African Empires
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African Empires SAHARA DESERT Timbuktu Niger River Congo River Zambezi River Limpopo River He who controls trade, controls the world RULE #3 Rulers of the Nile Egypt Kush (Nubia) Aksum was a rich and successful trading empire Traded with Europe, the Arabian Peninsula, Egypt, Persia, and India Mesopotamians (Assyria, Persia, Rome) Aksum Aksum Where is it? Ethiopian highlands Converted Christianity Became to the Ethiopians Stayed Christian until modern times Great Zimbabwe Powerful trade city in Southern Africa Near gold Access to the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers Great Zimbabwe Mysterious Giant circular walls that don’t look defensive City was suddenly abandoned West Africa What is the most important geographic feature of West Africa? West Africa Trade West Africa has something everybody wants GOLD! West Africa needs something they can get from the desert SALT What’s the best way to get stuff across a desert? Camels Gold-Salt Trade Gold-Salt Trade Gold went from West Africa to other parts of the world Salt was traded from the Sahara to West Africa Ideas and goods from the Mediterranean entered into Sub-Saharan Africa Islam expands through trade, not war West African Empires All three West African Empires became powerful in the same way Control the trade! People who lived where the best gold mines were, built armies and conquered everyone else Ghana First empire in West Africa Led by a king Controlled the supply of gold Collected taxes Protected traders Safety Mali Gold mines moved east so new people take over Sundiata (sun-JAT-ah) creates an empire Mansa Musa Title “mansa,” or war chief Converted to Islam and made the Hajj City of Timbuktu – center of trade Songhai Gold mines moved east so new people take over Just like Mali Conquered by Moroccans with guns Islam in Africa African religion was based on the belief in nature and ancestor spirits, called animism Trade spreads Islam throughout West Africa and East African coast Mali and Songhai
