Ghana and Mali

The Rise of Ghana

• Trade routes between Saharan & Sub-

Saharan: Gold for Salt

• Ghana taxed trade

• Two major cities:

1. Arab town of traders

2. center of government

Islam used as royal cult

Mali in West Africa

• Timeline for West Africa

200-500 CE -- Decline of N-S trade routes due to fall of Roman Empire

600-700 CE – Spread of Islam, rise of East-West trade routes & trade city-states:

Sijilmasa

Tahert

740 – Berber revolts against Arab rule lead to N-S trade routes in Gold, Salt

Late 790’s – Rise of Ghana (due to Gold trade)

Spread of Islam in West Africa

• Peaceful, slow process

• Rise of Tarkur state in southern Sudan

(Islamic)

• Defeat of Tarkur by Sundiata, leader of

the Malinke

• 1200 – Establishment of Mali empire

Comparison of Ghana and Mali

• Both used trade and agriculture for

economic base

• Both controlled trade routes for profit

(trade empire)

• Mali much larger than Ghana

• Mali ruled by Muslims who sponsored

spread of Islam

Mansa Musa’s Hajj

• Mali ruler Mansa Musa (1312-1337) made

pilgrimage to Mecca

• Group of over 60,000 went with, many

carrying gold (610 lbs)

• Impact on Egyptian gold economy

• Return from Hajj brought new religious

vigor

Changes to Mali after MM’s Hajj

• New mosques built

• Madrasas opened

• Orthodox movement

• Established safety within region for trade

Did West Africans Discover the

Americas • Professor Ivan Von Sertima

• Musa took huge armada into

Atlantic – never returned

• Evidence that made it to

Mexico & influenced Olmec

culture

Fall of Mali

• Incompetent descendents ruled

ineffectively

• Attacks by Taureg from north

• Decentralization

• Establishment of other states to

east (Hausa States) that

maintained Islam