Ghana
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When
Where
Leaders
Religion
Trade
Decline
When
• Around 300 a group
of farmers banded
together for
protection called
Soninke
• They expandedtowns and villages
formed
• Used iron for
weapons/ tools
Where
• Ancient Ghana
was in north
West Africa
• Between the
Niger and
Senegal Rivers
Leaders
• 1068 Ghana reached
its peak under king
Tunka Manin
• He decorated
himself and his
court in gold and
luxuries
• Kings conquered
nearby trade
centers- made
Ghana richer
A golden stool from Ghana
Religion
• Ancestor worship
• Animism (the story
of Bida the snake)
• Ghana came in
contact with Islam
through trade and
Muslim conquerors
Myth of Bida the Snake
• The wealth of Ancient
Ghana is explained
through the story of
Bida, the black snake.
This snake demanded an
annual sacrifice in return
for keeping Ghana rich.
Myth of Bida the Snake
• Every year a girl was
sacrificed, until one year,
the girl was rescued by
her fiancé. Cheated of his
sacrifice, Bida took his
revenge on the region. A
terrible drought took
hold of Ghana and gold
mining fell into decline.
Trade
• Ghana sat between the
Sahara to the north
(salt) and forests to the
south (gold) crossroads
location for trade
• used silent barter- trade
without talking
• Controlled trade routes
by 800
• Made traders pay taxes
Major Ancient African Trade Routes
Silent Barter
• Kept gold mine locations
secret
• How did it work?
– Salt traders left salt slabs by
riverbed, beat a drum and step
away
– Gold traders arrive, leave a fair
amount of gold, beat a drum and
step away
– If the salt miners were happy with
the amount of gold they took it,
beat drum, and left
– The gold traders then took the
salt
Taxes
African gold dust box
• Rulers wanted to make
money from traders
passing through
• Traders pay taxes coming
in and out of Ghana
• Rulers also made
conquered tribes pay
taxes
• Only kings could have
gold nuggets- everyone
else got gold dust!
Ghana’s Decline
1. Muslim tribe- the Almoravids- invaded, cut off
trade routes in Ghana
2. Muslims brought animals and overgrazed the
land = little farm land left
3. In 1200, people living in a country ruled by
Ghana rebelled,
took over, and
weakened Ghana
Questions
• Why was salt so valuable in West Africa?
a. Salt was important for religious
ceremonies.
b. Salt was used as a fertilizer for crops.
c. Salt was an important trade item.
d. Salt was used as a medicine against
disease.
Questions
The griots of Africa used oral tradition to
Pass down their histories by
a. translating and teaching the Sunnah.
b. writing and printing manuscripts.
c. composing and carving hieroglyphics.
d. reciting proverbs and telling stories.
Questions
How did West Africans find iron?
Questions
• How did the silent barter system work?
Questions
• Why did they use silent barter?
Questions
• Who was Tunka Manin?
Questions
• What 3 things led to the decline of Ghana?