africa” ( Greek Proverb; 1 st C CE ) What do you suppose this proverb is referring to?

Pre-600 CE West Africa: domesticated millet & sorghum Ironworking technology Between North Africa & Sub-Saharan Africa: trade included ivory, hides, cola, copper, slaves, and dates Expanded to Islamic World by 700 CE 300 CE: introduction of camels

Pre-600 Predominately Christian or ATR State-level societies: Jenne- Jeno and Gao (in present- day Mali) Stateless societies: organized around kinship boundaries Not-consolidated power: power-vacuum Common language: Bantu

Trans-Sahara Trade Routes

Began with Soninke Empire (Ghana) in the 5 th century Linked to Mediterranean Empires  supplied gold and salt Used camels (Ibn Battuta, camel caravan size = 1,000-12,000) Eventually sent slaves north

Trans-Sahara Trade Routes Beginning of trade: Ghana Height of trade: Mali Decline of trade: Portuguese invaders/Atlantic slave trade

African Political Organization: Islamic Kingdoms Islamic Impact Active trade with Islamic world (Dar al-Islam) Islamic world interested in Ghana: “The richest king on the face of the earth by reason of wealth and treasure of [gold]” By 11 th C, Muslims part of culture of the Savannah