The Asante Kingdom developed in 1670s Ghana through the military conquests of Osei Tutu. He unified surrounding Akan chiefdoms and established Kumasi as the capital. Osei Tutu introduced the Golden Stool as a symbol of his divine authority over the Asante people. Under Osei Tutu and his successor Opoku Ware, the Asante Kingdom grew to control much of present-day Ghana through the gold trade and slave raiding of neighboring groups. The Asante remained a powerful kingdom into the 19th century before falling to European colonizers.

1. The Asante- A Kingdom of
Slave Traders
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Images available upon request.
http://www.runofplay.com/blog/wpcontent/uploads/2008/03/asanteh
ene.jpg

2. The Asante (Ashanti) Kingdom
Developed in the
1670’s
Formed as a result of
competition for gold
fields in the Akan
forestland and later
took control over the
slave trade in this
region-
http://www.ascleiden.nl/Images/library/webdossiers/library_webdossiers_asante_map
ghana.jpg

3. Who Were They?
In the 1400s, the Akan
peoples lived on the
edge of the
Sahel/forest region
They mined gold in the
forest, and farmed
crops in the Sahel
The Akan also traded
gold for slaves with
the Malian empire
Akan depended on
slaves laboring in the
gold mines and in the
fields http://www.artofancientafrica.com/images/0190.jpg

4. 1500’s: Akan peoples
came into contact with
Portuguese traders
Wealthy owners of the
Akan gold mines begin to
trade gold for Benin
slaves with the
Portuguese
Akan centers of trade
began to shift away from
the Trans-Saharan routes
toward the forestland and
coasts
By the 1600s, several
trade centers were
competing for control over
these new trade centers.
http://www.lindakreft.com/Images/akangold.jpg

5. Osei Tutu: Founder of the
Asante Kingdom
1670’s: Osei Tutu was a
military leader and head of
the Oyoko clan of the Akan
peoples
Took control over a trade
center near Kumasi and
established this as his
capital city
Conquered the neighboring
chiefdoms and took control
of their trade
Took the title of
ASANTEHENE
Collected taxes from the
chiefdoms on profits from
the gold mines
Built a standing army by
demanding that chiefdoms
provide soldiers
Sought the support of
religious leaders
throughout the region
Established the “GOLDEN
STOOL” as a symbol of his
rightful rule.
www.tamarin.com/seat-pic/seat11.JPG

6. The Golden Stool
Osei Tutu told the Akan peoples that the Golden Stool
had been sent to him by the gods
The safety and success of these people was
dependent upon protection of the stool and the
Asantehene
Akan peoples become Asante (Ashanti)
Osei Tutu develops an Asante culture complete with
new traditions, festivals and histories (Clan histories
were outlawed)
By 1700, Osei Tutu controlled most of the gold fields
of the Akan forestland
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/39882000/jpg/_39882008_goldenstool203.jpg

7. The Continuance of the Asante
Osei Tutu was succeeded
by Opoku Ware (1717-
1750)
During his rule, he will
extend the Asante kingdom
to include most of what is
today present-day Ghana
Opoku Ware will
participate in the slave
trade with the Europeans,
selling war captives and
growing very wealthy
Asante were one of the last
great kingdoms to fall to
the Europeans in the late
19th
century.
Today, they are a
recognized cultural group,
with a symbolic
Asantehene as its leader.
http://www.jmu.edu/international/images/progphoto_ghana_P7000002.jpg