Sands of Gold

​Sands of Gold

• ​I can describe the development and decline of the Sudanic Kingdoms (Ghana, Mali, and Songhai), including Sundiata and Mansa Musa

• I can describe the trading networks and the distribution of resources by examining Trans-Saharan trade in gold, salt, and slaves, including Swahili trading cities

• I can understand the blending of traditional African beliefs with new ideas from Islam and Christianity, and their impact on early African societies

Learning Targets

• 3rd c. - Domesticated Camels

• West Africa begins to develop

• Camels - "beasts of burden"

  • travel 60 miles/day

  • carry 500 pounds

  • 10 days without water

• Arabian Camel Saddles allowed trade to prosper in West Africa and across the Sahara desert

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Camels

Let's do the Math!

​Timbuktu to Cairo = 3,770 miles

• 3 basic production and consumption centers

• Forest region between Niger and Senegal Rivers traded gold, slaves, kola nuts and palm oil for much needed Salt

• Metal ware, pottery and glass from the Mediterranean purchased with gold from Niger River region

• Led to Timbuktu being a trading city

West Africa Tour

• Sahel region of south Sahara inhabited by the Soninke and the Ghana

• Chief of Ghana grew wealthy and powerful - taxed trade

• 700s Kingdom of Ghana

• Gold and Salt trade built wealth - developed military power - grew into empire in 800s

• King converted to Islam in 11th century

• 1076 the Almoravids from North Africa conquered Ghana

• Disrupted Gold and Salt trade and Ghana was unable to recover

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Kingdom of Ghana

• The Malinke began to dominate the region

• New gold mines opened in the east accessible to them and not Ghana

• Sundiata used the new wealth to build empire to replace Ghana

• Kingdom of Mali established in 1235

• Larger and more Islamic

• Reestablished gold and salt trade

• After his death in 1255, 50 years of turmoil

Kingdom of Mali

• Mansa Musa restored order when he took power in 1312

• He increased the empire

• 1324 - pilgrimage to Mecca

• Recruited Islamic scholars to Mali

• Transformed Timbuktu into a center of learning

• After his death, there was a series of weak leaders.

• In 1433 Timbuktu was sacked by Tuareg invaders and by 1500 the Malinke only controlled their homeland

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Mansa Musa

Let's do the Math!

​1 metric ton = 1,000 kg
1 Troy ounce = 31.1035 g
1 Troy ounce = $3,404

• The Songhai people filled the vacuum after Mali declined

• Used gold and salt trade to build a wealthy Islamic empire (1464)

• Larger than Mali

• Unfortunately, with the weaponization of gunpowder, Morocco used cannons to invade and defeat Songhai in 1591

Kingdom of Songhai

• Due to Indian Ocean Trade, East Africa also developed into a trading center

• West African and Arab cultures combined

• Swahili - Bantu + Arabic

• Most religions in Africa were animism

• Christianity and Islam brought to Africa through trade

• Mixed with animism becoming Coptic Christianity

• Some Islamic traditions did not take in Africa due to West African traditions

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East Africa

The Flags of the Kingdoms