Do Now1. What topographical feature is the Sahara? What does topographical mean?

2. Support this argument: Africa is not a homogenous region.

3. What was the most important commodity traded through the Sahara from North Africa?

4. What was the item in #3 used for?

5. What was the most important commodity traded through the Sahara from the southern region of West Africa?

6. How did kingdoms like Ghana make money from the trans Saharan trade?

Medieval West Africa

Kingdoms: _________, Mali, and Songhai

Where is West Africa?

• Mark Pomona on the map with a dot• Circle West Africa

Introduction • West Africa is a region where ___________ (religion followed

by Muslims) spread through ___________ ____________ (spread of cultural elements) during the Middle Ages

• For centuries prior, the people of West Africa had limited contact with lands to the north because travel across the ______________ (desert in North Africa) was difficult.

• By the 700s, however, traders from North Africa were crossing the Sahara due in large part to the introduction of _______________ (type of camel with one hump) camels from the __________________ Peninsula (area where Islam was founded).

Influence of Trade on West African Empire-Building

• The early West African societies of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai gained much of their wealth from _______ (exchange of goods and services.)

• Ghana was located between two regions that wanted to trade— North Africa and West Africa.

• Although many items were traded between North Africa and West Africa, the most valuable commodity from North Africa was _______ which was used to preserve food from spoiling, made food taste better, and replenished the body after sweating it out. The most valuable commodity from West Africa was ______ which was used for coins and to decorate luxury items.

Influence of Trade on West African Empire-Building

• The gold-salt trade through the Sahara desert was made possible largely thanks to dromedary camels. These animals are well-suited for desert travel. 1. Can drink up to ________ gallons of water to conserve during travel2. Has 2 layers of ______________ to block out sand 3. Can close ____________ to avoid breathing in sand

• Most of the time, the trans Saharan traders did not use the camels to ride. Instead, camels’ main purpose was to carry a large amount of ___________ to trade.

Influence of Trade on West African Empire-Building

• The trans-Saharan trade began with the Berber __________ (people who travel from place to place).

• The Berbers were willing to endure the harsh conditions of the Sahara Desert because the _______________ (financial gains) from trade were so high and enticing.

Influence of Trade on West African Empire-Building

• The Kingdom of Ghana was located between the regions of North Africa with the salt and the regions of West Africa with the gold. Ghana made most of its money from the ___________ (money demanded by a government) it charged on the gold-salt trade that passed through its lands.

Influence of Trade on West African Empire-Building

West African kingdoms gained wealth by taxing goods traded through their kingdom

With their wealth, West African kingdoms raised large armies to fight and protect trade routes.

These armies could __________ (take over through war) other trading areas.

Then the ruler could take over the __________ (exchange of goods and services) of those areas and become even wealthier.

Influence of Islam on West Africa• During the 7th century, the religion of Islam spread quickly from

the ____________ Peninsula and through North Africa. In the 8th century, trans-Saharan trade brought Muslim merchants and traders to West Africa. Over the next hundred years, Islam spread among West Africans. The new faith left a lasting mark on the culture of the region.

• Label the Arabian Peninsula on this map and draw an arrow showing how Islam spread into North Africa.

Influence of Islam on West Africa

• The spread of Islam into North and West Africa is an example of ______________________

________________________ (the spread of cultural elements). The way Islam spread in North Africa differed, however, from the way the religion spread in West Africa.

• Islam spread through North Africa by way of ___________________________ (violent entries).

• Islam spread through West Africa by way of

_____________________________ (exchange of goods and services).

Influence of Islam on West Africa

• After Ghana fell, a new empire arose called Mali.

• The early leaders of Mali accepted Islam as a cultural element in the region, but they did not follow all of its teachings. In 1312, a new leader, Mansa _________, took over in Mali. He became the first West African ruler to practice Islam devoutly.

• Mansa Musa made his enormous wealth from taxing goods in the trans-Saharan trade. He is the richest person in history!

Influence of Islam on West AfricaMansa Musa is mostly remembered for his extravagant hajj, or _____________, (long journey) to Mecca. On this trip, Musa brought with him 100 camel-loads of gold, each weighing 300 pounds, 500 slaves, each carrying a 4 pound gold staff, and thousands of his citizens.

Influence of Islam on West Africa• Wherever he went, he gave gold to the needy as

required by the pillar of Islam called _________ (giving to charity). Mansa Musa and his followers gave out so much gold that they depressed its value in Egypt and caused its value to fall. Gold in Egypt wouldn’t rise in value for over 12 years!

Influence of Islam on West Africa• Mansa Musa strengthened Islam and promoted

education, trade, and commerce in Mali, specifically in the city ____________________.

• The most famous mosque built during the reign of the Mali kingdom was the Djinguereber Mosque built with limestone, mud, straw, and wood. The mosque still stands today.

Medieval West African Cultural Legacies

• Before Arab Muslims introduced writing to West Africa, West Africans preserved their history and stories through __________ (storytellers). They told stories, sang songs, and recited poems which were passed down from generation to generation.

• The art of the griots remains alive today. Some of the most famous artists in West African popular music are griots.

Medieval West African Cultural Legacies

• West Africa’s oral tradition includes hundreds of old stories called folktales. West Africans used folktales to pass along their history and to teach young people morals and values.

• A type of folktale often passed from generation to generation in West Africa was the ____________ tale. These stories tell of a clever animal who outsmarts others. This is a picture of a trickster, Zomo the Rabbit, that you will read about later.

Medieval West African Cultural Legacies

• A common style of music in West Africa is known as call and ______________ in which a leader plays or sings a short phrase and then a group of people answer together with another short phrase. The leader and the group repeat this pattern over and over as they perform the song.

Medieval West African Cultural Legacies

• Enslaved Africans brought call-and-response songs to the Americas. Slaves used the songs to ease the burden of hard work, celebrate social occasions, and express outrage at their situation.

• This African tradition influenced many American musical styles including jazz, blues, rock and roll, and rap.

Summary Write 5 complete sentences that describe major points from the lecture.

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