August 24, 2014

West African Trading Kingdoms- During the Middle Ages, there were several Kingdoms that developed in West Africa that had strong centralized governments - These Kingdoms grew wealthy and powerful because they controlled an important trade route, known as the Trans-Saharan trade route

-Ghana was the first kingdom that developed and controlled the Trans-Saharan trade route

Ghana: Land of GoldThe Kingdom of Ghana ruled western Africafrom the 4th century - 11th centuryIt grew powerful and wealthy because it hada monopoly on the trade of Gold and Salt

Through trade, the Kingdom of Ghana was exposed to Islam through Muslimmerchants - Eventually Islam and Animism were the two most practiced religions in the Kingdom of Ghana

The Kingdom of MaliThe Kingdom of Ghana declined after the Muslim group, Almoravids,from North Africa invaded and conquered the Kingdom in 1076

Sundiata = Mali's first great leader or Mansa (emperor)

Sundiata re-established the Gold-Salt trade that Ghana once controlled - Mali grew powerful and wealthy and eventually controlled more of west Africa than Ghana ever did

Sundiata died in 1255 and Mali was eventuallycontrolled by its greatest ruler; Mansa Musa

Mansa MusaMansa Musa ruled the Kingdom of Mali until 1332He was a devout Muslim who took his hajj to Mecca from 1324 - 1325 - He spread Islam throughout Africa on his travels - He also displayed the wealth of Mali by distributing gold on his pilgrimage to Mecca

When Mansa Musa returned from his hajj, he began buildinggreat mosques and universities in the city of Timbuktu - Timbuktu became the cultural center of Africa - Timbuktu was the most important city on the Trans-Saharan Trade Route

August 24, 2014

Ibn BattutaMuslim traveler who traveled to the Kingdom of Mali after the death of Mansa Musa

- He described the Kingdom of Mali (especially Timbuktu) as a highly advanced civilization- His journals were published and read, which encouraged trade with the Kingdom of Mali- He is often compared with Marco Polo because of his influence on the expansion of trade

Empire of Songhai- After Mali declined in the 1400's the Songhai broke away from the Kingdom (East)

- They built up an army, extended their territory to the Niger River and gained control of all the important trade routes

Sunni Ali - Conquering Hero- Extraordinary ruler who built a large empire by military conquest

- Built a professional army that had a riverboat fleet of war canoes and a mobile fighting force on horseback

- Conquered Djenne, a trade city with a university