The Kingdoms of Africa
Decline/Fall
Islamic
Influences
Trade
Important People
and their
significance
Date
Ghana
Mali
Songhai
Other African Kingdoms
750-1200
1240-1400
1464-1600
Benin-15th-16th century
East Africa- 10th century
The rulers of Ghana governed a
wide area through the use of
officials & nobles. Some
similarities as European
feudalism.
Mansa Musa: made a religious
pilgrimage to Mecca & brought
Muslim scholars/architects back
with him to Mali. He commissioned a
palace/mosque at Timbuktu
Sultan Sunni Ali, ruler of the Songhai
people captured Timbuktu and
brought the upper Niger under his
control. Songhai became the largest
of West Africa’s 3 trading kingdoms
Ife/Benin: Ewuare made Benin into
a Major West African state
Zimbabwe: The Shona people
established Great Zimbabwe which
grew into and empire built on Gold
East Africa: Bantu-speaking people
Caravan brought salt south to
Ghana & returned north with
gold. The power of the kings in
Ghana rested on their ability to
tax all trade passing the region
Timbuktu became a thriving trading
center on the Niger River and an
important center of several
important universities and attracted
students from Europe, Asia, and
Africa
Expanded trade networks as far as
Europe & Asia, & across the Sahara
Desert.
Established elaborate system of
taxation & communications
Ife/Benin: slave trade for European
Guns/iron goods
1076 Ghana was invaded by the
Muslims (Almoravids) from
North Africa, who brought
Islam with them. Many rulers
converted to Islam. Islam
encouraged the spread of
literacy
Mansa Musa brought back Muslim
schloars/architects, built mosques,
because of importance of studying
the Quran, many of his subjects
learned to read and write
Timbuktu continued to flourish as a
center of Muslim scholarship, &
many subjects were Muslim
Ife/Benin:
Ghana never fully recovered
from the Muslim invasion in
1076, and eventually dissolved
into several smaller stats
Later rulers of Mali proved less
capable than Mansa Musa, and the
empire collapsed in the 1400s.
Sultan Sunni Ali captured Timbuktu
in 1464
Kingdom lasted only 130 years.
1591 the ruler of Morocco invaded
West Africa & overpowered
Songhai.. Moroccans unable to
govern from distance, broke apart
into independent areas.
Zimbabwe: gold, copper, ivory
East Africa: gold sent down Zambia
River told to merchants from Arabia
to India
Zimbabwe: trade with Muslim
traders along the East coast
East Africa: trade allowed Islamic
influences to spread. Most
government officials/wealthy
merchants were Muslims
Ife/Benin: European interference
Zimbabwe: 1450, the city was
abandoned
East Africa: European Interference
2. What was the Gold-Salt trade and explain its significance?
Merchants, moving in camel caravans across the desert, picked
up large blocks of salt on their journey, to exchange for gold. A
thriving trade developed, based on this gold-salt trade. Ideas
were exchanged, such as Islamic beliefs, as well as goods.
3. Describe family roles in these African Kingdoms
Boys/girls were separated from the communities & underwent
special ceremonies at puberty. Marriages were arranged & the
groom paid a dowry to the bride’s family. Under Islam, women
were limited to running the household while their husbands
represented the family.
4.
“The lord of this Mali kingdom has a great balcony in his palace. There
he has a great seat of ebony that is like a throne fit for a large and tall
person. It is flanked by elephants’ tusks. The king’s [weapons] stand
near him. They are all gold; sword and lance, bow and quiver of
arrows. Before him stand about twenty Turkish pages, who were
brought from Cairo. One of these standing on his left holds a silk
umbrella topped by a dome with a hawk made of gold. The king’s
officers are seated in a circle near him, in 2 rows, one to the right, one
to the left. Beyond them sit the commanders of the cavalry. In front of
him there is a person who never leaves him and who is his
executioner; and another who is his official spokesman. In front of him
are also drummers. Others dance before their king to make him
merry.”
Ibn Battuta, 1349
What is Ibn Battuta’s point of view in this passage?
1. Label each of the African Kingdoms
in different colors
The ruler of Mali is both rich and powerful
Ghana, Mali, Songhai, Benin, Zimbabwe
5.5.
5.
5. One way in which the African Kingdoms of Ghana, Mali, and
Songhai were similar was that they---A. Benefited from the gold-salt trade
B. Directly controlled gold mines
C. Adopted Islam as the religion of their subjects
D. Improved their military strength with the use of gunpowder