Songhai Empire

The Songhai Empire

Multiple Choice

The Songhai Empire replaced the ___________ Empire.

• Ghana

• Mali

• Benin

• Great Zimbabwe

Songhai Empire

The Songhai Empire lasted from 1464 to 1591. Prior to the 1400s, the Songhai were under the rule of the Mali Empire.

The Songhai Empire first came into power under the leadership of Sunni Ali. Sunni Ali was a prince of the Songhai. He was being held as a prisoner by the leader of the Mali Empire who ruled over the Songhai.

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Princes escape

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In 1464, Sunni Ali escaped to the city of Gao and took control of the city. From the city of Gao, he established the Songhai Empire and began to conquer nearby regions including the important trading cities of Timbuktu and Djenne.

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​Takes control

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In 1493, Askia Muhammad became the leader of the Songhai. He brought the Songhai Empire to its height of power

​Askia Muhammad

​Askia Muhammad

Under his rule

• Religion of Islam became an important part of the empire.

• He conquered much of the surrounding lands and took control of the gold and salt trade from the Mali Empire.

​Religion of Islam

• He made the legal system based on Islamic laws

• He appointed Islamic judges to administer the laws.

• He set out to convert his subjects to Islam

• He encouraged the building of mosques and the teaching of the Qur’an.

Multiple Choice

What religion did Askia Muhammed spread?

• polytheism

• Islam

• Christianity

The fall of the Songhai Empire

The Songhai Empire continued to thrive until the late 1500s.

In that time North Africans began to invade the empire. The empire was also under attack from the south, as slave traders raided villages. Captured people were traded to Europeans and sent to the Americas.

By the 1700s, the Songhai Empire had shrunk to the area around Gao.

Multiple Select

What are two reasons for the fall of the Songhai Empire? PICK 2

• Invasions from Northern and Southern Africa

• Slave trade to the Americas

• No more resources to support the empire

• Gold and salt trade ended

Multiple Choice

The kingdoms of Ghana, Mali, & Songhai prospered primarily due to their 

• exchanges with Indian ports
• direct access to the Arabian Sea
• control of trade routes
• abundance of diamonds

Multiple Select

The three most influential kingdoms of West Africa were...

• Ghana

• Mali

• Egypt

• Songhai