Transcript West Africa - Richmond Heights High School

Chapter 1
Section 2
West African
Civilizations

 Like all of Africa, West Africa is ethnically, culturally
and geographically diverse
 West Africa included three great Ancient
civilizations
 Ghana, Mali and Songhai
Ancient Ghana

 The kingdom of Ghana became rich from trade
 Their kings were known in Europe and the Middle
East as some of the richest monarchs in the world
 The use of the Asian camel allowed for trade across
the Sahara to N. Africa
Ancient Ghana

 The people of Ghana exported slaves, gold and
pepper
 They traded with the Roman Empire and the
Berbers- the indigenous people of N. Africa
 When the Romans power declined trade with
Muslim merchants took its place
The Empire of Mali (12301468)

 Mali replaced Ghana as the chief economic power in
West Africa
 Mali was further South than Ghana in an area of
greater rainfall which allowed them to grow more
crops and support a larger population
 Mali was a Muslim Empire that had great wealth
The Empire of Mali

 Mali’s wealthiest city was Timbuktu along the Niger river
 Timbuktu was a major center for trade particularly in
slaves, gold and salt
 It was also a cultural center that included mosques, a law
schools and book dealers
 The city was renown for their religious and ethnic
tolerance
The Empire of Mali

 After the death of their greatest ruler Mansa Musa
Mali declined and was taken over by one of their
subject peoples the Songhai
The Empire of Songhai
(1464-1591)

 The Songhai people were great warriors and traders
 They became the largest of the West African Empires
 Although they were officially a Muslim Empire
outside of the cities 95% of the people remained
bound to their many different traditional religions
The Empire of Songhai

 Europeans began rapidly establishing trade centers
on the coast which threatened the N. African trade
partners of the Songhai
 The king of Morocco sent an army armed with
cannons and muskets to regain access to the gold in
the area
 The Songhai hadn’t developed firearms and were
defeated
Europeans gain power in
W. Africa

 With their army defeated the Songhai Empire fell
apart
 There was no government powerful enough to
intervene when Europeans and kingdoms of the
Guinea Coast became more interested in the slave
trade than gold
Assignment

 1. What were the three empires of W. Africa?
 2. How and why was Timbuktu a major center of trade
and cultural exchange?
 3. What was the source of these West African civilizations
wealth?
 4. What did they trade?
 5. Explain how Europeans came to dominate the trade of
West Africa?