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Ghana: A West African Trading Empire

Chapter 13

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The first of West Africa’s empires500 C.E. Until 1240 C.E.Semidry Sahel to valley between Senegal and Niger Rivers

To the south forestTo the north Sahara Desert

Earliest writings from travelers to and from Arab countriesNot know how developed into an empireGhana means “war chief”Control of trade made them very wealthy

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Ghana’s Government and Military

• Known as land of gold with a strong government and large and powerful army

• King and his government– King head of army and in charge of justice– head of religious worship– Controlled gold trade– Collected taxes and controlled supply of all gold coming in and out

of Ghana– Held court everyday– people could only have gold dust not chunks – those belong to the

king– Arrived to the beating of royal drums– Dressed in colorful robes, gold jewelry and cap decorated in gold– People show respect by kneeling and throwing dust on their head– officials in charge of different parts of society

• Armed forces, industry, taxes and foreigners– Used governors to rule some parts of empire– Royal inheritance was matrilineal (followed the woman’s bloodline)

son of king’s sister took over throne

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– Included regular army,• Several thousand career soldiers – kept borders secure,

put down minor revolts maintained peace and order• Wore knee-length cotton pants and sleeveless long

shirts, sandals and headdresses decorated with feathers

• Color of uniform and number of feathers indicated his rank

• Used spears, daggers, swords, battle clubs, and bows and arrows

• Well paid and well respected– reserve forces

• Called in time of war• Every man required to complete military training so

could serve– elite forces

• Selected for courage, honesty and intelligence• Served as bodyguards, escorts and military advisors

Ghana’s military

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Trade: the source of Ghana’s wealth

• Located between two areas that wanted to trade• Trans-Sahara trade route

– North Africa – salt, copper and cowrie shells (used as money)

– Southern forests of West Africa – leather, ivory, gold, and slaves

– Active before 500 B.C.E.– The camel and the spread of Islam promoted trade

• Drink 25 gallons at a time – travel several days without stopping for water• Have double row of eyelashes and hairy ear openings to keep out

blowing sand• These allowed travel over the desert• Gold for Roman coins came from Africa• Muslims wanted to control trade in West Africa• Ghana turned back the invaders – but many Muslims settled and became

merchants

– Journey difficult – would travel right after the rainy season ended – went from oasis to oasis – would kill camels and drink their water – 2 months goods moved by camel, donkey and porter

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Gold-salt trade•North Africans wanted gold – (south) forest people wanted salt from Sahara

•Ghana made money from taxes charged on both•Wangara: the secret source of gold

•Gold a symbol of wealth•Coins made from gold•China would only accept gold for trade goods•Located near the forests south of Ghana – but only the Wangara knew where it was – to this day no one is sure where the mines were.

•Taghaza: village built with salt•Salt more precious than gold•Important part of diet•People and animals sweat and lose salt that must be replaced•Keep food from spoiling•2 ways to produce salt -1)evaporation 2) mining salt deposits (3 feet below the surface of earth•A dismal place – nothing grew – built everything out of salt

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Ghana’s system of taxes• Traders paid taxes to Ghana on all

goods carried through empire– When they entered Ghana and when they

left– 1/6 oz of gold for every load of salt from

the north– 1/3 oz of gold for every load of salt that

left to the south

• Taxes enriched Ghana treasury and pay for armies that protected kingdom and allowed to conquer other territories.

• Kept trade routes safe

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Exchange of goods

• Brought goods to great market place in Kumbi– Ironsmiths – weapons and tools, goldsmiths and

coppersmiths – jewelry, weavers – cloth, leatherworkers, could buy cattle, sheep, honey, wheat, raisins, dried fruit, ivory, pearls and slaves ( all paid for in gold dust)

– Had a large slave market– Wangarans trade took place at the river and with

silent barter. (Activity) traders brought goods to river and laid them out – a drum announced that they were making an offer to trade – they left and went several miles down river to wait for a response – the Wangarans heard the drum and came by boat to see offer they put gold next to the goods and beat the drum – if the amount was acceptable a trade had been made

– This allowed people of different languages to trade and the Wangarans to keep their secret

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Decline of Ghana and the rise of Mali

• War and loss of natural resources led to Ghana’s downfall.

– Muslim warriors (Almoravids) attacked the empire in 1076 captured Kumbi – 10 years later recaptured Kumbi but fall had started.

– Growing population put stress on natural resources (trees and water)

• 1240 a rival kingdom took over and Mali rose (Mande built an empire) closer to Niger River

• Gained wealth from trade – was a larger area than Ghana

• Leaders accepted IslamMansa Musa depicted holding a gold nugget, from the 1375

Catalan Atlas.

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SummaryTrade played a key role in growth of kingdoms and

empires of West AfricaGhana was the first empire

They had a powerful government and strong armyLocated between North and South Africa and

controlled the trans-Sahara tradeBecame wealthy by charging taxes to all coming in

and out of empireYears of war and loss of resources led to downfall in

13th centuryNext great empire was Mali – it too built its wealth on

trade.