Mansa Musa and IslamMansa Musa and Islam Ghana, Mali, and Songhai Ghana, Mali, and Songhai

Objectives and State Objectives and State Standards Standards

I can explain the importance of I can explain the importance of Mansa Musa and his pilgrimage to Mansa Musa and his pilgrimage to Mecca. (7.17)Mecca. (7.17)

I can analyze the growth of Ghana, I can analyze the growth of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai kingdoms. (7.13)Mali, and Songhai kingdoms. (7.13)

What is this a picture of? What is this a picture of? How would it be a major How would it be a major

indictor of wealth?indictor of wealth?

Sundiata: The Lion KingSundiata: The Lion King Prince of the Mandinka Prince of the Mandinka

people, who were people, who were conquered by cruel conquered by cruel SusuSusu

In 1230, he conquered In 1230, he conquered the Susu peoplethe Susu people

Under Sundiata, Mali Under Sundiata, Mali prosperedprospered

Died in 1255Died in 1255

Mansa MusaMansa Musa Several kings ruled Several kings ruled

after Sundiata’s deathafter Sundiata’s death

Mansa Musa was Mansa Musa was grandson of Sundiata’s grandson of Sundiata’s half brotherhalf brother

He became the He became the greatest king of Mali in greatest king of Mali in 13121312

Under Mansa Musa, Under Mansa Musa, Mali became a great Mali became a great trading centertrading center

MiniFactMiniFact: Mansa means : Mansa means Emperor or KingEmperor or King

The HajjThe Hajj Mansa Musa was a devout MuslimMansa Musa was a devout Muslim

Muslims must make a journey to Mecca called a Muslims must make a journey to Mecca called a ‘hajj’‘hajj’

Mansa Musa crossed Africa to reach MeccaMansa Musa crossed Africa to reach Mecca

He took a huge caravan with him in 1324He took a huge caravan with him in 1324

After that, everyone knew aboutAfter that, everyone knew about the wealth of Mali (Is this a good or bad?)the wealth of Mali (Is this a good or bad?)

A Muslim church is called a Mosque

This is the mosque at Djenne in Mali. It’s built of mud! Click for a movie

Just how wealthy was Mansa Just how wealthy was Mansa Musa?Musa?

The Emergence of States The Emergence of States in Africain Africa

African Trading Kingdoms

BackgroundThe African Trading Kingdoms consist of three main cultures, Ghana, Mali, and Songhai, all located in West Africa.  All three kingdoms maintained vast trading networks across the Sahara desert and into the Middle East and North Africa.  The main export was gold, which made each kingdom wealthy and strong, and provided them with the conditions necessary for cultural and intellectual achievement Islamic InfluencesGhana, Mali, and Songhai were all influenced by Islam to different degrees.  The kings of Ghana often had Islamic advisors, while Mali and Songhai established Islamic Empires after converting.  In Mali, the emperor Mansa Musa was famous for his pilgrimage to Mecca, one of the Five Pillars of Islam.  This pilgrimage gained Mali closer ties with the Islamic world, and increased trade and cultural diffusion between Mali and the Muslim Empire.Spread of IdeasDuring the 1400s, Timbuktu became a center of learning under the leadership of Mali emperor, Mansa Musa. Again, this is the influence of Islam, with Islamic scholars traveling from around the Muslim world to study and teach and the University of Timbuktu.  This interaction helped to spread ideas about Africa to the outside world.CommerceGhana, Mali, and Songhai established trade routes that were in use for centuries.  Early trade networks were setup inside of Africa.  As these networks grew and became more prosperous, they expanded to include the Mediterranean and then eventually Europe.  Trade goods included gold, salt, cooper, iron, various minerals, and agricultural products.  A negative effect of this interaction was the start of the slave trade, when Europeans needed a cheap, reliable labor source for their New World colonies.

Ghana Empire : Ghana Empire : 300-1200 A.D. 300-1200 A.D.

Ghana Empire Ghana Empire

The Ghana Empire was the best known and most powerful of the medieval trading empires in West AfricaGhana became very rich as a result of the “salt-gold trade” between West and North Africa. This trade was very important, and Ghana came to control not only gold and salt but also the trade routes that went through their land.

The States of West AfricaThe States of West Africa Expansion of Islam has impact on political systemExpansion of Islam has impact on political system Introduction of Arabic for a writing systemIntroduction of Arabic for a writing system GhanaGhana

Majority of people were farmersMajority of people were farmers Primary reason for Ghana’s growth was goldPrimary reason for Ghana’s growth was gold Trans-Saharan trade with Ghana becomes very importantTrans-Saharan trade with Ghana becomes very important Divine right monarchy assisted by hereditary aristocracyDivine right monarchy assisted by hereditary aristocracy Kings did not convert to Islam, but many of their subjects didKings did not convert to Islam, but many of their subjects did

MaliMali Ruinous wars by the twelfth century in GhanaRuinous wars by the twelfth century in Ghana

New states of Mali, Songhai, Kanem-Bornu, and Hausa statesNew states of Mali, Songhai, Kanem-Bornu, and Hausa states Greatest state was MaliGreatest state was Mali

Gold tradeGold trade Farming in the savanna regionFarming in the savanna region Mansa Musa (1312-1337), king, encouraged IslamMansa Musa (1312-1337), king, encouraged Islam Timbuktu becomes center of trade, religion and learningTimbuktu becomes center of trade, religion and learning

Mali Empire :Mali Empire :1200- 15001200- 1500

Land of Gold & Land of Gold & GriotsGriots

A griot of today

gold earrings

mudclot

h

What did Mali trade?What did Mali trade?

GoldGold

The dotted The dotted

lines are lines are tradetrade

routes fromroutes from

Mali to otherMali to other

parts ofparts of

AfricaAfrica

What else did they trade?What else did they trade?

SaltSalt CopperCopper IvoryIvory ClothCloth

Kola NutsKola Nuts SlavesSlaves BooksBooks Shells Shells

Camels, the ships of the desert, traveled in Camels, the ships of the desert, traveled in caravans bringing to Mali:caravans bringing to Mali:

MiniFactMiniFact: This was before Columbus even : This was before Columbus even sailed to the New World!sailed to the New World!

Why was Salt Important?Why was Salt Important? Mali often traded its gold Mali often traded its gold

for saltfor salt Salt was sometimes Salt was sometimes

more valuable than gold!more valuable than gold! People’s bodies need salt People’s bodies need salt

to liveto live In the desert heat, salt In the desert heat, salt

is lost through is lost through perspirationperspiration

Salt was used to Salt was used to preserve foodpreserve food

Salt was brought in large Salt was brought in large slabs (coins)slabs (coins)

MiniFactMiniFact: The : The picture behind picture behind these words is also these words is also a slab of SALT!a slab of SALT!

The man is holding a slab of salt mined recently near Timbuktu

TimbuktuTimbuktu A very important A very important

city in Malicity in Mali Center of learning Center of learning

for Muslimsfor Muslims Universities and Universities and

schoolsschools Largest trading Largest trading

center in Malicenter in Mali On the Niger On the Niger

RiverRiver TradeTrade FoodFood WashingWashing

Timbuktu

19th century traders in Timbuktu

The GriotsThe Griots Storytellers were Storytellers were

called Griots or djelicalled Griots or djeli They were They were

important people in important people in MaliMali

They told the land’s They told the land’s historyhistory

Most of what we Most of what we know about ancient know about ancient Mali came from the Mali came from the storytellersstorytellers

They were advisors They were advisors to the kingsto the kings

This is a 19th century griot of Mali with his instrument

Mali Mali TodayToday

Songhai Empire (ca. 1375-1591)

The Songhai Empire was the largest and last of the three major pre-colonial empires to emerge in West Africa.  From its capital at Gao on the Niger River, Songhai expanded in all directions until it stretched from the Atlantic Ocean to what is now Northwest Nigeria and western Niger.  Gao, Songhai’s capital, which remains to this day a small Niger River trading center, was home to the famous Goa Mosque and the Tomb of Askia, the most important of the Songhai emperors. The cities of Timbuktu and Djenne were the other major cultural and commercial centers of the empire. Under the Askias, the Songhai empire reached its zenith, Timbuktu and Jenne flourished as centers of Islamic learning, and Islam was actively promoted.

Sometimes history seems to repeat itself. The rise and fall of two medieval kingdoms of West Africa is an example of this. Mali and Songhai, as well as the smaller kingdom of Ghana before them, were once great trading kingdoms famous for their gold. Yet despite their greatness, they each declined for similar reasons.The rise and fall of Mali and SonghaiThe empire of Mali, which dated from the early thirteenth century to the late fifteenth century, rose out of what was once the empire of Ghana. Mali had been a state inside of the Ghanaian empire. After Ghana fell because of invading forces and internal disputes, Mali rose to greatness under the leadership of a legendary king named Sundiata, the "Lion King." Later, another great leader named Mansa Musa extended the empire. After his death, however, his sons could not hold the empire together. The smaller states it had conquered broke off, and the empire crumbled.

As Mali's power waned, Songhai asserted its independence and rose to power in the area. Songhai had been an important trade center within Mali's empire, just as Mali had once been ruled by Ghana. Great Songhai kings such as Sunni Ali Ber and Askia Mohammed Toure extended the Songhai kingdom farther than Ghana or Mali had before it and brought an organized system of government to the area. It was the largest and most powerful kingdom in medieval West Africa. The riches of the gold and salt mines drew invaders, though, and in the late sixteenth century a Moroccan army attacked the capital. The Songhai empire, already weakened by internal political struggles, went into decline.

STOP! Collaborate and STOP! Collaborate and Answer Answer

Name the two major resources that Name the two major resources that helped Ghana, Mali, and Songhai helped Ghana, Mali, and Songhai become major empires.become major empires.

How wealth was Mansa Musa How wealth was Mansa Musa compared to Bill Gates?compared to Bill Gates?