Thursday 10/28 wk What was a source of Ghana’s strength? 2. What two items were traded by the North Africans and the Wangarans (West Africans)?

The Empire of Ghana Ch 5.2 Page 157

Geography of West Africa ► Three Vegetation Zones  desert ► Sahara-large desert in northern Africa  grassland ► savannah-grassland in a tropical region  forest

Geography of West Africa desertsavannah forest

Geography of West Africa ► Niger River  Trade  Communication  Transportation

Trans-Saharan Trade ► Trans-Saharan= “across the Sahara”  Trans-Saharan trade=trade across the Sahara Trade Goods salt and gold food, slaves, and other trade goods Ghana Sahara Desert North Africa (Berbers)

The Growth of Ghana’s Empire ► “ Ghana” = King ► Koumbi Saleh

The Growth of Ghana’s Empire ► Economy  center of salt and gold trade ► salt from north ► gold from south  taxed trade to become wealthy

Religious and Cultural Changes ► Berbers  North Africans who spoke Arabic and practiced the religion of Islam ► Berbers brought  Arabic Writing  Scholars (wise people)

Islam and Ghana ► Influence of Islamic Beliefs  Ghana Kings and wealthy upper class converted to Islam  Use of Arabic writing  Arabic became language of government  Muslims gained power in Ghana’s government  Islamic beliefs influenced Ghana’s laws

Ghana Under Attack ► Almoravids attacked Ghana  Almoravids were another North African group ► camel herders who were jealous of Ghana’s wealth ► very strict Muslims ► Attack weakened Ghana’s trade network ► Almoravids took over Ghana’s capital city in A.D. 1076