West African Empires Achievements

European Achievements In West Europe
Before the arrival of Europeans in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, the African kingdoms and cities had a multitude of achievements. These come
from different areas, like trade and wealth, and added to the quality of life and functionality of the respective kingdom. The African empire's
achievements were successful in the advancement of civilization. In West Africa, the kingdoms Ghana, Mali, and Songhai gained wealth and power
through their achievements. Significantly, this would change during the fifteenth and sixteenth with the introduction of the slave trade. However, prior
to the arrival of Europeans, the African empires had prevalent achievements in traditional societal and political structures, wealth and luxury, and trade
and harvesting.
The African empires developed societal and political structures that improved its functionality. Songhai was under the rule of Sunni Ali until his death
where Askia Muhammed Toure became king after leading a revolt against Ali's son. He expanded the empire greatly until it extended northward,
westward, and eastward to trading cities. Notably, Toure improved the political and societal structure of his empire. He opted for a centralized
administration, and organized a bureaucracy. A centralized administration created power and organization to theSonghai empire, allowing it to function
efficiently. Additionally, a bureaucracy assisted in regulating trade. The regulation of trade allows for the empire the flourish and increase in wealth.
Also, Africans organized their societies around the family unit much like how Askia Muhammed Toure replaced the chiefs with members of his family
(Khan Academy). Similarly, the kingdom of Ghana showed characteristics of political and societal structure as recorded in Through African Eyes. The
excerpt states that, "It possessed... social organization that ensured justice and efficient political control, a strong army equipped with advanced
weapons, and a foreign policy that led to peace and cooperation with other people." (Document 3). Through Arab sources, Ghana is mentioned having a
king and officials who surrounded the throne (Time Maps). Many of these characteristics are evident of advanced civilization and modern political and
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West African Empires
"West African societies were shaped by competition for wealth and the search for independence from more powerful kingdoms" (History 2011).
Most of Africa's oldest kingdoms originated from West Africa. These old kingdoms contributed to the development and growth of Africa in many
ways, especially trade and economic growth. As the new kingdoms replaced the old ones, they experienced a vast change. Conquest and warfare along
caused these transformations to occur. It was also influenced by the patterns of trade. The earliest civilizations were in West Africa south of the Sahara
desert. These civilisations grew at a time when most of the outside countries were experiencing The Dark Age. "After the fall of the Western half of the
Roman Empire around... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
However, the Mali Empire's power was weakened due to quarrels about orderly succession of the emperors. When the Songhai Empire realized that
weakness at the center of Mali, they started rebelling. In 1375, Geo rebelled. Soon Songhai Empire began its expansion at the expense of Mali. They
conquered Mema, Timbuktu from the Tuareg. The military commander responsible for these victories, Sunni Ali Ber, was considered the first great
ruler of the Songhai Empire. He continued to expand and build the empire by taking control of important Trans–Saharan trade routes as well as other
cities and provinces of Mali. Trade had a significant influence on the history of these empires. The riches made through these trades contributed to
build larger kingdoms and empires. In order to protect their trade, they build even larger armies. The slave trade was the most important contributor
to their economic development. "The Songhai kingdom under the rule of Askia Mohammed used slaves as soldiers. Slaves were trusted not to
overthrow their rulers. Sometimes, slaves were given position such as royal advisers because "Songhai rulers believed that slaves could be trusted to
provide unbiased advice unlike other citizens who held a personal stake in the outcome of decisions" (Tesfu 2015). Fall of Songhai Empire: The
wealth and power of Songhai empire was drastically affected by the environmental changes, which caused droughts and diseases. In the 16th century,
Songhai empire went into civil war. Following the fates of Ghana and Mali empires. They too started to fall apart. Even though, they survived the
environmental changes. They fell prey to Moroccans, who wanted to control the sub–Saharan gold trade. In 1591, the Moroccan army invaded and
Songhai were defeated. The economic and administrative centres of which remained in Moroccan

Ghana's Effect On The Developing Kingdoms
The land and climate of West Africa had a big effect on the developing Kingdoms. Ghana was the first of three West African Empire to exist. The land
occupied by the Kingdom of Ghana had so much gold that Arab merchants from North Africa carried salt, copper, clothing, tools and dried fruits to
Ghana by camel caravans to trade. Due to its hot climate, developing the cities there was difficult because there was no good form of building other
than sun–dried mud. By Ghana becoming a trading center, the power of the Kingdom grew. Taxing people on entering and leaving the country was
one way the Kingdom got richer. Ghana's monarch had laws stating that people were not allowed to own any form of gold, except gold dust. So it was
really the climate

How Trade Has A Huge Effect On The Society
Throughout history trade has been a huge help with the creation of societies. Artifacts have been traded between a large quantity of societies and
people, such as the vikings. Trade has been conducted in number of different ways as well. Trade also has a huge effect on how societies today
culturally diffuse through the use of trade. In many societies, such as Ghana, Songhai and Mali, trade has played a huge importance in their
development. There are also many people that have encourages cultural diffusion throughout the world. Tade can also have an effect on stock markets
throughout the world which could change the way trade occurs in the future.
Since the beginning of human history, the use of trade has had a great deal of effect on the societies cultural habits. Many methods have been used to
trade between societies. One of the methods societies traded with was by boat. The Vikings were a group of people that traded and fought throughout
most of Eastern Europe. The Oseberg Viking ship was a primary example that trade was used by ship long ago. Many of the things they traded may
include clothing, tools and pottery.
Even though the Vikings traded mainly through Eastern Europe, trade has occurred in many other places throughout the world. One of these places
includes Africa. Many kingdoms such as Ghana, have traded throughout Africa for many decades, along with other societies such as the Mali empire
and Songhai empire. These kingdoms have traded with each other throughout

Compare And Contrast Africa And American Civilizations
The civilizations of America, Africa, and Europe each had their own political, economic, and religious systems that changed drastically when people
from each continent encountered one another. In the Americas, the Native Americans had developed large and massive empires that would come to
marvel the world. In Africa, there were are also large empires, home to millions of people. WesternEurope on the other hand did not have any large
empires or well organized societies. However, this would all change when the Europeans came in contact with the people in the Americas and
Africa. It would be the Europeans that rose up while the other races fell. Before the Europeans arrived in the New World, it was filled with wealth
and resources. When the Spanish first explored the New World they returned to Spain with strings of pearls and gold. The land was also full of
Native Americans. The native people in the Americas had created some of the greatest empires in the world. These empires spread all across the
New World especially in Mexico and Guatemala. These empires were home to over 60 million people. Most of these people lived in the great empires
of the Aztecs and Incas, the two largest empires at the time. Both of these empires housed more people than most European cities at the time. The
Aztecs had a diverse trade system that included tributes from the people to the leaders of the empire. They required tribute to be payed to them,
typically consisting of gold, textiles, and cacao.

Empire Of Ghana Essay
The Empire of Ghana was the first trading empire of western Africa. This Empire is located between the Sahara Desert and the rivers of SГ©nГ©gal
and Niger. Otherwise known today as part of Mauritania and part of Mali. It thrived through the years of 700–1200 B.C. They are highly known for
their production and trading of gold because they lived on top of a gold mine. They were also known for trading in salt and ivory. Some of Ghana's
achievements was how near and far their trading destinations were. Also their large amounts of gold and other resources. Because of their good
amounts of gold it made Ghana have a more powerful and dominate kingdom compared to those around Ghana. Kongo Kingdoms were around in the
1400– 1600 B.C., located in west Africa along the Congo River. The Kingdom of Kongo is one of the most famous kingdoms in sub–Saharan Africa. At
its highest point, the kingdom reached to all directions from the Atlantic Ocean (west) to the Kwango River (east), and from the Congo River (north) to
the Kwanza River (south). The Kongo Kingdom is known for their oil and only trading with people close to them or near the route. The Kingdom's
achievement was the many different types of ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The Songhai Empire was located in West Africaand could reach up to 1,000 miles from current day the Sahara Desert and Niger river to the Atlantic
Ocean, during 1350–1600 B.C. The Songhai Empire had slowly become very wealthy with all of the things that they used throughout their trading such
as gold along with the rest of the country, ivory, woods, and spices in exchange for many other goods like copper and salt. Some of Songhai's
achievements was that they were the largest empire in African history, having many different cultures that they controlled. They had some of the firsts
in the country such as newly developed and useful technology for many different things they

Ghana Mali And Songhai Empires
What is the world–historical importance of the empires of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai and why did each lose their empire? Ghana, Mali, and Songhai
empires are perfect examples of the begin stage of global trade and foreign relation. Although this ancient resemble the current tug of war for land and
goods are still relevant. They were key players in demonstrating the benefit of religion bipartisan within government. Ghana established the model that
allowed the region to flourish for two centuries. They had different classes of people. Slaves were at the bottom; farmer and draftsmen above them;
merchants above them; and the king, his court, and the nobility on the top. Although the Ghanaian king was not Islamic, they arrange special
accommodations

African Kingdoms and Empires
African Kingdoms and Empires During 400 AD, West Africa witnessed the rise and fall of the indigenous medieval empires of ancient Ghana,
medieval Mali, and Songhai. Many other states and kingdoms arose during this time but Ghana, Mali and Songhai achieved the status of fully–fledged,
functioning and long–living conquest states and expansionist empires. These empires regulated the Trans–Saharan trade by offering protection for
trade caravans as well as taxing slaves, gold, firearms, textiles and salt. Ghana reached its height by 1200 AD and was ruled by the Serahule people
which eventually broke apart by in the 13th century. The Mali Empire was a Mandinka territory but also took on Ghana's territory and extended into the
13th century. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
This in turn gave the kings of Ghana more power and could command the services of many descent lines. They were able to raise big armies and
employ larger numbers of messengers and other servants. (Ghanaweb)
The International trade was causing the empire continuous growth so the Serahule were inventing new methods of governing themselves by raising
money to pay for a government and producing wealth. They decided the central authority would need to be a king that would rule over many lesser
authorities or governments. Since Serahule had already occupied the lands to the north of the upper waters of Niger, their towns and trading
settlements became the middlemen between the Berber and Arab traders of the north and the gold and ivory producers of the south. This position
made Ghana strong and prosperous and gave its rulers glory and power. (Accessgambia)
The empire included many arrears of people who were not Serahule and therefore had different religious loyalties to their Gods other than the king. In
order to ensure the continued allegiance of the conquered states, the kings of Ghana insisted on the son of each vassal king being sent to their court.
Both provincial governors of Serahule areas and tributary rulers of the conquered peoples had the duties of loyalty to the king, provisions of annual
tribute, and the contribution of bands of warriors to the

History: The History Of Ghana, Mali, And Songhai
The histories of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai are not well documented much of what we know is a mixture of legend, stories, and 2nd hand accounts.
According to Mr. Clifton's lecture notes, "Empires of Ancient West Africa", Ghana started as the first empire to establish of the three empires and
rose to power in the 1400's. Ghana was located where several trade routes came together. The origin is unknown of how the empire began. According
to legend, Odinga's son had found the empire of Ghana. The empire had succeeded because Ghana's people had possessed gold and salt mines, and
controlling valuable trade routes. Once Ghana weakened, Mali conquered them. The empire of Mali began with the fall of Ghana. According to the
legend of the lion king,

African Empires
There is no other way to look at what the African People had for advancements in technology had that kingdom tribes. Europeans arrived in the
15th–16th century, but before that the African people had so many achievements under their belt.These cities became emperors in the 300s. Each
empire had their hand in the control of the salt and gold trade. The cities got power from trade and became centers of living. Throughout the 300s
cities turned into empires and also fell.The three most known empires in the west are Ghana, Mali, Songhai. Ghana rose to control the power of the
trans–saharan gold and salt trade between 700–1067. The Empire of Mali rose around 1235. Within this empire was the city of Timbuktu. Finally the
Songhai empire lasted from ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The empire's had many achievements within their reigns such as political structure. Which was important with the trade routes and the salt–gold trade.
The political structure that the empire's had allowed them to control the trade routes and reign for much longer. The strong governments allowed
citizens to feel safe, which limited rebellions and with the strong army's it discouraged attacks. Governments were crucial to the aid in controlling the
trade routes because the gold–salt trade was important and were a main income within the kingdoms. The kingdoms and cities of Africa did all these
massive accomplishments without the aid of the European. Which is impressive because the Europeans had these things within their governments, but
the African people were starting from

How Did Sunni Ali Influence The Songhai Empire
Sunni Ali Impact on Songhai Empire Before the 14th C the Songhai Empire was in danger and was in major need of rescue. They had lost everything
and were about to lose their empire. One of the greatest Emperors who helped them get back up on their feet was the man Sunni Ali. He had many
achievements that increased the empire's influence. The king Sunni Ali had a positive impact on the Songhai empire, because of him freeing them from
the Mali Empire, making a powerful military system, and expanding the land. Sunni Ali made a positive impact by freeing the Songhai Empire from
the Mali Empire. He "founded what became the greatest empire in west Africa history. Using superlative military and administrative skills, he
developed the Soninke state ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
He also "fought over the next three decades to expand and consolidate his hold over the empire. From Timbuktu, his armies, headed south to
conquer the niger port of Jenne. The city captured after a large siege. Then in 1480, Sonni Ali attacked the Mossi states south of the Niger. Though
he did not conquer the Mossi, he was able to end their threat to his expanding empire"(World History: Ancient and medieval Eras). Ali cleary
conquered many parts of Africa and it helped the Songhai Empire grow bigger and make it stronger. Ali was a good and very determined emperor
because he kept the Empire growing from one city to another. Not just stopping at one point, but fighting till the end. After he was"shortly taking
power, Sunni Ali launched an invasion of the important trading city of Timbuktu, which was controlled by tuareg raiders. He subdued the target and
bought the city under his rule, there by funneling the ride trade of the Sahara into his Kingdom"(World History: Ancient and medieval Eras). Just
from taking out one city Ali took control of the whole Sahara. Not only did Ali extend the Empire but continued a revolution. He took one journey to
a never ending conquest. Sunni Ali Ber impacted the Songhai Empire very positively by not only Expanding the empire but increasing the population,
making Africa have more culture, spreading the language and many more. Ali turned this small city to a humongous almost country like figure. The
king Sunni Ali had a positive impact on the Songhai empire, because of him freeing them from the Mali Empire, making a powerful military system,
and expanding the land. Without Sunni Ali Ber Songhai would not have not even existed, it still would have been a part of the Mali. He also showed
the world amazing ways to conquer an army and how to grow a Empire, he truly accomplished a lot for the

What Was The Last Of The Three Kingdomss
Geography plays a colossal role not only in countries and continents today, but it was also a tremendous factor in the kingdoms of past history,
specifically West Africa. Ghana, Mali, and Songhai are the three kingdoms that made up West Africa in the time period A.D. 500 to A.D. 1500.
Songhai was the last of the three kingdoms to arise. However, it's geography affected the society, culture, and trade of just effectively as the kingdoms
of Ghana and Mali. The kingdom of Songhai was located south of the Niger River. This region offered geographical advantages such as fertile soil
necessary for cultivating crops and raising cattle. Furthermore, Songhai started off with great prosperity due to the benefits provided by the Muslim
trade routes ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
This ruler created a new dynasty known as the Sunni, and fought to obtain his territory as well as conquer new ones. Timbuktu and DjennГ© were
Sunni Ali's most successful and prosperous conquests, for they opened up Songhai to a new world of trade. After overtaking these areas, Songhai
found a great abundance of salt and gold, two extremely valuable items at the time. As for currency, people proceeded to use shells and cowries to
pay for the items they traded. Society, at this point in time, seemed to be quite ideal for the people of Songhai. Business in trade and farming was
blossoming. But most importantly, rural and city dwellers became linked under the control of one single government which was a huge administrative
and social step for the kingdom of Songhai. However, the most influential time period what when Muhammad Ture took the throne in 1493. This
political figure created and new dynasty known as the Asaki. The Asaki culture consisted of doing whatever necessary to maintain a continuous
growth of the Songhai kingdom. Although, one change was brought to the attention of Muhammad Ture. This was the division of provinces, and each
province held its own personal governor. The preservation of security and peace was left to the navy and soldiers in horseback. Also, the trading of
salt and gold was a crucial aspect that led to prospering even more than

The Mossi Myth
Who are the Mossi? The Mossi are a diverse people whose population are greatest in ,what they consider their homeland, the central part of Burkina
Faso and they also live in Cote D'Ivoire and Ghana. The Mossi is the largest ethnic group in Burkina Faso, making up forty percent of the population
totaling over 6 million people. The Mossi are the second largest ethnic group in D'Ivoire totaling over 1.2 million people. A smaller population of
about 160,000 Mossi live in Ghana (Mossi). The history of the Mossi is very interesting. There are different ideas about how the Mossi originated.
Because there are few written records about the Mossi, they rely on special singers called griots to pass on their traditions orally. According to
folklore by the Mossi, the following myth represents the origin of the Mossi. "Over forty generations ago, a king named Naba Nedega had a
daughter whom he would not allow to marry because she was a great warrior. So Princess Nyennega took a horse and fled north into what is now
Mossi country. She married a local man. Their son, named Ouedraogo (stallion), was sent back to his mother's homeland to be raised by his
grandfather, Naba Nedega. When he grew up, he returned to the north with cavalry from his homeland and conquered his father's people, the Bisa. The
marriage of Ouedraogo and his troops with Bisa ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In addition to everyday chores, men trained for the military using bows and arrows, swords, and spears. Today one might engage in bicycle racing and
soccer which are the national sports of Burkina Faso. Besides dancing, music and conversations, there are not many other forms of recreation. People
enjoy listening to the radio and sending personal messages to others over the air in other parts of the country. Television is not popular. According to
the most recent study in the ninties, there were only just over 40,000 televisions in a country of over ten million

Nubia's Influence On African Civilization
African culture has impacted civilization since the late B.C era of history. Before the Europeans started colonization of African regions, Africa was
already a well oiled machine. Able to generate production of metals, food, and clothing for trade throughout the continent and beyond. Although Egypt
is mostly known for much of the wealth and prosperity in African history, two other regions also held promise of growth and wealth as well. Nubia
has been recognized for its production of literature with its strong capital of Kerma where most of the libraries were placed. Not only was Nubia
prominent in its literary works, Ethiopia contributed to writing systems as well as crafting intricate clothing with their special skills in weaving that
produced most of their trade at the time.
Ethiopia was also named the city of Aksum standing for "the greatest powers on Earth." This name was powerful for such a state because it once meant
the entirety of Africa itself. Ethiopia was as powerful and independent as Egypt, creating their own language that has been rooted to arabic tongue as
well. Ethiopia was able to produce iron for trade amongst the other two major powers of Africa at the time, Nubia and Egypt. These people were able
to conquer parts of arabia and set up impressive obelisk throughout their region that stood at 150ft high. Their ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
Ghana, Mali, and Songhai were three regions on the western part of Africa that also had good knowledge of literature, sciences, and agriculture at the
time. Most notably Ghana for its extensive trans–saharan trade established by the absolute monarch of Tunka Menin. Ghana's administration was well
balanced and foreseen by multiple advisors to the ruler and over the powerful military that guarded the borders. The empire eventually disintegrated in
the year 1250 following the fall of Kumbi

How Did Mali And Songhai Affect The West African Trade...
The rulers of Ghana controlled the trade of their kingdom and collected taxes on salt from the north. From the south of the kingdom came gold that
fed the king's wealth. This gold came from the Senegal and Niger rivers and was in great demand across the Sahara. Ghana was a sort of meeting
place in which the north and the south traded. From the north came ceramics, glass, oil lamps, and salt, from the south came kola nuts,palm oil, copper,
and gold. Ghana became a wealthy trading empire. Mali and Songhai were also affected because they neighbored Ghana so they were in similar
circumstances. When they were at war and Mali took over the Ghana gold mines, they tried to establish salt trades. Several kings later the Songhai took
over the gold mines ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The Portuguese had no interest in the cowrie shells that the Kongo had previously traded with the people around them. The Portuguese wanted gold,
but the Kongo had no gold, so they settled on trading slaves to the Portuguese in return for goods. The slaves were treated by the Kongo like they were
any other person in the world, while the Portuguese treated them like they were monsters. The Portuguese started trading something quite new: guns.
The Portuguese guns could be used to protect the slaves from slave raiders, but the only way to get this product was to trade slaves for it. Eventually,
the Kongo king agreed to trade his own enslaved people for the guns. After a while, the Kongo king started supporting the slave trade because it
increased his own wealth and power.
The Kongo didn't mistreat their slaves. They kept the slaves with their families and made sure that they could eventually earn their freedom. The
Portuguese on the other hand, treated the slaves so bad that some of them died from being worked so hard. Slaves died from poor conditions and
treatment so often that the Portuguese would have to obtain more slaves. In order to get their hands on the slaves, the merchants would do almost
anything, even purposely start a war between

Mansa Musa
Courtney Holmes
March 5, 2014
HIS 276– Dr. Kalinga
Test one
Mansa Kankan Musa ascended the throne in 1312 and ultimately revived Mali. He was well known for stimulating Mali in many different ways.
Before Mansa Musa's accession to the throne, Mali was in a period of political instability. He ruled for approximately twenty–five years, which brought
wealth and consistency to Mali. This ultimately expanded the empire. Mansa Musa gave away so many gifts of gold that the value of gold fell and did
not recover for about twelve years. Although he spent his money generously, he did a lot to strengthen the economy of Mali. This included establishing
communications with certain areas, strengthening trade, encouraging new eating habits, and ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Askiya fortified his administration mainly by conquering new provinces and replacing the rulers with trusted individuals. This ensures unity in the
empire and prevented secession of these provinces. Each of these new rulers formed their own armies so that they were able to collect taxes. By
conquering these new areas, he greatly expanded the Songhai Empire. This expansion ultimately led to more wealth for the empire because of the
revival of the trans–Saharan trade. Askiya urged his armies to take over Tuareg territory for this expansion. The restoration of the trans–Saharan trade
was partially due to Askiya's feats in Islamic religion. After the rule of Suni Ali, Askiya needed to show those in the empire that Islam was no longer
a source of issues. He did this by showing that he supported Muslims with a Hajj. Although he supported the religion, he did not force it on others like
Suni Ali did. He also revived Timbuktu as a center for Islamic learning, which led to more education. Overall, Mansa Kankan Musa and Askiya
Muhammad Ture ruled in very similar ways. They strengthened many of the same aspects of their respective empires. They both also came to power
after somewhat unpopular and unstable rulers, and were put in a position in which they needed to improve the situations of their empires. They also
used similar aspects of ruling to improve their economies. Both Askiya and Mansa Musa were praised for

Mansa Mali : The Greatest Leader Of The Mali Empire
Mansa Musa
Mansa Musa was one of the most extravagant emperors of the early 14th century. He was born in 1280 and he died in the year of 1337 (Musa I of
Mali). The Mali empire was originally founded by Musa's grandfather, Sundiata in the early 1200s. Scholars believed that Mansa Musa had a
net–worth of over 400 billion dollars and that he was the richest man in history. Mansa MusaHe Musa was the strongest greatest leader of the Mali
kingdom, and he effectively established a wealthy economy for Mali, which would last over a lifetime for his people.e increased literacy and he
effectively established a successful economy for Mali that would last over a lifetime.
Musa decided to go on a pilgrimage to Mecca in order to help him gain spiritual insight on how to create a united and rich empire. According to John
Coleman de Graft Johnson, he went on the pilgrimage to Mecca in 1324, after 12 years of his rule. During his journey, he invested in the economy of
Cairo and spent an immense amount of gold as part of his philanthropy. He was known for being a wise, kind–hearted man who treated everyone with
respect, no matter their race or religion. Because of his donations, he almost caused the downfall of all surrounding economies. The abundance of
gold made the prices decrease, so merchants and people of trade were not making enough money. It was believed that Mansa Musa took at least 100
camel loads of gold and 60,000 people with him on the hajj (Mansa Musa and Islam in Africa).

Cultural Achievements Made By Western African Empires
One achievement made by western african empires in economics were their trading. This allowed people from other tribes to trade with them so that
they could make money or gain resources. One political achievement that these empires had was that all of these civilizations had remarkable rulers.
Mali had Mansa Musa, Ghana had Kaya Maghan, and Songhai had Sunni Ali. Also, people never tried to rebel against these rulers. One cultural
achievement these empires had is that they were able to convert to Islam. Mali, songhai, and Ghana were able to convert their religion to Islam without
any major disputes between the people. One positive that came from the spread of the Islamic faith was the Sankore University in Timbuktu. Ahmed
Baba said that

Mansa Musa Thesis
In my essay I will be telling you what I have learned about Mansa Musa of Mali. He was an important factor to African American history and still
is. Not to conclude that he is the richest man of all time nobody has ever been worth more money than him. His net worth until this day is 400
billion$ dollars. He gains most of his fortune by exploiting West Africa's salt and gold production. Mansa Musa was known well for his Hajj
journey. Hajj is an Islamic pilgrimage to mecca. But when he went on his journey he stopped in Egypt and gave out lots of gold. This was the cause
of the economy going bad because only rich people had gold. Back then so when poor people got ahold of it wasn't worth as much as it should have
been. Mansa Musa is the grandson

Comparison And Contrast Of Songhai's Geography And Silk...
The Comparison and Contrasting of The Silk Road and Songhai
Songhai was connected to the silk road by their, geography, history, trade, and lasting impact on both of their civilizations. They had very clear
differences and similarities on each topic.
Songhai's geography and the silk roads geography were alike and different in many ways. The Songhai Empire was centered around the Niger river,
with huge deserts all around because of this, the Songhai Empire had no mountains and it was all flat land. The Sahara desert surrounding Songhai
was very dry and very big. With the Niger river, it made larger harvests than the Nile river. Due to this, agriculture was highly organized. On the other
hand, the Silk roads geography took place in China, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The people of Songhai settled in the city of Goa around the time AD 800. Even with that, they did not make Goa their capital city until the beginning
of the 11th century during the reign of Dia. After Kouassi the next ruler that moved to power was Mali. He converted The Songhai people into the
religion called Islam. The earliest civilizations developed In the time of the Dark Ages, after the fall of the western half of the Roman Empire, which
was around 476 AD. The next ruler that move to power after Mali was Askia Muhammad. The silk road began around 200 BC and hasn't ended yet.
The Romans encountered silk for the first time when they were in battle. They spotted it on a flag. When merchants first noticed that the Romans
wanted and would pay for the silk, the silk road was born. Silk, being a very desired material was kept secret by the Chinese for thousands of years, It
was seen as a life or death

Continuing Corruption in Mali
Mali was a part of West African empires that controlled trans–Saharan trade: the Mali Empire, the Songhai Empire, and the Ghana Empire. At its climax
in 1300, Mali was a large area about twice the size of France, and was doing great by itself. In the end of the nineteenth century, during the Partition for
Africa, France got control of Mali, making it a part of French Sudan and becoming a colony. French Sudan joined with Senegal in 1959, getting its
independence in 1960 as the Mali Federation. After a long phase of one–party rule, a 1991 coup led to a new constitution and the establishment of Mali
as a democratic state. Mali has been a corrupt country and was not guided into the right direction, which cause many dictators and conflicts to arise. In
spite of many political programs against corruption demonstrated by a series of organization, Mali continues to descend into corruption as shown by its
World Bank Governance and Corruption Perceptions Index.
Children in Mali, as little as 13 years of age, are being recruited as soldiers by armed groups or suspected of links with them, are being held and
detained by the forces of Mali along with adults, where they say they've been tortured. GaГ«tan Mootoo, Mali Researcher at Amnesty International said
"Under international law, children should be detained separately from adults, and Malian law also prohibits detaining them with adults. The Malian
authorities should give notice to the UNICEF when arresting children suspected of

Trade In Time
Trade in the Time Period
Trade has been defined by the Britannica Encyclopedia as the business of buying and selling goods/services. It has developed along with society, and
was important in the ancient world. In the ancient world, trade occurred between North Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and parts of Europe. Trade
continued in the Byzantine empire and among the Muslim provinces during the Middle Ages. During the time period, the main items of African trade
were gold and salt, with other items including ivory, kola nuts, cloth, slaves, metal goods, and beads. The gold mines located in WestAfrica were the
source of wealth for many African empires. Trade routes often crossed the Sahara Desert. Caravans were used because a large number of people often...
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The Songhai empire controlled natural salt supplies and some of the region's gold sources, the upper niger river routes down which much trade flowed,
and the southern end of the trans–caravan routes, which went through many major cities. Askia daud negotiated an agreement with the new Moroccan
caliph, which made many trade reductions to the Moroccans but left the salt mines in Songhai hands. Al–ManЕџЕ«r viewed himself as the hero of
western Islam and mixed general political expansionism with a fiery desire to destroy Islam's enemies and unite her peoples under his rule as caliph. He
thought that the Muslim Songhai empire was threatened by Turkish movements through Maghreb to the east and the potential Portuguese expansion
inland from the Atlantic coast. Both threatened to siphon off the profitable trade that otherwise would go north through Teghazza. If Morocco
controlled Timbuktu, they would also control the upper niger river and much of the trade that sailed down its

Un People, Un But, Une Foi
Un People, Un But, Une Foi
After going through a rut during the Middle Ages, culture, exploration, and power boomed all over the world during the Renaissance. European
explorers traveled down the coast of Africa, and in one of the least explored areas, which became known as Mali, they found a culture not replicated in
the rest of the world. Mali never wanted to be oppressed, and this led to a lot of conflict throughout its history from ancient times to as recently as today.
Though Mali has had a tumultuous past, buried underneath the rubble of many wars and conflicts is a culture unlike any other in the world, a
foundation not based on government but on traditions dating back almost two thousand years.
Archaeologists know from ruins that Mali has been populated for about 50,000 years. During ancient times, part of the Sahara was a fertile grassland,
and farming was introduced to this land in 5000 BCE. The earliest traceable civilization in Mali is the Ghana Empire, which began in 300 BCE (Baxter
1). Lasting until the thirteenth century A.D., the Ghana Empire ruled most of northwestern Africa. Ghana, defined as leading or first, controlled from
the Niger basin to the Atlantic until its collapse and the establishment of the Mali Empire in the thirteenth century (African History: An Illustrated
Handbook 1).
The Mali Empire, one of the most powerful empires in the country's history, ruled until 1591 and gained their success by trading gold, salt, and slaves
to the Europeans. The

The Asian And African Trade Systems
In early history, cultures outside of Europe were seen as simple and primitive. The powerful Europeans were lucky to find new worlds, bring their
cultures and values to the Natives who needed them for their own salvation. Africa was a poverty stricken backwards world that never accomplished
anything significant. Native Americans were easily conquerable and primitive. These oversimplified and false statements hide the flourishing cultures
in the Pacific 's, Africa and Americas that existed before the Europeans started their conquests driven by the lust for power, resources, allies and wealth.
The Asian and African trade systems were vital components for the European economy to thrive. The Pacific regions, African regions and Americas
were ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Tools and agriculture supported their growing societies, especially in areas where groups were recovering from the bubonic plague, which killed over
1/3 of Europe 's population in the late 1300's. With limited land and an ever growing population, Europeans began looking for new space and trade to
bring wealth to their spiraling economy. Decades later, the Christian Europeans became engaged in the Crusades, a war based on faith and greed, with
the Southwest Asian muslims. Although the Crusades were ultimately lost by the Europeans, they benefitted from them in the long run. Through the
"discovery" of new lands, Europeans were encouraged to trade and as Europeans and Asians developed trade relationships, the Europeans grew
increasingly dependent on the resources that the Asians were able to provide to the Europeans in wake of their own depleted resources. In 1453, the
Ottoman Turks captured Constantinople, which was a popular route to European trader and a hotspot for Merchants who were eager to trade. The
Turks, who gained control of the silk road routes shortly after the taking of Constantinople, heavily taxed the trade routes thus diminishing European
trade in the area and to Asia. Wanting to avoid the high taxes imposed by the Ottoman Turks, the christian Europeans began searching for alternate
routes to the pacific regions. The Portuguese, Aragon and Castile, irritated by their recent loss against the Muslim moors during the reconquista,

The Scramble For Afric The Invasion Of Africa
The richest continent on the planet, Africa is the golden pot for it's natural resources. It was the discovery of Africa's Resources that brought so many
European countries to them in the 1800's. Although this period is referred to as The Scramble for Africa it wasn't the first time Africa was invaded
by Europeans. Egypt was the most socialized nation on the planet, and the perfect place to be between the years of 7,000 and 2,000 years prior.
Substantial scale relocations of primitive White–skin tribes: Siculars, Etuscans, Shardanas, Achaeans, Lycians, otherwise called the Hittites. The
Africans referred to them as Sea People. From those times the Europeans had records and knew of the natural resources and riches that were held in
Africa. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
All of Africa was affected by the invasion of European countries. Even the countries like Ethiopia and Liberia were affected by the invasion of
European countries because they could no longer interact with their neighboring countries as they used to in the past. The countries that Africa is
divided into today is only because of European interference. Before the Scramble for Africa the continent was mostly made up of different empires
such as the Songhai Empire, Empire of Kanem, and the Empire of Ghana. The colonization of Africa also diversified the language and religion of the
places where they settled. The French colonized the majority of Western and Central Africa. Countries such as Algeria, Niger, and Cameroon were all
under French control and as a result the language of the countries is heavily influenced by French. Africa was also industrialized as a result of the
imperializations. Europeans didn't just bring their greed they also brought their farming machines and clothing which influenced the way that many
Africans dress even to this day. Europeans also brought infrastructure for things such as plumbing, transportation, and different communication outlets.
Another effect was scarcity of food and land to the indigenous. The Europeans came and robbed the Africans of the land that they had already
groomed for the growth of crops and livestock. Colonization of Africa led to European taxes on the Africans on any and everything. Consequently,
Africans were taxed for their dogs, having more than one wife, and they also taxed for living on property that a European man claimed so they would
have to pay the property owner taxes and the government taxes as well. One of the most critical effects of the colonization of Africa was the apartheid
in South Africa. Could there be racism in Africa? Astonishingly, racism in Africa truly exists. Natives in South Africa were discriminated against by the
British people who

The Decline Of The Empires Of Ghana And Mali
Of all of the empires from the beginning and to the end of mankind's rise to power, it is inevitable that they all may fall. To study each of the
empires and learn of their mistakes would be ideal in basing a government off of their successes, from which, to have it last as long as it may. From
the beginning, man had been driven towards successes of power and to the actability of the generation of wealth. From the study of the European
Roman Empire, to its partial successor, the Byzantine Empire, and even of the empire of the Americas, the Mayan and the Aztec; they have all fallen,
yet their long rule makes impacting impressions upon rules which still survive today. It does not matter if you look at the Chinese empires of the Yuan
and Ming dynasties, or even to the African empires of Ghana and Mali; their legacies determine other's futures. Whereas at this time, they should be
expounded upon to determine whether some of their more harsher forces strived them to achieve more than those who guided their people through
compromise and assimilation of local traditions.
Within the rise and fall of the European powers of the Roman Empire, one thing was certain, and that was the way they were able to stay in power
throughout their autocracy reign. Many would say that this was due to their impressive, driven rulers who had shaped Rome into what it is today. This
is generally true, however, rulers such as Augustus allowed for his empire to grow peacefully and prosper, which he took

Types Of Government : The Songhai Empire : Empires And...
Type of Government
The Songhai Empire was a succession of dynasties that spread through portions of present day Mali, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Guinea, Nigeria, Niger, and
Mauritania between the sixth and sixteenth centuries. At the empire's zenith, from 1460 to 1591, the government took the form of an absolute
monarchy headed by a sovereign who served as head of state, commander of the armed forces, and head of government. The central government was
divided into executive ministries with responsibility for disseminating imperial decrees through a system of administrators. The Songhai controlled
numerous semi–autonomous vassal states at the empire's periphery.
Background
The Songhai are an ethnic group native to the Dendi region of Nigeria. By the eleventh century, the Songhai controlled a vast export industry along the
Niger River from their administrative city of Gao. In 1323 the armies of the Mali Empire under the Mansa (King) MЕ«sДЃ (1280–1332) invaded and
captured Gao, making Songhai a vassal state.
The Mali Empire, which originated in the eighth century, gradually became the most powerful kingdom in the Sahel (the area south of the Sahara
Desert), and the leader of the trans–Saharan gold and slave trade. Islam was first introduced to the Sahel region in the eleventh century and quickly
spread throughout the region. Though traditional African religious remained popular among the populace, many of the leaders of the Mali Empire and
subsequent states followed and supported

Mansa Musa Facts
Mansa Musa
Before Mansa Musa took the thrown, there was not really known about him. It was only until 1312 when he took the thrown from his father Abu
Bakr II, people started to know the young Musa when he inherited the title Mansa. 1312 is a year that many will not forget, because of the generous
king's progressive ideas and how he was loved by his people. His reach stretched over two thousand miles. He was known by many different names like
'Emir of Melle', 'Lord of the Conqueror of Ghanata', or 'Lion of Mali'(newtonic–learnodo.com). But he was mostly known by the name Mansa Musa,
which means the 'King of Kings'
As West Africa's first Muslim King, he ensured peace for decades. He was loved by many, not only for his grace but for the large sums of money
and gold that we would give out to charitable organizations. Even though he was the richest king in history, he believed that most of his wealth should
be shared with vast amounts of people. Even though Mansa Musa was a ruler, there were many times where he did not act as a King.
The Mansa was also the first ruler to travel over four thousand to the city of Mecca. On this pilgrimage, he stopped at many large cities along his
way, including Cairo, Medina, and other Arab cities. Years of planning and hundreds of people preparing, he made the journey with large sums of
gold. But he was not going to leave his palace and kingdom to be left alone while he was gone. He got a large group of men for the year to run the
kingdom,

Alpha Molo Baldeh Essay
Baldeh 2
Written task one: The story of Alpha Molo Baldeh Once upon a time, in west africa there was this empire that was located in Senegal. This empire
was known as the fulani empire, located in the region of firdou. They were known as, the group of people that migrated from Guinea. The reason was
to run away from the songhai empire who during that time was the strongest in west africa. The thing this empire was mostly known for was their
culture, they really believed in their culture because they saw it as something that differentiate them from the surrounding empires. At first, it started
as a small fulani community under their leader whom is the father of Alpha Molo Baldeh he made this small community one of the best known
empire in west africa through hard work and was known for being a great leader. He died during his seventies leaving the power to his only son ... Show
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It was part of the culture that, the elders of the empire are the one who decides who the next king will be. Alpha, was loved and appreciated by the
people in the empire. The reason was that, he was a young ,and very handsome man who was also very wealthy. In his house, Alpha lived with his
mom Mariama Diallo Baldeh his wife Alimatou Molo Baldeh and, his daughter whom he gave the first name of his deceased father. Her name was
Aissatou Alpha Molo Baldeh the reason of this is it's part of their culture that if you have a daughter you need to give her the first name of your
father. The rest of the people in the house , were the guards the, slaves and servants. Alpha was living a very happy life in his house, and also in the
empire. He appreciated his new life a lot due to the fact that he didn't have the same privileges before when his father use to be leader. One day, Alpha
was invited by the king of the Cayor kingdom which is in the north of Senegal the reason of this invitation was to sign a treaty with the

Sii Ali Beeri
All empires rise and fall. The Songhai Empire was formed by many different groups of people. When they took over the trade between the people
living near the river, they gained lots of power. They soon settled on the Niger bend, which became a state called Gao. As Gao started to become
weak, they decided to take over Mali, another weak empire. Even after conquering Mali, Their state was continually getting weaker, but was saved
by an extraordinary leader, named Sii Ali Berri. Sii Ali Beeri helped Gao conquer many more places, making it a powerful state again. Si Ali Beeri
was their best leader, because he saved their empire, and conquered many places with his good army skills. Later, after conquering Timbuktu, he made
the small state of Gao,

Songhai Research Paper
Silk road has had a lasting impact by Songhai with trade,geography, and history. First, the Silk Road's geography had almost every climate. Second,
Songhai was very popular for their salt and slave trade. The Silk Road was first created in the Han Dynasty. Overall, Songhai has made a lasting
impact on The Silk Road with geography,trade, and history.
To start, the Silk Road's geography was different. Silk Road had a cool geography, all over Europe and Asia. Also, the Silk Road had a very tough
terrain, it had many different climates including mountains, a desert, rivers and finally snow. The Silk Road was roughly 4000 to 5000 miles whole.
There were many different routes on the Silk Road but some branched off others. The Silk Road routes ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
First, Songhai's location is in the western side of Africa. Songhai stretched 1000 miles from the Atlantic ocean to the Niger river. Songhai's capital
was located on the western side of Africa. Songhai had many features that surrounded it like a rainforest, Niger River, Sahara Desert, and the
grasses of the Savanna. Songhai had a very strange climate which lead to may to october hot, wet. Songhai's climate from November to February
was cold and dry. Songhai's geography lead to problems farming because of the climate. Songhai's main resources in Africa were jade,ivory, and
water. Songhai's capital is Gao located in Mali on the Niger river. To begin, Songhai had many similarities and differences with the Silk Road.
First, Songhai was located west of Africa and the Silk Road was in Eurasia ( Europe and Asia). Next, Songhai had a bit of terrains but the Silk
Road had many more. The Silk Road was approximately 5000 miles long while Songhai was one fifth of that. Songhai's land was a big hit because
they had a lot of gold, ivory,water, and jade. The Silk Road contained a lot of different civilizations but the main ones are China, Rome and India.
The Silk Road had almost every climate, while Songhai was mostly dry and cold. When Songhai had this dry and cold climate it was hard for them to
farm. However, the silk road had many climates which farming was an easier task. The Silk Road had many different resources which they used to

The Trans-Saharan Trade
The Trans–Saharan trade remained a constant source of wealth and ultimately enabled the spread of ideas, thus strengthening the West African
kingdoms. The constant source of wealth in the empire was due to many factors such as the trade concessions on the Atlantic coast and the need for
salt and gold that strengthened the economy. The trade concessions on the Atlantic coast was a form of taxing system in order to trade with the West
African empire (WHFUA Mali & Songhai, 1). Due to the fact that the Mali empire had a variety of resources that other empires required such as salt
and gold the empire took advantage of that and therefore taxed foreign ships that landed in West African territory gaining income to benefit the
economy and thus strengthening

Empires Of West Africa
In the Chapter, "Sudanese Kingdoms of West Africa", written by J.I. Dibua, goes over the rise and fall of empires and people in the West Africa
region. We see the extent of which environmental factors contributed, impact of trade, and spread of Islam. All of which aided to the rise of power
within the region, and the internal and external problems that would ultimately lead to their fall. Empires such as Ghana and Songhai were located in
geographical locations that enabled them to thrive. Agriculture, cattle raising and fishing were all important to the economies of these empires. All
these activities produced a large variety of products that help with trade. Other products like Gold and Salt were extremely valuable to trade. Being
located in the Sahel was a huge disadvantage for these empires especially Ghana and Songhai, due to the... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Common people followed their traditional beliefs, while taking some parts of Islam. Islam was a faith that thrived in certain market towns. Many
merchants were Islam because their life consisted of much travel, which didn't allow them to live in a traditional culture. While some rulers attempted
to incorporate Islamic practice in their states, others did little to spread the Islam faith. Some leaders of these empires, embarked on jihads and
expanded their territory, while others went of pilgrimages to Mecca and returned with influential people, and ideas that would transform the structure
of their society. While some prospered from Islamic ways, others did not. Constant fights between the opposing groups contributed to decline in
empires power and allowed trade routes to become unstable. The spread of Islam in this region comes from factors, such as, geographical, historical,
and influential rule. Ever since it was first introduced, it has continued to grow. Islam has become a religion from Africa and has influenced its people
in a variety of

Early African Civilization Dbq
The early civilizations of Africa were different in many of their cultural traits. One common trait they did have in common was the importance of
trade in their society. Although trade was good for the African civilizations, there was consequences that followed trading. I will be using
documents B, F, and D to support how early African civilizations had consequences from trading. In document B it states that, "The door of the
pavilion is guarded by dogs on an excellent breed... who wear collars of gold and silver," this quote helps support the idea that Ghana had lots of
gold and wealth. One of the consequences of trading was wealth and power. Wealth and power was a positive consequence that would help a early
African civilization prosper. Wealth and power of Ghana included having golden swords, trappings, and braiding. This is why document B helps
support the idea that early African civilizations had consequences from trading. Document F is a map that shows the West African trade network. A
consequence of trade from document F is exploitation. Some examples are: in the civilization of Elmina, they were near salt, gold, slaves, and ivory.
These are the things that Elmina traded with others and how they prospered. In Benin, salt was traded with others. Finally, in the civilization of Gao,
copper, gold,... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In the empire Ghana, they worked with iron, and traded it for gold and salt. Because of trading iron for salt and gold, the empire prospered. The
empire of Mali prospered from trade and that was one of their key accomplishments. In Songhai, a key accomplishment was that it was the largest
empire of West Africa. You can infer that because Songhai was the largest empire, trade was very important to Songhai. A consequence for document D
was show of wealth. Document D supports the idea that early African civilizations had consequences from

Impact Of Pre 1700s Civilizations On Africa And The...
Adriana Alicea05/18 – 05/19 : 2017
Mr. CardonaGlobal History
How did pre–1600s civilizations in Africa and the Americans, gain, consolidate, and maintain power? Pre–1600s civilizations in Africa, gain,
consolidate, and maintain power by these 3 civilizations: Ghana, Mali and Songhai. In Ghana's part, society was used as technology, trading and
independance. In Mali's part, Wealth was used for valuing survival, education, and money (gold). In Songhai's part, Economics was used for controlling
and province. Also pre–1600s in Americans, gain, consolidate, and maintain power by these 3 civilizations: Aztecs, Mayas, and The Incas and they all
had different religions. In Aztecs part, Enterprise was used for resources... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
They valued money because they built Timbuktu, center of learning art which increased islamic influence in west Africa. Also they traveled with 12,000
servants was each wearing silk and carried gold bars, which we 're given to poor people....I think it was more of a donation which was great!
Songhai helped maintain power by Economics because they used it controlling and province. They was controlling because they were the largest of
the 3 major west african kingdoms. Also they took over Timbuktu to expand trade to Europe and Asia, time of great cultural diffusion. They had
provinces such as a governor to maintain order, tax collector for money, judges like Mansa Musa, laws to follow and trade inspectors to keep track of
the trades being correct. They had a whole government for economics for making sure they were secured.
In Americans, the Aztec 's helped gain power by Enterprise for use of resources and technology. The resources was things you use by hands like
fishing, boats, trading and conquering neighborhoods. As they conquered, they grew in size making them hated by the other tribes. But there was some
challenges that they faced was not having access to having that much resources they needed because the other tribe thought they owned the water. They
had the best technology, which was obsidian and chert because they didn't have no iron nor gold and this technology they used benefitted them to use
as tools

Muslim Trade And Its Influence On Early West Africa
Muslim traders brought many new things to Africa which influenced the early West African kingdoms and their cultures. In 800 AD, in between Niger
and Senegal, Ghana was established due to development of trade because of the farming communities. The king at the time, was seen as a god like
figure and he was able to control the price of exports and tax goods coming in and out of the kingdom. Muslim merchants coming to trade brought Islam
, Arabic language, coinage, and their business practices as well as goods to trade for the salt and gold that Ghana was known for. The King of Ghana
eventually converted to Islam and employed Muslims as government councils and officials allowing the spread of Islam to expand and the two cultures
to defuse. After

Differences Between Mali And The Mali Empire
Unlike Ghana, the Mali Empire was dominated by Islam, due to the widespread Islamic merchants and conversions that occurred in during
kingdoms. This is significant because it demonstrates that goods weren't the sole exchange and that religion was able to penetrate West Africa and
impact the native people. The main motive for this mass adaptation of Islam as the dominant religion stems from strategic aims, from previous
kingdoms, to diminish possible attacks from Muslim territories across the Sahara. This created alliance between Mali and other Arab powers, "the
might of the [Mali] Empire was such that the Arabs at times called on it for military aid" (Diop, 93). This was extremely beneficial for Mali because
it was the premier power of antiquity, and also had progressive relationships with other Islamic kingdoms throughout the world. The Empire of Mali
inherited all of gold mines that the previous Ghanaian empire controlled, as well as gold from other kingdoms, Futa–Jallon, Wangara (Goodwin). Mali
"grew in influence and replace Ghana as the main producer and distributor of gold . . . [as well as] salt mines, diamonds, and copper production"
(Mali). This ensure Mali as the dominant economic marketplace throughout the world. Mali's strategic location allowed control of trade routes
throughout Sub–Saharan Africa, the Niger River, North Africa, as well as many other routes connecting to different parts of the world. Sundiata death
led to a succession of leaders that

Islam: The Most Prominent Religion In Sub-Saharan West Africa
Beginning in the mid–8th century, Islam was the most prominent religion in Sub–Saharan West Africa. One century after the blossoming of Islam
(when it spread throughout the Middle East and North Africa), Islam merchants penetrated the Saharan, and quickly spread their beliefs among their
new trading partners. While the states of WestAfrica remained independent from the main empires of Islam, the religion permanently changed the
region's landscape. Not only did Islam become the most popular religion in West Africa, but it also spurred trade, opened up the region to outsiders, and
helped to modernize architecture. Trans–Saharan trade brought Islam to West Africa in the 8th century, as the religion looked to expand its sphere of
influence after ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Due possibly to his eagerness to impress and make a name for his empire, Musa constructed an elaborate, and pompous caravan to bring with him to
Arabia. The caravan overflowed with gold, and demanded the attention of many. While seemingly against the nature of the trip, Musa's show of wealth
guaranteed that everyone in both the Islamic, and non–Islamic world would be familiar with Mali. With greater recognition from the Muslim
community, and armed with the knowledge of his travels, Musa incorporated many Islamic features within his empire. Mali began creating beaten–clay
buildings, which were inspired by the architecture of Muslim Spain. Due to its newfound openness to the Islamic world, Mali also incorporated the
Muslim emphasis on education into their empire. Timbuktu, a renowned center for scholarship, became a world–recognized site, and was solely
created because of Islam's emergence in Mali. The most important effect of Islam entering West Africa was that, by the time of the Songhai Empire
(right after Mali), Islam was by far the most popular religion in West Africa. Islam remains the most prominent religion of the region today. While the

Descibe Mali, Ghana And Songhai
Descibe Mali, Ghana and Songhai , the three great empires of West Africa in the Middle Ages. Analyze and discuss the following: a. Their political
organizations Many historians try to hide the fact that Africa had some of the most civilized societies long before the western world.In fact, three such
empires were extremely powerful, Mali, Ghana and Songhai. The Mali Empire had a very organized government. The emperor was on top and was
called the Mansa. Next came the provinces which were led by a ferba , or in modern terms a governor. Religion played a huge role and since Islam
was the prominent religion, most of the people holding government positions were Muslim. They employed the use of a hierarchy with the emperor
placed on top, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In the Mali empire, the people were allowed to move up the social ladder. The people had some freedom of expression. However, like in most
societies the slaves were treated unfairly. Also , the respect shown to men and women was very unequal. Although women could own land and hold
positions it was often hard to get them . In Ghana they had something similar to a caste system. First came the king, then his court, then the priest, then
the governors, then the warriors, the citizens and at the bottom were the slaves. The Songhai empire used the clan system in which your status was
determined by what clan you were in. Each clan knew its class and performed the task an associated with it. If they were poor, then they would do the
arduous labor. If they were rich, they went to school and

West African Empires Achievements

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