African Trading KingdomsGlobal Regents ReviewPatten/Valdner

GeographyClimateSavanna good soil and rainSupports farm landDesert Dry and little rainNo FarmingRain ForestFertile farm land

Ghana, Mali an Songhai all guarded the Trade Routes for Profitable trade.

Mansa MusaBased his system of justice on the QuranAfter his trip to Mecca he brought home Muslim scholars and artists and forged new trading ties. (Cultural Diffusion)

East AfricaIn West Africa vast empires developed. In East Africa a variety of trade (commerce) developed. Trade was so extensive between Africans and Arabs that a new language Swahili developed.

Ghana400-1200Controls trade in gold and salt across West AfricaWomen work in business and governmentKing has Muslim advisorsAbsorbed Muslim cultural influences (writing)

Mali1250-1400Mali conquers Kingdom of GhanaMansa Musa becomes a great emperorMali controls gold trade routesTimbuktu becomes a great trading city and center of learningDeclined when the people could not agree on who should rule the Kingdon

Songhai1450-1600Songhai grows into largest West African stateEmpire depended on a strong army to control trade routesEstablished an efficient bureaucracy to govern the KingdomEmperor sets up Muslim dynastyCivil War broke out and invaders from the North caused the downfall of the Kingdom

The West African Kingdoms were ruled by powerful Emperors. They had strong armies to maintain order and protect the kingdoms from attack.