West African Kingdoms

 Kingdom of Ghana  s Kingdom of Mali  s Kingdom of Songhai ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  Tribute- Gifts paid to rulers for taxes  Berbers- desert nomads  Merchants- businessmen Front Cover

 Produced neither gold nor salt, became wealthy by trading both  First trading empire in west Africa  Taxed good going into and out of kingdom  Had a well built army funded by the taxes collected  Most people are farmers  Islam became a major influence Ghana

 Seized power from Ghana  Stretched from Atlantic coast to the bend of the Niger river  Built a major city “Timbuktu”  Mansa Musa- ruler or chief of Mali  Became wealthy from taxing goods, receiving tributes from surrounding area rulers  Located on fertile land. Farmed rice, beans, millet, yams  Farmers gave crops as tribute for taxation  Bought horses and weapons with money from taxes  2/3 of gold in use was traded through Mali Mali

 Founder- Sunny Ali- captured Timbuktu from Mali in 1464  Had universities attracting teachers and poets  Wealth came from taxes on trade and tribute of crops from farmers  Last 125 years  Wanted to gain control of gold and salt trade through expansion  Sunni Ali’s son divided his empire into provinces after his death  Continued to tax goods going in and out of kingdom  Askia Muhammad converted everyone to Islam  Islam brought about principles of the basis of court systems and social reform  Built mosques and schools  Askia Muhammad rule known as “period of Peace” Songhai

 Mali’s most famous ruler; made a pilgrimage to mecca/medina  Gave away so much gold it caused the price of gold to crash  Brought back architects and Islamic scholars to Timbuktu  Timbuktu became the Islamic learning center of west Africa  Lead a massive caravan 60,000 people, 80 camels  Gave gifts to the poor  Mansa Musa Song Mansa Musa Song Mansa Musa