DO Now WHY IS AFRICA CALLED THE BIRTHPLACE OF MANKIND Learning Targets and Intentions of the Lesson Students Will Be Able to: 1. KNOW the relationships between the various Early African Kingdoms and trade along the Indian Ocean. 2. UNDERSTAND and explain the significance of Mansa Musa in the development of trade relations within the Early African Kingdoms. 3. List and describe the political, economic, and social systems of Early African Kingdoms (SKILL). A Satellite View Great Rift Valley 3,000 miles long Tropic of Cancer Africa: 20° N The “Tropical” Equator 0° Continent Tropic of Capricorn 20° S Vegetation Zones Bantu Migrations • Bantu – settled around sub-Sahara Africa • spread to the Nile • provided economic foundation for many African societies, African Kingdoms 800 C.E. -1600 C.E. African Kingdoms • Ghana 750-1076 • Mali 1235-1610 • Songhai 1464-1612 Ghana Empire • The Ghana Empire or Wagadou Empire (existed c. 750- 1076) • southeastern Mauritania, Western Mali, Eastern Senegal • Believed to be the first - of many empires in that part of Africa. eighth century, – Dinga Cisse first Ruler • Introduced the camel Centuries before the Arabs and the Muslims Ghana Empire • Owed its prosperity to trans-Saharan trade strategic location Near gold and salt exchanged for textiles ornaments • Hand-crafted leather in old Morocco originated in Ghana. Ghana - few natural resources except salt and gold. Very good making things from iron. Ghanaian warriors used iron tipped spears – their foes fought with weapons made of http://www.imf.org/external/np/exr/center/m stone, bone, and wood. m/eng/mm_rs_01.htm Ghana’s Economy & Decline • The empire struggled in the early 11th century. • By 1059, the population density overtaxing the region. • The Sahara desert was expanding southward, threatening food supplies. http://www.btsadventures.com/img/ mosque.jpg Mali Empire • The Mali Empire from c. 1235 to c. 1610. • The empire was founded by Sundiata Keita renowned for the wealth of its rulers, especially Mansa Musa I. • The Mali Empire had many profound cultural influences on West Africa allowing the spread of its language, laws and customs along the Niger River. Mali Empire • The Mali Empire flourished because of trade It contained three immense gold mines • The empire taxed every ounce of gold or salt that entered its borders. • By the beginning of the 14th century, Mali was the source of almost half the Old World's gold. Ancient Timbuktu A powerful king named Sundiata ruled this area from around 1230-1255 AD. He expanded his kingdom to be as great as Ghana. Greatest king of Mali was Mansa Musa (1312-1337). He developed the gold and salt trade Mansa Musa was a Muslim. He built many beautiful mosques or Islamic temples in western Africa. In 1324, Mansa Musa made a pilgrimage or hajj to Mecca with 60,000 servants and followers and 80 camels carrying more than 4,000 pounds of gold to be distributed among the poor. http://www.exzoobera nce.com Songhay Empire • The Songhai Empire, was a pre-colonial African state centered in eastern Mali. • From the early 15th to the late 16th Century, Songhai was one of the largest African empires in history. • The capital was the city of Gao, where a small Songhai state had existed since the 9th Century. Its base of power was on the bend of the Niger River in present-day Niger and Burkina Faso. Songhai Empire Songhay Economy • The Songhai economy was based on a traditional caste system. • The most common castes were metalworkers, fishermen, carpenters. Lower caste participants consisted of • At the bottom were war captives and slaves obligated to labor, especially in farming. • The great Songhay leader, Sunni Ali conquered Mali • He began the kingdom of Songhay. • Set up a complex government to rule all the lands he had conquered. http://www.abcorpaffairs.com/gallery / Timbuktu Djenne Sunni Ali captured Timbuktu in 1468 and Djenne in 1475. He carried out a very repressive regime, especially against the scholars. .