Kingdoms and Trading States of Africa: Gold, Salt, and Cultural Exchange

1. Chapter 12 Kingdoms and Trading States of Africa

2. Ge graphy of Africa

3. Tropical rainforests Africa’s largest and most populated climate zone is the Savanna, or grassy plains. The savanna generally has good soil and enough rainfall to support farming. Climate Zones of Africa

4. Climate Zones of Africa • Another climate zone in Africa is the desert. The Sahara, in northern Africa, is the biggest desert in the world. The desert is very dry therefore, farming is almost impossible. • Mediterranean Climate

5. Ge graphy of Africa

6. Variety of climates Dependence on Nature Animism-

7. How would this affect trade?

8. Until…

11. Kingdoms Of West Africa Mali, Ghana, and Songhai were among the richest of the West African states. They dominated the Sahara trade. Two products that dominated the Sahara trade were gold and salt. These commodities, or valuable products, were plentiful. Sahara Trade Routes

12. The Gold-Salt Trade West Africa North Africa wanted SALT wanted GOLD

13. Gold for Salt • Two products, gold and salt, dominated the Sahara trade. • Gold was plentiful in present day Ghana, Nigeria, and Senegal which is in West Africa. They would trade their gold for salt with North Africa. North Africa was in need of gold and West Africa was in need of salt. • Salt was very important. People needed salt in their diet to prevent dehydration, especially in hot, tropical areas.

14. Ghana Mali Songhai Around 1240 AD the kingdom of Mali was established. Mali’s kings were called mansas. The greatest king of Mali, Mansa Musa, expanded Mali’s borders and worked to keep peace. He converted to Islam and actually fulfilled one of the five pillars of Islam by making the hajj. He formed diplomatic and economic ties with other Muslim states, and set up a rich trading capital city, TIMBUKTU The largest state that ever existed in West Africa, Songhai continued to grow wealthy off of trade. Like Mali, Songhai was also a Muslim State, but it will only last for 100 years before splitting into many independent states and ending the ra of unified West African Kingdoms. Around 750 AD , the people used iron weapons to unite the people in the kingdom of Ghana. It was called “the land of gold.” Ghana grew wealthy from its strategic location inbetween to gold-salt trade route

16. Over thousands of years, migrations contributed to diversity of African people and their cultures. West African farmers and herders moved to the south and east between 500 and 1500 AD. They spoke a variety of languages that all came from the African root language, Bantu. African Civilization

18. Other African States Benin -Developed in the rain forest -Captured other Africans and traded them with Europeans in the 16th Century Ethiopia -Developed from the African Christian Kingdom Axum -Eastern capital Ethiopia traded with Muslims in the Indian Ocean

19. Regents Questions • The wealth and power of Mali’s ruler, mansa musa, were significant because they contributed to the • Start of the crusades c) Spread of Islam • Growth of European nationalism d) Rise of Arab nationalism • 2) The spread of Islam into the kingdoms of Ghana and Mali resulted from • Imperialism c) cultural diffusion • Ethnocentrism d) self- determination 3) Which civilization best completes the heading of the partial outline • Benin • Mali • Kush • 4) Egyptian ____________ a)spread of Islam b)Gold and salt trade c) Growth of Timbuktu d) Pilgrimage of Mansa Musa

20. Regents Questions 4) Which description best characterizes the city of Timbuktu • Port of the water route to east Asia • Major urban and industrial center on the Silk road • Commercial and cultural center of West Africa • Inland city of the Hanseatic league 5) Which economic activity was the basis for most of the wealth and power of the West African empires of Ghana and Mali • Hunting and gathering • Farming and cattle ranching • Trading in salt and gold • Working in bronze and brass

21. Answers • c. the spread of Islam • c. cultural diffusion • c. Mali • c. commercial and cultural center of West Africa • c. trading in salt and gold

22. The End