Mansu Abu Bakr II
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Mansu Abu Bakr II Objective: Describe Mansa Abu Bakr II’s and his trip to America. Vocabulary: Mansa Abu Bakr II: Wealthy Malian King who gave up his rule to become an explorer and come to America. Mansa Musa: Abu Bakr II’s successor. He is considered to be the richest man who ever lived. Mandinkan: African Muslims From West AFrica. Malian Dynasty – A Mandikan empire that ruled between 1235 – 1600 known For it’s schools and wealth From gold. Tupis – Native people of America that now inhabit Brazil and much oF South America when the First Europeans arrived there. These people are believed to have been descended From the Mandinkans. Mansa Abu Bakr II discovered America over 100 years beFore Columbus. He was reported to have given up all power and gold to pursue knowledge and discovery. His successor, Mansa Musa, is regarded as some to have been the richest man that ever lived. Mansa Musa was reported to have become the successor aFter Abu Bakr II decided to abdicate his throne to join other explorers who reported to have landed in the Americas, but had returned back after becoming drawn in by a river with a heavy current. Mansa Abu Bakr II was of the Mandinkan people of West Africa. He was the king of the Ghana Empire, which contained over 24 cities and is now Mali, Mauritania, and parts oF some other West African countries. The liFe and lineage oF the Malian Dynasty was recorded by Ibn Khaldun, a well-known scholar oF the Ayyubid Empire, Al Umari, and Mansa Musa himselF. Mali is known For it’s Famous Sankore Madrasa located in Timbuktu. The school is most well known For teaching Qur’anic calligraphy, but it also was a center For learning grammar, mathematics, geography, history, physics, and several other types studies. Graduates of the university were given turbans symbolizing Divine light, wisdom, and knowledge. It is also known For it’s great wealth that came from trading gold with Europe. They were also known For teaching business ethics. A Malian scholar named Gaoussou Daiwara recorded much oF the liFe oF Mansa Abu Bakr II. On a trip to Mecca to make Hajj, Mansa Musa reported to Arab scholars that Abu Bakr II was determined to reach the other end of the ocean. Abu Bakr II’s voyage was reported to have had 2,000 ships, 1,000 For his men and 1,000 For supplies. He ordered the captain of his ships not to return home until they had reached the other end of the ocean or until they had run out oF supplies. However, with such a big fleet and so many supplies, it would be a long time beFore they need to return. Considering the size of the fleet, many argue that this voyage was much more significant than Columbus’ fleet of three ships and he did this 200 years beFore Columbus. According to Diawara, Mansa Abubakr II departed From present day Gambia landed on the coast of Brazil in 1311. The people oF the fleet settled among the local people who were known as Tupis. The chieF oF the Tupis was reported to have accepted Islam and married his daughter to Abu Bakr II. Abu Bakr II sent ships back to Mansa Musa to ask For more supplies. Mansa Musa was impressed by the crops that were brought back. Columbus also reported that he had encountered African traders in South America. To this day, many archeologists report that they have Found ancient Mandinkan script in Brazil, Peru, and Arizona. This picture show examples of Mandinkan script Found in America. You may be able to recognize the Arabic word For “Muhammad” on the bottom. Spanish explorers were also reported to have reported in their romance novels about AFrican people living in the Baja Coast. Shaykh Abdullah Hakim Quick also provides lots oF documentation oF the Mandikan settlements in the Americas. Study Questions: 1. Where do the Mandinkan people come From? Which countries make up the ancient Malian Dynasty? 2. Describe the relationship between Mansa Abubakr II and Mansa Musa. 3. What is the legendary title oF Mansa Musa? 4. How did people come to know about Mansa Abubakr II’s voyages? 5. How do we know that Mandinkan people came and settled in the New World? 6. How did Mansa Abubakr II’s Fleet compare to Columbus’ fleet? Activities: 1. Pretend you are Mansa Abu Bakr II and write a short letter from Mansa Abu Bakr II to Mansa Musa telling about his travels to America. 2. Mandinkans are known For a game called Mancala. Use an egg carton and some stones to make your own Mancala game. 3. Pretend that you are Columbus and you come upon the Topi Indians. What kinds oF conversations would you have? Write a skit between Columbus and a Topi Indian that you imagine may have happened. .