Kingdoms of Ancient West Africa

http://mapsof.net/africa/static-maps/jpg/africa-satellite-image

Kingdoms in Ancient West Africa


Desert

Desert

Savannah

Rivers Oceans Deserts Mountains Lakes

Nile River Red Sea Sahara Desert Atlas Mountains Lake VictoriaZambezi River Mediterranean Sea Kalahari Desert Mount Kilimanjaro

Lake NyasaZaire River Indian Ocean Nubian Desert

Lake TanganyikaNiger River Atlantic Ocean

Persian Gulf


Nile River Red Sea Sahara Desert Atlas Mountains Lake Victoria

Zambezi River Mediterranean Sea Kalahari Desert Mount Kilimanjaro Lake Nyasa

Zaire River Indian Ocean Nubian Desert Lake Tanganyika

Niger River Atlantic Ocean

Persian Gulf

Atlantic Ocean

Red Sea

Mediterranean Sea

Indian Ocean

Persian Gulf

Rivers Oceans Deserts Mountains LakesNile River Red Sea Sahara Desert Atlas Mountains Lake VictoriaZambezi River Mediterranean Sea Kalahari Desert Mount Kilimanjaro Lake NyasaZaire River Indian Ocean Nubian Desert


Persian Gulf

Niger River

Nile River

Zambezi River

Zaire River



Zambezi River Mediterranean Sea Kalahari Desert Mount Kilimanjaro Lake NyasaZaire River Indian Ocean Nubian Desert


Persian Gulf

Mt. Kilimanjaro

Kalahari Desert

Sahara Desert

Nubian Desert

Atlas Mts.



Zambezi River Mediterranean Sea Kalahari Desert Mount Kilimanjaro Lake NyasaZaire River Indian Ocean Nubian Desert


Persian Gulf

Lake Victoria

Lake Tanganyika

Lake Nyasa



Zambezi River Mediterranean Sea Kalahari Desert Mount Kilimanjaro Lake Nyasa

Zaire River Indian Ocean Nubian Desert Lake Tanganyika

Niger River Atlantic Ocean Persian Gulf

Atlantic Ocean

Red Sea

Mediterranean Sea

Indian Ocean

Persian Gulf

Atlas Mts.

Mt. Kilimanjaro

Kalahari Desert

Sahara Desert

Nubian Desert

Niger River

Nile River

Zambezi River

Zaire River

Lake Victoria

Lake Tanganyika

Lake Nyasa

AFRICA TODAY


Kingdoms of West Africa


There were many empires in West Africa.


Three important West African empires were Ghana

MaliSonghai

http://www.junglephotos.com/africa/afmaps/afmodmaps/afmodmaps.shtml

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ghana_empire_map.png

Ghana Empire, 790 -1240

The three empires of West Africa: Ghana

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:MALI_empire_map.PNG

The three empires of West Africa: Mali

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SONGHAI_empire_map.PNG

The three empires of West Africa: Songhai

http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL

The empires of West Africa grew along the Niger River.West African farmers earned money by growing rice and other crops along the Niger River.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:1561_map_of_West_Africa_by_Girolamo_Ruscelli.JPG

An old map of the Niger River

West Africans also earned money through trade.

West African traders traveled in camel caravans the Sahara desert.

Camel caravan in the Sahara Desert.

http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL

West African traders also used the Niger River for transportation.

h tt p ://p lace2 p lace.b lo gs.co m /p h o to s/u n catego rized /2 0 0 8 /0 1 /1 2 /n iger_river.jp g

The Niger River today. People use pirogues to cross the river in places were there are no bridges.

Photo of a village on the Niger River.http://www.mulfry.org/MulFry/Mali/images/Niger_River_10.jpg

Making mud bricks in front of a warehouse in Mali.http://memory.loc.gov/pnp/ppmsca/09500/09588v.jpg

http://memory.loc.gov/pnp/ppmsca/09500/09589v.jpg

West African traders earned a lot of money by trading two valuable things:

salt

and

gold

West African traders earned a lot of money buy trading two valuable things:

Salt was used to preserve food. This helped people survive. Traders brought salt from the northern part of West Africa.

People loved gold because it was beautiful. Gold came from the southern part of West Africa around the Niger River.

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/ghan/hd_ghan.htm


Ghana was the first empire in West Africa.

The capital city of Ghana

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/ghan/hd_ghan.htm


Ghana was the first empire in West Africa.

Wagadu is the correct name.‘Ghana’ means king.


salt

gold

From Northern African, traders also brought salt

silk

cotton

glass beads

horses

mirrors and

dates.

From the West African empire of Ghana, traders brought

gold

pepper

From Northern African, traders also brought salt

silk

cotton

glass beads

horses

mirrors and

dates.

From the West African empire of Ghana, traders brought

gold

pepper and

slaves.

Commercial agreement.

This is an agreement among merchants involved in the sale and transportation of slaves between Timbuktu in Mali and Ghadamas in Libya.Loaned by the Mamma Haidara Commemorative Library, Timbuktu, Mali (21) Mali http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/mali/images/amm0021rs.jpg

slave =

slave = a person who works with no pay

slavery =

slavery = about slaves

Slavery in Africa:

People could become slaves during war time. Captured prisoners could be sent away from their families and become slaves far from home.

Some groups kidnapped others to acquire slaves.

Most slaves were women.

Most slaves did farm work.

Grandchildren of slaves often became free.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Medieval_Arab_Slave_Trade.svg

The Law of Slavery:The author discusses slavery in West Africa during the 1600s.

Slavery is based on Islamic law.The author notes that the fundamental and original nature of humanity is that individuals are free. People may be enslaved only under certain very specific rules governed by Islamic law.

Ahmad Baba ibn Ahmad ibn Umar ibn Muhammad Aqit al-Tumbukti.Miraj al-Suud ila nayl Majlub al-Sudan(Ahmad Baba Answers a Moroccan's Questions about Slavery).Loaned by the Mamma Haidara Commemorative Library, Timbuktu, Mali

http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/mali/images/amm0006rs.jpg

Certificate of emancipation for female slave.

Loaned by the Mamma Haidara Commemorative Library,Timbuktu, Malihttp://www.loc.gov/exhibits/mali/mali-checklist.html

This certificate gives a detailed physical description of a woman granted her freedom by her owner. The follows Islamic law.

First, the merchants of Ghana traded with the Romans.

Later, they traded with North African Muslims.

The people of Ghana learned about Islam from North African traders.

Traders helped to make Islam popular in North Africa.

http://africa.si.edu/collections/rsdadvnNav.asp?BrowseMode=3&offset=0

Young Muslim students learned to read the Quran by studying Writing Boards like this one.

http://wysinger.homestead.com/mali.html

- - - - - Trade Routes

The kings of Ghana became rich and powerful because they controlled the business of trade.

1. Traders had to pay taxes to the kings.2. The kings made it safe for the traders to travel.

Religious Leaders v. Religious Leaders

Traders v. Traders

Fighting between groups destroyed the Empire of Ghana in the 1100s.

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/mali/hd_mali.htm

Mali was the second great empire of West Africa.

Sundiata was a great leader of Mali.

http://myafrica.allafrica.com/img/csi/user/000100020576_cd4b19d3d7733e16f2a213699e13a11e/

m480x.gif

Sundiata was a Mandinka warrior. He ruled Mali beginning around 1210 for 25 years.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/25/Diffa_Niger_Griot_DSC_0177.jpg

Griots are story tellers who pass on history from adults to children.Griots passed on the story of Sundiata.

Holt, Rinehart and Winston

http://www.colschildrenstheatre.org/2008-09_Season/upcoming08-2.html#pic

http://www.colschildrenstheatre.org/2008-09_Season/upcoming08-2.html#pic

Griots tell the story of how Sundiata defeated Sumanguru in a great battle.

Sumanguru challenging Sundjata in a play performed in Columbus, Ohio.

http://www.colschildrenstheatre.org/2008-09_Season/upcoming08-2.html%23pic

http://www.eastafricanpublishers.com/images/sundiata.gif

Mali = ‘where the emperor lives.’


Timbuktu was the most important city in Mali.

Timbuktu was the center for trade.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jews_of_Bilad_el-Sudan

Timbuktu was the most important city in Mali. It was a center for business, Islam and education.

Caravan approaching Timbuktu in 1853 (from Travels and Discoveries in Northern and Central Africa by Prof. Dr. Heinrich Barth, vol. iv, London 1858)

http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/mali/images/amm0011rs.jpg A Math Book from Timbuktu

Using charts and examples of problems, the author shows the rules of addition, subtraction,multiplication and division. The text was used extensively by students inTimbuktu and North Africa.

Ahmad ibn Sulayman al-Rasmuki.Kashf al-Hijab li-Asfiya' al-Ahbab an Ajnihatal-Righab fi Marifat al-Hisab (Explanations of the Problems in Arithmetic with Examples).Loaned by the Mamma Haidara Commemorative Library, Timbuktu, MaliProf. Dr. Heinrich Barth, vol. iv, London 1858

http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/mali/images/amm0011rs.jpg

http://www.learnnc.org/lp/media/uploads/2008/07/timbuktu.jpg

http://www.dorlingkindersley-uk.co.uk/static/html/features/where_to_go/images/10Oct/07_timbuktu.jpg

The Great Mosque of Timbuktu today


Jenne was another important city in Mali.

The Great Mosque of Jenne was built in the 1200s.http://sacredsites.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3_11&products_id=29

Http://osualexander.googlepages.com/mansa_musa.jpg/mansa_musa-full;init:.jpg

Mansa Musa was the grandson of Sundiata. He became the leader of Mali in 1312.

http://www.cyberstump.com/civ4/leaderheads/mansamusa.jpg

Mansa Musa was a Muslim.

He was famous for traveling on the hajj, a religious trip that Muslims take to Mecca, in 1324.

hajj = pilgrimage = religious journey to Mecca

Mecca, Saudi Arabia, todayhttp://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/biographies/musa/mecca.html

http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/biographies/musa/mecca.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Europe_Mediterranean_Catalan_Atlas.jpegMansa Musa’s journey to Mecca was very famous. A Spanish map-maker made this map about Mansa Musa’s haj.

http://www.danstopicals.com/catalan.htm

Mansa Musa journeyed from West Africa to northern Africa, then east to Saudi Arabia. He traveled with thousands of people and gave away a lot of gold.

Mansa Musa carrying gold nuggets.

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http://www.chestercomix.com/images/comics/ancient-africa-2.gif

http://www.danstopicals.com/catalan.htm

When Mansa Musa returned to Mali, he brought architects to design mosques, schools and libraries.

The leaders that followed after Mansa Musa were weak.There was trouble in Mali. The leaders of Songhai conquered Mali.

Songhai was the third great West African empire.

Gao was an important trading city.

Songhai

A scene in Gao today.

http://courses.wcupa.edu/jones/his311/archives/helpers/geog-pic.ht

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ab/Askia.jpg

The tomb of Askia Muhammed in Gao.

Sunni Ali and Askia Muhammed were leaders of Songhai.Askia Muhammed built schools and mosques. He was also a good military leader.


Problems in West Africa today:

West African Art


Wool kaasa or blankets, woven by the Fulani in the Niger Bend region, are associated with the market of Mopti in Mali.

A face mask from Ghana depicting human countenances with complex coiffures.Masks are worn during Islamic festivals


http://africa.si.edu/collections/rsdadvnNav.asp?BrowseMode=3&offset=0Jar

Women potters in Mali hand build many different kinds of jars from clay. They add beautiful colors and designs. Some jars are used in special ceremonies or become part of a collection of objects placed in a shrine.

http://africa.si.edu/collections/rsdadvnNav.asp?BrowseMode=3&offset=2 http://africa.si.edu/collections/rsdadvnNav.asp?BrowseMode=3&offset=4

Metal jewelry is very valuable in West African culture.


Hp;t. Rinehart and WInston


A Lake ChadB Niger RiverC Gulf of GuineaD Timbuktu E Senegal RiverF Gambia River

F

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:LocationGambia.svg

Gambia is a very small West African country.

http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/willow/geography-of-gambia0.gif

http://www.dgambia.com/gambia1map.gif

http://wikitravel.org/en/Image:TouristCraftStore.jpg

A tourist shop in Gambia today.

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/the-gambia#photo-26518-7

Bamjul, the capital of Gambia

http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?grpId=3659174697246774&articleId=281474976968309&nav=Groupspace

The author Alex Haley with relatives in Juffure, Gambia

http://www.mrdowling.com/609ancafr.html

"The old griot had talked for nearly two hours up to then . . . 'the oldest of these fours sons, Kunta, went away from his village and he was never seen again' . . . I sat as if I were carved of stone. My blood seemed to have congealed. “

--Alex Haley, Roots: The Saga of an American Family, Dell, 1976. Page 719

http://www.mrdowling.com/609ancafr.html

“This man whose lifetime had been in this back-country African village had no way in the world to know that he had just echoed what I had heard all through my boyhood years on my grandma's front porch in Henning, Tennessee.”

--Alex Haley, Roots: The Saga of an American Family, Dell, 1976. Page 719

http://www.britannica.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/roots.jpg

http://www.davidjarvisprints.com/AlexHaley.html

http://www.davidjarvisprints.com/Roots.html

The view through the door of a slave holding pen on Gorée Island, Senegal, which was once a major West African slave trading outpost.

Africans captured inland were marched to the coast and held in pens like these, from which they were taken to waiting ships.

http://www.vagabondish.com/wp-content/uploads/portal-of-sorrow-goree-island.jpg

Kingdoms of Ancient West Africa

Education

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