Ancient Ghana

1. Ancient Ghana By, Gabriella Marchini, Maclaine Barri-quick, Michael Gelormini, Noah Lewing

2. Economy • Ghana shared power through trade. • They became wealthy through trade. • Gold was very abundant through trade. • At highest trade peak they traded gold, ivory and slaves for salt. • The government was divided • They had laws that most people obeyed. • Ghana become the guardians and negotiators.

3. Economy continued • Gold came from gold mines controlled by kingdoms of south Ghana. • Salt came from the mines of north Ghana. • Ghana and west African kingdoms became known as the Gold Coast. • The technique of finding gold is the same as to day. • Ghana was so rich, dogs and horses wore gold collars. • Traders, farmers, blacksmith, soldiers, girots, were all part of the economic speciation.

4. Physical CharacteristicsNoah Lewing • Desert blocked Ghana from trade • Rivers spread silt for farming • About the size of Oregon • Sahara Desert is around Ghana • Tropical rainforest is south east Ghana

5. GeographyNoah Lewing • Not located near modern Ghana • Near the Niger, Senegal, and Volta • North of gold field • South of salt mines • Located near the present day borders of Mauritania, Mali, and Senegal

6. Food People mainly ate soups, rice, and bread They used a lot of salt to flavor their foods and preserve meat Almost all meals were served with rice or potatoes Some Dishes: ∑ Gari foto: eggs, onions, dried shrimp, tomatoes and gari∑ Agushi: squash seed sauce, tomatoes and onions∑ Omo tuo: mashed rice balls with groundnut soup∑ Jollof rice∑ Red- red: fried plantain and bean sauce∑ Kenkey: boiled fermented corn dough∑ Fish, kelewele: deep fried and heavily spiced plantain∑ Shito: hot pepper sauce

7. Family Life During regular lifefamilies would: Dance Farm Mine Paint Color Worked hard on cleaning and cooking Sang Laughed Rattled noise makers Made masks mainly farming, mining and painting Homes Made wonderful fabrics Most houses made from clay made of sun-dried mud, acacia wood or stone. mostly used for storage and sleeping Family Life and Shelter

8. Religion • They believed that one god ruled the world but many gods ruled daily life. • The people believed in magic amulets and witchdoctors. • Visited the witchdoctor in hopes of finding cures to ailments and problems. • Not many people knew of the Muslim way of life until Arab traders brought it from the east to the port city. • Still, very few people practiced Islam though . • They used masks in religious festivals and events.

9. Leadership and Rule • When the ruling dynasty began is uncertain, but it was first documented by Muhammad and other peoples in 800 AD. • The kingdom was first united under Dunga Cisse • The well known dynasties and rulers were • Majan Dyabe Cisse 700s • Ghana Bassi 1040-1065 • Soumaba Cisse 1203-1235 • All these rulers and others ruled with the help of a council of elders. • Rulers lived in a separate city from traders and where trade occurred. • Rulers wore lots of gold, jewels, and fine cotton. • The first West African civilization’s government to take control of the salt and gold trade was Ghana’s. • There was religious freedom in Ghana.

10. Council of Elders Assisting the king