Ghana, Mali, and Songhai
WESTERN AFRICAN KINGDOMS
WHO WERE THE ANCIENT WEST AFRICANS?

West Africa is the region of Africa on the
Atlantic Coast between the Sahara to the north
and rain forest to the south. Because the
Sahara was difficult to cross, West Africa
became known as the terra incognita, or
unknown land.
WHO WERE THE ANCIENT WEST AFRICANS?

In West Africa three famous kingdoms were created
during Ancient times: Ghana, Mali, and Songhai. These
kingdoms had great achievements in art, religion,
science, education, trade, government, and warfare.
They also had rulers who are still known today.
RISE OF GHANA

1. Ghana rose to power in the C.E. 400s.
RISE OF GHANA

In 700 a great warrior and diplomat from the
royal clan Ouagadou unified the Soninke
people and formed a kingdom. He was known
as ghana which means war chief.
RISE OF GHANA

2. It was called the crossroads of trade
because it is where many trade routes cross.
RISE OF GHANA

Ghana benefited from being located between
the Niger and Senegal Rivers because people
had to travel the rivers to trade.
RISE OF GHANA

3. The trade routes reached across the Sahara
into North Africa and down the Niger River to
kingdoms in the rain forest.
RISE OF GHANA

4. For traders to meet, they had to pass
through Ghana. Passage came at a price, a tax
paid to Ghana’s rulers. These taxes made
Ghana rich.
GHANA’S GOVERNMENT

The king of Ghana was considered the father of
all Soninke people. He was their religious
leader, chief of their army, highest judge, and
leader of the empire.
RISE OF GHANA

5. a. First Ghana knew how to make iron
weapons.
b. Second Ghana built a huge army.
c. Third people wanted to trade items like salt
and gold.
GHANA’S GOVERNMENT

6. The kings of Ghana relied on help from a
Council of Ministers, or a group of close
advisors.
GHANA’S GOVERNMENT

7. As the empire grew, rulers divided it into
provinces. Lesser kings often conquered
leaders, governed each of these areas.
GHANA’S GOVERNMENT

8. Beneath them, district chiefs oversaw
smaller districts. Each district usually included
a chief’s clan.
GHANA’S GOVERNMENT

9. a Kings insisted that
local rulers send their
sons to the royal court.
b. They rode through
the countryside seeking
reports of injustice.
c. Most important,
they controlled trade.
GHANA’S GOVERNMENT

10. Nobody could trade without the king’s
permission and nobody could own gold nuggets
except the king.
GHANA’S GOVERNMENT

11. The kingdom of Ghana was inherited by the
son of the king’s sister. This custom was
confusing to many outsiders.
DOWNFALL OF GHANA

The kingdom of Ghana never converted to Islam, even
though northern Africa had been dominated by the faith
since the eighth century. The Ghanaian court allowed
Muslims to settle in the cities.
Unlike the Ghanaians, the Berbers fervently converted to
Islam and, in 1075, declared a holy war, or jihad, against
the state of Ghana.
RISE OF MALI
1. Ghana’s power declined because:
 a. Discovery of gold mines outside of Ghana.
 b. Heavy farming robbed the soil of minerals
and made it hard to grow crops.
 c. Constant fighting with North African Muslims.

RISE OF MALI

2. In the 1200 the kingdom of Mali conquered
what was left of Ghana.
RISE OF MALI

Before Mali emerged as a great empire, it is
believed that the Mandinka people of this
region were journeying to the gold regions
along the Senegal River and transporting the
gold to Ghana for trade. The Mandika people
were farmers who cultivated rice and other
valuable crops. They were also expert traders.
Their great success in farming and trade and
their control of the rivers increased their power.
RISE OF MALI

3. A griot is a West African story teller.
RISE OF MALI

4. Griots said that Mali was able to conquer
Ghana because of the warrior king Sundiata
Keita. He is known as the great LION KING of
Mali.
RISE OF MALI

5. Sundiata ruled from 1230 to 1255 and
seized the capital of Ghana in 1240.
RISE OF MALI

When Sundiata was young he could not walk
and rarely spoke. Many doubted he could be
king. When his father was dying, he grew strong
to make him proud. Eventually he was so strong
that no one else could draw his bow.
RISE OF MALI

Sundiata was loved by his subjects. He was
known throughout Mali for his kindness,
intelligence, and ability to settle disputes.
RISE OF MALI

6. He then won control of lands from the
Atlantic Coast to the city of Timbuktu.
MALI’S GOVERNMENT

7. Mali had more territory, more people, and
more trade than Ghana.
MALI’S GOVERNMENT

8. King divided the empire into provinces, like
Ghana. However, Sundiata, the founder of Mali,
put his generals in charge of them.
MALI’S GOVERNMENT
9. People accepted the generals as their
leaders because:
 a. They protected them from invaders.
 b.They came from the provinces they ruled.

MALI’S GOVERNMENT

10. Mali’s other great king, Mansa Musa
rewarded citizens with gold, land, and horses to
keep them loyal.
MALI’S GOVERNMENT

Mansa Musa was Muslim and wanted Mali to
be Islamic, but did not force other to adopt
these beliefs. As a result, Islam and traditional
west African religions were practiced side by
side.
MALI’S GOVERNMENT

Mansa Musa expanded the borders of Mali in
all directions. He created more trade routes
and the cities of Gao and Timbuktu emerged.
1. RISE OF SONGHAI

Mali’s last strong king was Mansa Musa.
2. RISE OF SONGHAI

Mali fell because the king who followed Mansa
Musa failed to stop Berber invasions.
3. RISE OF SONGHAI

In 1468 Sunni Ali, the leader of the Songhai,
stormed into Timbuktu and drove out the
Berbers.
4. RISE OF SONGHAI

Sunni Ali was able to build his empire because he
ordered a fleet of war canoes to seize control of
the river trade. His armies then swept westward
into the Sahara where they took Berber salt mines.
RISE OF SONGHAI

Sunni Ali developed new methods of farming.
He organized the boatmen of the Niger River
into the beginnings of a professional Navy.
5. RISE OF SONGHAI

The empire lasted almost 100 more years.
6. RISE OF SONGHAI

In 1591 a small army from the Arab kingdom of
Morocco crossed the Sahara.
7. RISE OF SONGHAI

The Moroccans were able to defeat the Songhai
because they had cannons, guns, and
gunpowder while the Songhai had swords,
spears, and bows.
RISE OF SONGHAI

Morocco never gained complete control of the
Songhai territories because of natural
disasters, raids, and the European slave trade.
8. SONGHAI’S GOVERNMENT

Songhai built on the traditions of Ghana and
Mali. It’s founder Sunni Ali divided the empire
into provinces.
9. SONGHAI’S GOVERNMENT

Muhammad Ture took over Songhai’s
government after Sunni Ali died.
SONGHAI’S GOVERNMENT

He led a military coup and took over the
Songhai government. He created a standing
army and made sure that everyone would
advance in the government based on their own
achievements.
10. SONGHAI’S GOVERNMENT

Muhammad Ture was different from Sunni Ali
because he was a Muslim and his religious
ideas affected his government.