Topic: The Empire of Ghana
Key Terms & Ideas
Empire of Ghana
Beginning of Ghana
Trade Routes
Chapter: 6
Detailed Information
Grew due to its great location – early people were farmers
Section: 1
The Soninke banded together
Ran by Berbers, crisscrossed West Africa – gained control of powerful routes
Gold
Used as currency, rich people used to wear gold on their faces
All the gold found in the mines belonged to Ghana’s king, except gold dust
Salt
Also used and currency, used it for diets (enhance food).
Found in salt mines as deposits – they cut into slabs for trading
Iron
Easy to weld – malleable – used to make farming tools and weapons
Could make pickaxes for mining
Location of Ghana
How do we know about
Ghana’s early history?
Koumbi Saleh
Silent barter
Growth of Trade
Sources of Wealth and Trade
Between the Niger and the Senegal rivers
Archeologists have found artifacts that give us clues
Largest city in West Africa, called the trading oasis
A process in which people exchange goods without ever contacting each
other directly; made sure traders did business peacefully
Gold and salt increased and the ruler increased in power and the army
got stronger
Wheat (north), Sheep + Cattle + Honey (south), Leather + Cloth
800’s – Ghana was firmly in control of trade in west africa
The rulers wanted more money, so they made traders pay taxes
Tunka Manin
Reached peak under his rule
Fall of Ghana
1200’s – due to Invasion – the Almor Avids attacked; fought for 14 years
Destroyed the largest city – heart of the trading
Overgrazing – Almor Avids brought herds in – they ate all the grass – soil
dried out from sun – could no longer farm
Internal rebellion – rebels of Ghana took over the empire – rebels couldn’t
control the empire so it fell apart
MAIN QUESTION: WHAT CAUSED THE FALL OF GHANA?