Trading Kingdoms of West Africa

Home , Ghana Empire, Mali Empire, Songhai Empire, Takedda, The Middle (season 9), Trade route

DO NOT EDIT--Changes must be made through “File info” CorrectionKey=TX-A

SECTION 3 Trading Kingdoms of West Africa

What You Will Learn… If YOU were there... Main Ideas You are a trader’s assistant from the Middle East, traveling in a cara- 1. West Africa developed three van headed for West Africa. The caravan carries many goods, but the great kingdoms that grew wealthy through their control most precious is salt. Your job is to trade the salt for gold and return of trade. the gold to your employer immediately. Your boss never meets the 2. Slaves became a valuable trade item in West Africa. traders face to face. Why is your boss so secretive? The Big Idea Using trade to gain wealth, Ghana, Mali, and Songhai were West Africa’s most powerful kingdoms. Building Background The continent of Africa was luxuriously rich in resources. West Africa had both fertile soils and valuable minerals, especially gold and iron. Ancient trade routes had connected Africa with Key Terms and People the Middle East and Asia for hundreds of years. Over time, trade devel- Berbers, p. 16 oped between regions with different resources. Trade and abundant Mansa Musa, p. 18 hajj, p. 18 resources led to the growth of several great kingdoms in West Africa. mosques, p. 19 Askia the Great, p. 19 West Africa’s Great Kingdoms For hundreds of years, trade routes crisscrossed West Africa. For most of that time, West Africans did not profit much from the Use the graphic organizer online Saharan trade because the routes were run by Berbers, a group of to take notes on the rise of early people from northern Africa. Eventually, that situation changed. A African kingdoms and the role of succession of three great kingdoms came to power as their peoples trade in their development. gained control of valuable trade routes in West Africa. Ghana (gah- nuh) was the first of these empires, followed by the kingdoms of Mali (mah-lee) and Songhai (sawng-hy).

Kingdom of Ghana Historians think the first people in Ghana were farmers along the Niger River. Sometime after AD 300 these farmers, the Soninke (soh-ning-kee), were threatened by nomadic herders. The herders wanted to take the farmers’ water and pastures. For protection, groups of Soninke families began to band together. This banding together was the beginning of Ghana.

16 Chapter 1 DO NOT EDIT--Changes must be made through “File info” CorrectionKey=TX-A

Ghana’s rulers grew wealthy by controlling trade in salt and gold. Salt came from the north in large slabs, and gold came from the south. What does the photo to the left suggest about the amount of salt traded in a market?

Ghana was in an ideal position to become on the goods he carried. Then he had to pay a trading center. To the north lay the vast another tax on any goods he took with him Sahara, the source of much of the salt. Ghana when he left. Ghana’s rulers gained incred- itself was rich in gold. People wanted gold for ible wealth from trade, taxes on traders and its beauty, but they needed salt in their diets on the people of Ghana, and their own per- to survive. Salt, which could be used to pre- sonal stores of gold. They used their wealth serve food, also made bland food tasty. These to build an army and an empire. qualities made salt very valuable. In fact, Afri- cans sometimes cut up slabs of salt and used Islam in Ghana the pieces as money. Extensive trade routes brought the people As trade in gold and salt increased, Gha- of Ghana into contact with people of many na’s rulers gained power. Eventually, they different cultures and beliefs. As the king- built up armies equipped with iron weapons dom of Ghana extended into the Sahara, that were superior to the weapons of nearby increased contact with Arab traders from the people. Over time, Ghana took control of east brought the religion of Islam to Ghana. trade from merchants. Merchants from the Islam was founded in the 600s by an north and south then met to exchange goods Arab named Muhammad. Muslims, follow- in Ghana. ers of Islam, believe that God had spoken to By 800 Ghana was firmly in control of Muhammad through an angel and had made West Africa’s trade routes. Nearly all trade him a prophet, someone who tells of God’s between northern and southern Africa messages. After Muhammad’s death, his fol- passed through Ghana. With so many trad- lowers wrote down his teachings to form ers passing through their lands, Ghana’s rul- the book known as the Qur’an. Islam spread ers looked for ways to make money from quickly through the Arabian Peninsula. them. One way they raised money was by In the 1060s, a Muslim group called forcing traders to pay taxes. Every trader the Almoravids (al-muh-rah-vuhdz) attacked who entered Ghana had to pay a special tax Ghana in an effort to force its leaders to

the world before the opening of the atlantic 17 DO NOT EDIT--Changes must be made through “File info” CorrectionKey=TX-A

Empires of West Africa, 800–1500

�� ss �� ra b , �� r e

s �� s a �� l � g � � � �� HRW National

�� s �� d ah07bs_c01loc010aa �� r y o

� r � o w � � � vory i v s West African Empire, AD 1000-1500 � � � , , � � � s � � e � es d, i � l s � v o r � � o Final pass 1/28/05 �� g h � � sla , � � h � � t Ghana, 1000 lo �� c Mali, 1400 �� Songhai, 1500 �� Settlement �� Trade route

� �� Trade goods � � � �� 0 250 500 Miles � ��

� � �

��

� � � � � � 0 250 500 Kilometers ��

� �

�

�� geography skills INTERPRETING MAPS �� 1. Location On what river are Timbuktu and Gao located?

�� 2. Region Which empires ruled Timbuktu and Gao?

convert to Islam. The Almoravids�� weakened�� Mansa Musa ruled Mali for about 25 Ghana’s empire and cut off many trade routes. years, from 1312 to 1337. During that time, Without its trade, Ghana could not support Mali added many important trade cities, its empire, and the empire eventually fell. including Timbuktu (tim-buhk-too), Djenné The influence of Islam, however, remained (je-nay), and Gao (gow), to its empire. Traders strong. By the late 1400s Islam would become came to Timbuktu from the north and the the most practiced religion in the region. south to trade for salt, gold, metals, shells, and many other goods. Kingdom of Mali Religion was also very important to Mansa

Like Ghana, Mali lay along the upper Niger Musa. In 1324 he left Mali on a hajj , or pil- River. This area’s fertile soil helped Mali grimage to Mecca. Making this journey once grow. In addition, Mali’s location on the in their lives is the spiritual duty of all Muslims. Niger allowed its people to control trade on As he traveled to Mecca, Mansa Musa intro- the river. Through this control of trade, the duced his empire to the world. The stories of empire grew rich and powerful. According Mali’s wealth and religion spread far and wide. to legend, Mali’s rise to power began under Because of Mansa Musa’s influence, Islam a ruler named Sundiata. Sundiata won back spread through a large part of West Africa. his country’s independence and conquered Mansa Musa wanted all Muslims to be HRW National nearby kingdoms, including Ghana. able to read the Qur’an. Therefore, he stressed ah07bs_c01legp010aa Mali’s most famous ruler, however, was a the importance of learning to�� read�� and write West African Empire, AD 1000-1500 Muslim king named Mansa Musa (mahn-sah the Arabic language. ��He sent scholars to Final 1/28/05 �� moo-sah). Under his leadership, Mali reached study in Morocco. These scholars�� later�� !" ��set up the height of its wealth, power, and fame. schools in Mali for studying the Qur’an.

18 Chapter 1 DO NOT EDIT--Changes must be made through “File info” CorrectionKey=TX-A

To encourage the spread of Islam in West Mali’s decline, regained their independence, The Impact Africa, Mansa Musa brought back artists and eventually conquered most of Mali. Today and architects from other Muslim countries One of Songhai’s greatest rulers was Some of the mosques built to build mosques , or buildings for Muslim Muhammad Ture, who chose the title askia, by Mansa Musa prayer, throughout his lands. a title of military rank. He became known can still be seen The architectural advances in cities like as Askia the Great. Like Mansa Musa, in West Africa Timbuktu as well as an organized govern- Askia the Great was a devout Muslim who today. ment, an emphasis on education, and expan- supported education and learning. Under his sion of trade all combined to make Mansa rule, the cities of Gao and Timbuktu flour- Musa Mali’s most successful ruler. Much ished. They contained great mosques, univer- of Mali’s success depended on strong lead- sities, schools, and libraries. People came from ers. After Mansa Musa died, poor leadership all parts of West Africa to study mathematics, weakened the empire. By 1500 nearly all of science, medicine, grammar, and law. the lands the kingdom once ruled were lost. Askia understood that an empire needed Only a small area of Mali remained. effective government. He created a profes- sional army, and to improve the govern- Songhai Empire ment, he set up five provinces within Song- In the 1300s Mansa Musa had conquered a hai. He removed local leaders and appointed rival kingdom of people called the Songhai, new governors who were loyal to him. He who also lived along the Niger River. As the also created specialized departments to over- Mali Empire weakened in the 1400s, the Song- see various tasks, much like modern-day gov- hai grew in strength. They took advantage of ernment offices do.

linking TO Today Music from Senegal to Memphis Did you know that the music you listen to today may have begun with the griots, musicians from West Africa? From the 1600s to the 1800s, many people from West Africa were brought to America as slaves. In America, these slaves continued to sing the way they had in Africa. They also continued to play traditional instruments such as the kora, shown here being played by Senegalese musician Soriba Kouyaté (far right). Over time, this music developed into a style called the blues, made popular by such artists as B. B. King (near right). In turn, the blues shaped other styles of music, including jazz and rock. So, the next time you hear a Memphis blues song or a cool jazz tune, listen for its ancient African roots.

ANALYSIS skill Analyzing Information How did West African music affect modern American music?

the world before the opening of the atlantic 19 DO NOT EDIT--Changes must be made through “File info” CorrectionKey=TX-A

Soon after Askia the Great lost power, even the relatives of people who owed money the empire of Songhai declined. Songhai was were sold into slavery as payment for debts. invaded by the Moroccans, the kingdom’s Enslaved Africans were often bought to per- northern neighbors. The Moroccans wanted form menial labor and domestic chores. In to control the Saharan salt mines. They had some cultures, having slaves raised the status superior military power and were able to take of the slaveholder. over Timbuktu and Gao. Changes in trade The market for West African slaves in- patterns completed Songhai’s fall. creased as Muslim traders bought or seized black Africans to sell in North Africa. West Reading Check Comparing What did Ghana, Africa was also home to many enslaved Afri- Mali, and Songhai have in common? cans brought to the Americas. Over time, the slave trade became even more important to the West African econo- West African Slave Trade my. Kings traded slaves for valuable goods, The practice of slavery had existed in Africa such as horses from the Middle East and and in many parts of the world for centuries. textiles and weapons from Europe. The trans- Traditionally, slavery in West Africa mostly Saharan slave trade contributed to the power involved only black Africans, who were both of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai. slaveholders and slaves. This changed in the 600s when Arab Muslims, and later Europeans, Reading Check Drawing Inferences Why did became slave traders. Though Europeans had the slave trade in West Africa continue to grow? long traded resources with Africa, they became more interested in the growing slave trade. People who were captured by warring SUmmary and Preview Trade was groups during battle could be sold into slavery. important to the kingdoms of West Africa. In addition, criminals were sometimes sold In the next section you will learn about as slaves. Other enslaved people were cap- European trade. tured during raids on villages, and sometimes

Section 3 Assessment ONLINE QUIZ

Reviewing Ideas, Terms, and People below and use it to show the similarities and dif- 1. a. Identify How did West African kingdoms grow ferences in the fall of each kingdom. wealthy through trade? b. Describe How did Mansa Musa introduce his Fall of Similarities Differences Ghana, empire to the world? Mali, and c. Elaborate Why was trade crucial to the survival Songhai of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai? 2. a. Describe How did some people become slaves in West Africa? b. Analyze What role did geography play in the Focus on Writing development of the slave trade? c. Judge Why did the value of slaves as an export 4. Gathering Information on Economies increase over time? Make a list of things that were important to the economies of the kingdoms of West Africa. Include Critical Thinking your ideas about what seems most important to 3. Comparing and Contrasting Review your chart on West Africans and things that you did not know African kingdoms and trade. Then copy the diagram about before reading this section.

20 Chapter 1