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Geography ***PG. 113***

West Africa: Ghana, Mali, and Songhai… Essential Question: How did the geography of the West African empires affect their development?. Geography ***PG. 113***. 3-5-1 - NW Atlas Mts . - rifts (long, deep valleys formed by the movement of earth’s crust)

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Geography ***PG. 113***

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  1. West Africa: Ghana, Mali, and Songhai…Essential Question:How did the geography of the West African empires affect their development?

  2. Geography ***PG. 113*** 3-5-1 -NW Atlas Mts. -rifts (long, deep valleys formed by the movement of earth’s crust) -sub-Saharan Africa (Africa south of the Sahara desert) is crossed by rivers (Congo, Zambezi, Niger) -crops: dates, kola nuts (medicine) -salt mines (needed to supplement diet of plants) -traded gold for jewelry and coins

  3. Geography Cont’d. -Niger River started as place for great West African civilizations (4 main regions): 1.northern band-southern part of the Sahara (sand and gravel-world’s largest desert-over 120’F-rain rare) 2.Sahel (divides desert from wetter areas-some animals) 3. savannah (grassland with scattered trees-animals common) 4. rain forests (near equator-heavy rains-lots of plants and animals)

  4. Trade & Economy ***PGS. 120-121*** 3-5-2 -people traded rarely because horses could not cross Sahara often, but AD 200s, Romans started to use camels and could cross Sahara in two months -dangers of trade: thieves, weather, supplies run out -traded salt (from the northern mines) for gold (south) *PG. 133* -traders called berbers -also traded cloth, copper, silver, and slaves -Timbuktu *PG. 139* and Djenne’ were two major trade cities

  5. Trade & Economy cont’d. -caravans: people who travel and trade together and relied on Silent Barter (Ghana): -people traded without contact -salt traders would go to riverbank and leave slabs of salt -salt traders would beat a drum and then retreat -gold traders would come from the river and leave an amount of gold they thought was appropriate -gold traders would beat drum and then retreat -salt traders would return and, if they thought the amount of gold was fair, the deal was done…if not, then they would barter

  6. Politics & Government: GHANA 3-6-1 -farmers banded together around 300 to protect against nomadic warriors *PG. 131* -used iron for farming and weapons (against other armies’ bone, wood, and stone weapons…) -traded gold, iron and salt (none of which were natural to Ghana, but they controlled the trade) -armies of Ghana began to take over trade from merchants and gained wealth -other signs of wealth: sheep, cattle, honey, leather, golden-thread tassels -by 800, Ghana very powerful

  7. Politics & Government : GHANA Cont’d. -traders came through Ghana and leaders started to…charge taxes…on goods sold AND goods bought…also taxed people they conquered…king would allow conquered kings to continue ruling their own lands…as governors… -mid 1000s Ghana was wealthy, but by 1200s it collapsed…why??? 1. invasion (Almoravids wanted Ghana to convert to Islam) 2. overgrazing (Almoravids brought lots of animals and land was overgrazed and then useless) 3. internal rebellion (conquered lands rebelled)

  8. Politics & Government: MALI ***PG. 137*** • 3-6-2 • -Sundiata was first powerful leader-conquered Ghana in 1203 • -improved agriculture (beans, onions, rice, cotton) • -took role of mansa • (political and religious ruler) • -most rulers after Sundiata • were Muslim

  9. Politics & Government: Mali Cont’d. -Mansa Musa (rulers called ‘mansa’--emperor) *PG. 141* -powerful leader in Mali (1300s) -big on: -religion (spread Islam and his own wealth—hajj to Mecca and gave gold to Egyptians) -education (everyone to read Qur’an), -arts -took over gold and salt trade -after he died, his son (Maghan) took over-poor ruler, kingdom fell by 1500 (too big, open to invaders)

  10. Politics & Government: Songhai ***PG. 143*** • 3-6-3 -rivals of Mali -lived along the Niger River -grew wealthy from trade -Sunni Ali (powerful leader in 1464-conquered lands-helped Mali fight off invaders and then kept it for himself- promoted unity-was Muslim but participated in local religions as well) -died 1492 -his son took over, but was not a Muslim so people rebelled (led by Muhammad Ture)…

  11. Politics & Government: Songhai Cont’d. -Muhammad Ture becomes Askia the Great *PG. 145* -Islam -education -governors loyal to him -created army (huge and powerful) -lost power to son in 1528…went blind and exiled to island…finally other son brought him back -Morocco wanted Songhai’s salt mines in 1591 -invaded with arquebus (early form of gun) and cannons -slowly, African trade declined (people traded by sea)

  12. Religion 3-5-2 -Traditional beliefs: -spirits of ancestors stayed around -animism (all natural objects have spirits)

  13. Society & Culture ***PG. 117*** • 3-5-2 • -village life: • -extended family very important • -men and women grouped by age (age-sets) • -men hunted and farmed • -women farmed, collected firewood, ground grain, carried water, cared for children • -elders taught family and village history • -children worked alongside parents when able

  14. Science & Technology 3-5-2 -iron: -around 500 BC discovered they could heat it and shape it (Nok--now modern Nigeria--made farm tools [hoe] and arrows) 3-6-4 -Arabic was only written language -passed along history through oral tradition (griots were storytellers) -lots of history was recorded by travelers

  15. Science & Technology Cont’d. 3-6-4 -art: -sculpture (statues and carvings of wood, brass, clay, ivory, stone-used to honor ancestors) -masks (carved and painted wood-worn during religious rituals-also made kente fabric out of brightly colored cloth) -music and dance (performed for entertainment and various functions)

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