1. Western African Civilizations: Ghana, Mali, Songhai Essential Question: How did trade routes lead to cultural diffusion?
John Green Western Africa Video

2. We will look at 4 African Kingdoms

3. General Info… Trade Routes, Migration, Cultural Diffusion
The Bantu were a Group of people who originally lived in West Africa
Migrated in search of fertile land
Spread their knowledge of farming, ironworking, & LANGAUGE across the continent
Today almost 1/3 of Africans speak a language derived from the Bantu
Was this an example of cultural diffusion? Why or why not?

4. General Trade info… Gold & Salt
The Sahel region lacks salt deposits, and so people there had to trade for salt from the Sahara Desert
Several powerful empires developed around the trade of gold and salt and would control much of Western Africa for almost 1,000 years

5. General Trade info… Camels
Camels allowed the gold-salt trade to be successful. They allowed people to transport great quantities of gold and salt longer distances.
Other pack animals cannot cross the Sahara, but camels can because they can go up to 40 days without water.
Camels are also very strong and able to carry heavy loads. They have double rows of long eyelashes to keep the sand out during sand storms
Did you know…
-Camels can withstand dry arid temperatures during the day and don’t even sweat until it is at least 106 degrees, and they do well when temperatures get cold at night

6. Ghana 300-1000 AD a.k.a. “The Land of Gold”
The first of the West African trading kingdoms
No one is really sure when the Ghana kingdom began, but they do know that it became very powerful
Through weapon making technology (iron smelting), Ghanaian warriors expanded boundaries
Gained control over trade routes
Ghana became powerful because of its control of gold in the gold-salt trade across the Sahara Desert
It is located between the Niger River
and the Sahara Desert…Benefits of living here??

7. Ghana Gold Salt Trade Location! Location! Location!
Ghana was located in the midway between Saharan salt mines and tropical gold mines
Caravans of Muslim merchants brought goods, which Ghanaian people exchanged for gold
Trade conducted via the silent trade
Muslims brought their religion to the people of Ghana
Ghana eventually declined in power, mostly because it lost its control of the gold trade and because new gold mines were found farther east

8. Ghana Video and Notes Add to your frame: Years: 300-1000 AD
Leader: King Tenkamenin, Religion: Islam
Had so much gold, they traded it for salt
Muslims used trade routes to spread religion of Islam
Charged traders for protection and “safe travel”
Video: Ghana Empire

9. Mali AD
As Ghana declined in the 1200’s AD, the kingdom of Mali gained in power.
Mali was centered around these new salt mines east of Ghana
Controlled the gold and salt trade.
Profited greatly from the slave trade.
Traded with Egypt and the copper mines to the east.
Mali’s powerful king Sundiata Keita built an even larger empire
He was the founder and first leader of Mali

10. Mali Mansa Musa Another important King of Mali Devout Muslim king
Bases legal and justice system on the Qur’an
Greatly extended territory and power of Mali
Known for Making Hajj (holy trip) to Mecca, but stops in Egypt first
In 1324, he Traveled with somewhere between 12, ,000 people each wearing silk & carrying gold bars, which were given to the poor.
It is said he also took 80 camels carrying 300 lbs of gold each.

11. Mali Mansa Musa Brings back Islamic scholars and architects to Mali
Has Timbuktu built
Timbuktu
Center of learning and art
Increased Islamic influence in West Africa
Use of credit
Written contracts
Education for many classes

12. Timbuktu
Mali established the city, Timbuktu, which was a center for trade and learning.
Universities were established to promote learning
Many converted to Islam, and built mosques.
Muslim scholars came from all over the world
to study religion, math, music, law and literature

13. Mali Video and Notes Add to your frame: Years: 1200-1600 AD
Leader: Sundiata Keita, Mansa Musa, Religion: Islam
Replaced Ghana as main trading kingdom
Traded gold, salt, slaves
Had Timbuktu…center for LEARNING & trade
Video: Mali Empire

14. Songhai AD
Eventually, Mali declined, and Songhai took its place and built an even larger empire
Songhai was also based on the gold-salt trade
Inherited much of Mali’s blend of Islamic and animist traditions
Included all of the land that the Kingdom of Mali once owned.
Songhai was a Muslim kingdom, Islam was a unifying force for the people and an important factor for maintaining state power.

15. Songhai The largest of the 3 major West African kingdoms
Took control of Timbuktu
Expanded trade to Europe and Asia
Time of great cultural diffusion
Askia Muhammad a.k.a. Askia the Great
sets up high functioning bureaucracy: a system of government in which most of the important decisions are made by state officials rather than by elected representatives.
5 provinces each with
A governor
Tax collector
Judges (Like Mansa Musa, had laws based on Qur’an)
Trade inspectors
Songhai would reach its’ height under the leadership of Askia

16. Songhai
1591- Moroccans raided Taghaza’s salt mine and the Songhai were defeated at the Battle of Tongdibi.
The empire
never recovered.

17. Songhai Video and Notes
Add to your frame:
Years: AD
Leaders: Sunni Ali and Askia the Great, Religion: Islam
Controlled salt and gold mines. Also traded fish.
Expanded trade to Europe and Asia, time of great cultural diffusion
Were eventually taken by the Moroccans, and their economy never recovered
Video: Songhai

19. The East African Kingdom- Zimbabwe

20. Great Zimbabwe Rise to Power
Originally derived wealth from herds of cattle
Then found gold in central part of kingdom
Location, Location, Location
Like Ghana, located between trading posts, but on Indian Ocean
Evidence of trade with Syria, and Persia
Great Zimbabwe served as middleman between gold miners, ivory hunters in southern Africa, traders on coast
Middleman is person who buys something from one person, sells to another, making profit on sale

21. Built consistently throughout AD, the ruins at Great Zimbabwe are some of the oldest and largest structures located in Southern Africa.
At its peak, estimates are that the ruins of Great Zimbabwe had as many as 18,000 inhabitants. The ruins that survive are built entirely of stone.
Great Zimbabwe

22. Great Zimbabwe Disappearance for reasons unknown
Historians best guess…
No one knows why Zimbabwe was abandoned, but they think it was because the land was over grazed by cattle and the soil depleted, new land needed to be
found to feed the people.
While there is little known about Great Zimbabwe, its size and influence on the region is just recently being rediscovered.
We know Islam was spread throughout Great Zimbabwe like the other African Kingdoms.

23. Zimbabwe Video and Notes
Add to your frame:
Years: AD
Leaders: unknown, Religion: Islam
Made money from being the Middleman and making profit on sales
Traded gold and ivory
Theory is… ended due to overused land, moved to find more food
Video: Great Zimbabwe

24. How trade routes led to cultural diffusion
African civilizations were known for controlling trade of salt and gold, practicing Islam and promoting learning.

25. Additional Activities
Day 1 & 2, Go through Powerpoint, fill in frame, show videos
Africa’s Trading Empire’s textbook article and answer questions 1-7 on accompanying worksheet
African States and Trade Atlas 62

26. Additional Information/ Websites