West African West African CivilizationsCivilizations

Chapter 15Chapter 15Section 2Section 2

Key TermsKey Terms►GhanaGhana►MalliMalli►SundiataSundiata►Mansa MusaMansa Musa► Ibn BattutaIbn Battuta►SonghaiSonghai►HausaHausa►YorubaYoruba►BeninBenin

Empire of GhanaEmpire of Ghana► Limited tradeLimited trade►Most animals cannot Most animals cannot

cross the desertcross the desert► 33rdrd century camels century camels

were usedwere used► 700 Ghana grew rich 700 Ghana grew rich

by taxing goods and by taxing goods and traders traveling traders traveling through the country through the country

Gold-Salt TradeGold-Salt Trade►Gold came from the Gold came from the

forestforest►Niger and SenegalNiger and Senegal► Two thirds of worlds Two thirds of worlds

gold came from gold came from Ghana till 1350Ghana till 1350

► Sahara had saltSahara had salt► People build houses People build houses

out of saltout of salt

Gold-Salt TradeGold-Salt Trade► Berbers crossed the Berbers crossed the

desert in camel desert in camel caravanscaravans

► Traders brought gold Traders brought gold from the Northfrom the North

► Merchants met in Merchants met in trading citiestrading cities

► Made sure taxes paid Made sure taxes paid and good weighed fairlyand good weighed fairly

► Royal guards provided Royal guards provided protectionprotection

Land of GoldLand of Gold► 800 Ghana an 800 Ghana an

empireempire► Only king could own Only king could own

gold nuggetsgold nuggets► Gold dust was tradedGold dust was traded► King limited gold King limited gold

supply and kept supply and kept price upprice upGhana’s rulerGhana’s ruler Religious leaderReligious leader Chief judgeChief judge Military commanderMilitary commander

Islamic InfluencesIslamic Influences► Spread through Spread through

trade and conquesttrade and conquest► 1111thth century Ghana century Ghana

converted too Islamconverted too Islam► Animism-spirits in Animism-spirits in

living things play an living things play an important part in lifeimportant part in life

► Islam encouraged Islam encouraged literacyliteracy

Islamic InfluencesIslamic Influences► Converts to Isla had Converts to Isla had

to read the Qur’anto read the Qur’an► 1076 Muslim 1076 Muslim

Almoravids Almoravids completed conquest completed conquest of Ghanaof Ghana

► Almoravid eventually Almoravid eventually left Ghanaleft Ghana

► War badly disrupted War badly disrupted gold-salt tradegold-salt trade

Empire of MaliEmpire of Mali► 1235 kingdom 1235 kingdom

emergedemerged►Mali’s wealth built on Mali’s wealth built on

goldgold► Trade routes shifted Trade routes shifted

eastward to Malieastward to Mali► Sundiata-Mali’s first Sundiata-Mali’s first

great leadergreat leader► Became Mali’s Mansa Became Mali’s Mansa

(emperor)(emperor)

Sundiata Conquers an Sundiata Conquers an EmpireEmpire

► Sundiata had a Sundiata had a period of peaceperiod of peace

► He had He had administrators for administrators for financefinance

► Promoted agriculture Promoted agriculture and the gold-salt and the gold-salt tradetrade

►Mali means where Mali means where the king livesthe king lives

Mansa MusaMansa Musa► Ruled from 1312-1332Ruled from 1312-1332► Skilled military leaderSkilled military leader► 100,000 man Army 100,000 man Army

protects against attackprotects against attack► Empire expanded to Empire expanded to

twice its sizetwice its size►Divided into provinces Divided into provinces

with governorswith governors

Mansa MusaMansa Musa► Went on a Hajj to MeccaWent on a Hajj to Mecca► Ordered new mosques Ordered new mosques

in Timuktuin Timuktu► Became most important Became most important

city in the empirecity in the empire JudgesJudges DoctorsDoctors ScholarsScholars Religious leadersReligious leaders Excellent universities and Excellent universities and

mosquesmosques

Travels of Ibn BattutaTravels of Ibn Battuta► 1352 successor to 1352 successor to

mans Musamans Musa► From tangierFrom tangier► Traveled for 27 Traveled for 27

years visiting most years visiting most Muslim countriesMuslim countries

► Traveled safely, Traveled safely, praised the Qur’anpraised the Qur’an

► Criticized for not Criticized for not following moral codefollowing moral code

Travels of Ibn BattutaTravels of Ibn Battuta► Left Mali in 1353Left Mali in 1353► Empire began to Empire began to

weaken weaken ► Successors lacked Successors lacked

the ability to governthe ability to govern►Gold trade shifted Gold trade shifted

as new fields were as new fields were foundfound

Empire of SonghaiEmpire of Songhai► East of MaliEast of Mali► Strong ArmyStrong Army► Sunni AliSunni Ali

Rule begins in 1464Rule begins in 1464 captures Timbuktucaptures Timbuktu Five years later took Five years later took

DjenneDjenne► Surrounded the city Surrounded the city

for 7 yearsfor 7 years►Married their queenMarried their queen

Askia MuhammadAskia Muhammad► 1492 after Sunni’s 1492 after Sunni’s

deathdeath►Drove Sunni Ali’s son Drove Sunni Ali’s son

from powerfrom power► Ruled for 37 yearsRuled for 37 years► Excellent administratorExcellent administrator► Centralized the Centralized the

governmentgovernment► Appointed officials to Appointed officials to

run the governmentrun the government

Askia MuhammadAskia Muhammad► Lacked modern Lacked modern

weaponsweapons► Arabs develop first Arabs develop first

gun to shoot arrowsgun to shoot arrows►Moroccan’s had Moroccan’s had

cannonscannons► Ends 1000 year Ends 1000 year

period of kingdoms period of kingdoms and empires ruled and empires ruled central Africacentral Africa

Other Peoples of West AfricaOther Peoples of West Africa►Hausa- group of Hausa- group of

people named after people named after their languagetheir language

► Appeared 1000-Appeared 1000-1200 Mali and 1200 Mali and SonghaiSonghai

►Hausa city-statesHausa city-states Vigorous slave tradeVigorous slave trade Traded horses, Traded horses,

harnesses, gunsharnesses, guns

Other Peoples of West AfricaOther Peoples of West Africa► All Hausa city-states All Hausa city-states

had similar had similar governmentgovernment

►Ministers and officials Ministers and officials check powercheck power

► Each city-state had an Each city-state had an army (mounted army (mounted horsemen)horsemen)

► Fighting between city-Fighting between city-states prevented and states prevented and empireempire

Yoruba Kings and ArtistsYoruba Kings and Artists► All spoke a common All spoke a common

languagelanguage►Number of small Number of small

city-states in Benincity-states in Benin► FarmersFarmers► Joined together to Joined together to

form several Yoruba form several Yoruba KingdomsKingdoms

Yoruba Kings and ArtistsYoruba Kings and Artists► Kings considered Kings considered

divinedivine►Descendants of IfeDescendants of Ife► Creator sent the first Creator sent the first

ruler to earthruler to earth► Sons became head of Sons became head of

Yoruba kingdomsYoruba kingdoms► Chiefs consider king Chiefs consider king

highest spiritual highest spiritual authorityauthority

Yoruba Kings and ArtistsYoruba Kings and Artists► Secret society Secret society

reviewed the king’s reviewed the king’s decisionsdecisions

► Ife and Oyo two Ife and Oyo two largest kingdomslargest kingdoms

► Ife most powerful Ife most powerful from 1100-1600from 1100-1600

► City dwellers crafts City dwellers crafts people and traderspeople and traders

Yoruba Kings and ArtistsYoruba Kings and Artists► Ife artistsIfe artists

Carved woodCarved wood Carved ivoryCarved ivory

► Terra cotta sculpturesTerra cotta sculptures► Sculptures caste in Sculptures caste in

metalmetal► Rulers supplied artistsRulers supplied artists► Clay and metal Clay and metal

portray rulers lifeportray rulers life

Kingdom of BeninKingdom of Benin►Delta of Niger RiverDelta of Niger River► Port of GwattoPort of Gwatto► Traded with Traded with

PortuguesePortuguese► First kings 1200’sFirst kings 1200’s►Descent from first Descent from first

king of Ifeking of Ife► Lagos, NigeriaLagos, Nigeria► Fortified with wallsFortified with walls

Kingdom of BeninKingdom of Benin► Huge palaceHuge palace► Artists createdArtists created

Brass heads of the Brass heads of the royal familyroyal family

Copper figurinesCopper figurines Brass plaques on wall Brass plaques on wall

showed historical showed historical scenes and deeds of scenes and deeds of noblesnobles

Learned from an Ife Learned from an Ife artistartist

Kingdom of BeninKingdom of Benin► 1480’s Portuguese 1480’s Portuguese

traded pepper, traded pepper, leopard skins, ivory leopard skins, ivory and enslaved personsand enslaved persons

► Began European Began European interference in Africainterference in Africa They enslaved AfricansThey enslaved Africans Seized territories for Seized territories for

coloniescolonies Prospered from tradeProspered from trade