Section 2: Kingdoms of West Africa Many empires arose in West Africa and

they controlled important trade routes across the Sahara

Merchants paid taxes to travel through these areasIn return the rulers protected the travelers

Gold and Salt were the heart of trade in West AfricaSalt came from mines in the Central Sahara

○ Valuable for flavoring food and preserving meat

Gold came from a forested region in southern West Africa from a place called Wangaran

Silent barterThe merchants and Wangaran gold miners

used this in order to trade

“Miners trace a boundary to mark the place to trade, when the merchants reach this boundary they place their wares and cloth on the ground and then depart; and the people come bearing gold which they leave besides the merchandise and then depart. The owners of the Merchandise then return and, if they are satisfied with what they have found, they take the gold. If not they go away again and the people return and add to the price until the bargain is concluded”

Ghana’s Trade EmpireThe 1st West African Empire founded on

Gold and Salt○ They conquered neighboring people and trade

routes in the SaharaThe Location

○ North of the goldfields○ Routes south from the Sahara had to pass

through Ghana

Ghana’s Trade items○ Salt, Cloth, and horses were exchanged for

kola nuts, gold, and fine woods

Ghana divided its capital into two cities:○ One was the capital of trade and the other the

royal city where the King made decisionsLater the power of Ghana begins to fade

and they are subject to invasionTrade in the area comes under control of the

new kingdom of Mali

The Empire of MaliLocated in the upper Niger ValleyFounded by Sudiata and under his rule they

took control of the gold-salt trade across the Sahara○ He also had people working on agricultural

projects i.e planting and herding cattle

Mansa Musa○ Muslim Emperor who ruled for 25 years○ He made Islam the official religion of Mali○ After His pilgrimage to Mecca he increased

ties with Muslims across N. Africa and SW Asia

○ He made Mali a center for learning and wealthHe built Mosques and brought religious scholars to

taught students to read the Quran

He built many glorious Mosques in Tombouctou which increased the amount of people to visit this city

50 years after the death of Mansa Musa Mali’s power begins to fade○ Raiders attacked from the north○ Many provinces became independent

Songhai was one of the now independent provinces○ By the 1400s it was a leading state in West

Africa○ Leaders expanded the borders and Songhai

gained control of more trade routes and sources of Gold and Salt

○ Due to fighting within the empire they weakened and fell easily to guns and cannons