West African Kingdoms Kingdoms of Wealth, Power, and Intellectual Accomplishment

Ghana First West African trading empire Became rich because of its relative location Located on trade route between Sahara (main source of salt) and gold fields of Senegal River Taxed goods passing through kingdom Arab traders led trade (salt-gold) on caravan Group of camels carrying goods

Mali Malinke ruler took control of gold-salt trade from Ghana Wealth of empire came from Taxes passing through kingdom Tributes Gifts of farm crops paid to Mali’s ruler by chiefs of surrounding lands

Mali’s Leader Leader of Mali people called mansa, or chief Religious as well as political leader Most important ruler Mansa Musa Brought back Muslim scholars and made Timbuktu a center of learning

Timbuktu Mali built city of Timbuktu when took control of gold- salt trade Trading center of Mali & Songhai Became center of Muslim learning Great universities produced doctors, judges, priest and other learned men Muslim learning more important than gold-salt trade

Songhai Sunni Ali, founder and first leader of kingdom Skilled and ruthless fighter Follower of Islam, religion of Muslim people Took control of gold-salt trade from Mali Wealth of kingdom came from taxes and tributes

Songhai -continued Askia Muhammad, another important leader of kingdom Attracted Islamic teachers and poets to Timbuktu’s universities

Bantu People Bantu: West African people who spoke Bantu Learned to heat and shape iron Made farming easier and created food surpluses Population increased

Bantu Migrations Some of the largest migrations in human history Possible reason for migration Looking for new land to farm Bantu-speakers settled in Central and Southern Africa Introduced farming, herding, and iron tools to these regions