Ghana’s
Trading Empire
Silent Bartering
•Process in which people exchange goods
without contacting each other directly
•Salt traders from north left slabs of salt on the
riverbank
•Gold miners from south left what they
thought was a fair amount of gold
Why?
Silent Bartering
•Peaceful
•Kept gold mines secret
Results – Gold/Salt Trade
• Increase trade
• Increase power of Ghana’s rulers (equipped with
iron weapons)
• Ghana took control over trade from North African
merchants
• Added other items: wheat, sheep, cattle, honey,
leather, and cloth
• Result: Ghana became prosperous
West African Empire
•By A.D. 800 – Ghana controlled trade in West
Africa
•Army protected routes
•Led to ….
WEALTH
HMMM…..
More and more traders
Tax –
goods imported
More profit
Tax –
people of Ghana
Tax –
goods exported
Tax –
Neighboring tribes
Wealthy Rulers
•Rulers kept gold for themselves
•Prohibited people from owning gold nuggets;
only gold dust
Why?
Showed King was wealthier than
his subjects!
Controlling the Empire
•Army – conquered neighboring tribes
•Protected trade routes
•Governors (mansas) – local rulers who
remained loyal to king
Tunka Manin
•Empire peaked
•Lavish/displayed wealth for all to see
•Nephew of a previous king – Basi
•Kingship was passed from uncle to nephew
(only king’s sister’s son could inherit the
throne)
•Learned about Tunka from Muslim
geographer
Decline
•mid 1000s - Ghana was rich and powerful
•By 1200s – Empire had declined
Why?
#1 - Invasion
•Almoravids – North African Muslims attacked
1060s
•In 14 years – defeated Ghana
•Control was short lived but…
-cut off trade routes
-formed new partnerships with Muslim leaders
•Without trade – could not support empire
#2 - Overgrazing
•Almoravids brought herds of animals with
them
•Ate grass – left soil exposed to hot desert
winds
Result….
Farmers had to leave and find new homes
#3 – Internal Rebellion
•1200 – conquered people rebelled
•Within a few years rebels had taken over the
entire Empire
However….
Rebels could not keep order …..
Ghana was conquered
by other groups…
The Great Mosque of Djenne is the
largest mud brick building in the world
Nara
Nara