Ge
graphy of Africa
• Tropical rainforests
• Africa’s largest and most
populated climate zone is
Savanna
the
, or
grassy plains. The
savanna generally has
good soil and enough
rainfall to support
farming.
•
Another climate zone in Africa is
Sahara
the desert. The
,
in northern Africa, is the biggest
desert in the world. The desert is
very dry therefore, farming is
almost impossible.
•
Mediterranean Climate
Ge
graphy of Africa



Variety of climates
Dependence on Nature
Animism-

How would this affect trade?

Until…
Kingdoms Of West Africa
Mali, Ghana, and Songhai were among the richest of the
West African states. They dominated the Sahara trade.
Two products
that dominated
the Sahara
trade were gold
and salt. These
commodities,
or valuable
products, were
plentiful.
Sahara Trade Routes
wanted
wanted
GOLD
SALT
 Two products, gold and salt, dominated
the Sahara trade.
 Gold was plentiful in present day Ghana,
Nigeria, and Senegal which is in West
Africa. They would trade their gold for
salt with North Africa. North Africa was
in need of gold and West Africa was in
need of salt.
 Salt was very important. People needed
salt in their diet to prevent dehydration,
especially in hot, tropical areas.
Ghana
Around 750 AD , the
people used iron weapons
to unite the people in the
kingdom of Ghana. It
was called “the land of
gold.” Ghana grew
wealthy from its strategic
location inbetween to
gold-salt trade route
Mali
Around 1240 AD the
kingdom of Mali was
established. Mali’s
kings were called
mansas. The greatest
king of Mali, Mansa
Musa, expanded
Mali’s borders and
worked to keep peace.
He converted to Islam
and actually fulfilled
one of the five pillars
of Islam by making
the hajj. He formed
diplomatic and
economic ties with
other Muslim states,
and set up a rich
trading capital city,
TIMBUKTU
Songhai
The largest state that
ever existed in West
Africa, Songhai
continued to grow
wealthy off of trade.
Like Mali, Songhai was
also a Muslim State, but
it will only last for 100
years before splitting
into many independent
states and ending the ra
of unified West African
Kingdoms.
 Over thousands of years, migrations
contributed to diversity of African
people and their cultures. West African
farmers and herders moved to the
south and east between 500 and 1500
AD. They spoke a variety of languages
that all came from the African root
language, Bantu.
Benin
-Developed in the rain forest
-Captured other Africans and
traded them with Europeans in
the 16th Century
Ethiopia
-Developed from the African
Christian Kingdom Axum
-Eastern capital Ethiopia traded
with Muslims in the Indian
Ocean
Regents Questions
1)
The wealth and power of Mali’s ruler, mansa musa, were significant
because they contributed to the
a)
Start of the crusades
c)
b)
Growth of European nationalism
d)
Spread of Islam
Rise of Arab nationalism
2) The spread of Islam into the kingdoms of Ghana and Mali
resulted from
a)
Imperialism
c) cultural diffusion
b)
Ethnocentrism
d) self- determination
3) Which
civilization best
completes the
heading of the
partial outline
1)
Benin
____________
2)
Mali
a)spread of Islam
3)
Kush
b)Gold and salt trade
4) Egyptian
c) Growth of Timbuktu
d) Pilgrimage of Mansa Musa
Regents Questions
4) Which description best
characterizes the city of
Timbuktu
a)
b)
c)
d)
Port of the water route to east
Asia
Major urban and industrial
center on the Silk road
Commercial and cultural center
of West Africa
Inland city of the Hanseatic
league
5) Which economic activity was the
basis for most of the wealth and
power of the West African empires
of Ghana and Mali
a)
Hunting and gathering
b)
Farming and cattle ranching
c)
Trading in salt and gold
d)
Working in bronze and brass
Answers
1) c. the spread of Islam
2) c. cultural diffusion
3) c. Mali
4) c. commercial and cultural center of West Africa
5) c. trading in salt and gold
The End