West African Societies Flashcards
What were the two most important trade items
Salt and gold
How did Ghana kingdom gain wealth
By taxing the goods that traders carried through their territory
Explain the geography of where the gold came from
Forest region south of savanna between Niger and Senegal river
Dug gold from shafts as deep as 100 feet or sifted from fast moving streams
Why did the king store gold in his royal palace
King limited supply of gold and kept its prices from falling
Islam spread through North Africa by….
Conquest
South of the Sahara, Islam spread through….
Trade
Animism
Belief in spirits living in animals, plants
A natural force plays an important role in daily life
How did Islam’s growth encourage the spread of literacy
To study Koran, concerts to Islam had to learn Arabic
What two factors contributed to the rise of Mali to power
As Ghana remained weak, ppl had been under its control began to act independently
Miners found new gold deposits farther east, caused most important trade routed to shift eastward, which made a new group of ppl (of Mali) wealthy
Who is Sundiata and why is he important
Mali’s first leader
Came to power by crushing a cruel, unpopular leader
took over Ghana and Kumbi and Walta
Proved to be a great leader in peace ad he had been in war
Manusa Misa and why is he important
Most famous African Muslim ruler
Sundiata’s nephew
expanded empire
Divide empire into provinces, which are appointed to governors
What did manusa Misa do on his return from hajj to Mecca
Ordered buildings of mosques at Timbuktu and GAO
What two factors led to the fall of the Mali empire
Successors of manusa Musa lacked ability to rule
Gold trade shifted eastwards as new gold fields were developed else where
Sunni Ali and why was he important
Muslim
Built vast empire by military quest
Captured city of Timbuktu and Dejene
Married queen of Dejene
How did Adkins Muhammad come to power
Son of Sunni Ali succeeded, but there was a revolt (he didn’t practice the religion faithfully)
Leader of revolt replaced him
What contributed to the fall of Songhai empire
Lacked modern weapons
Moroccan troops defeat Songhai
Muslim women in 15th century and Muslim women in west Africa
Women in west Africa = did not wear veils, mingled freely with men in public
Women in 15th century= seldom left home, veil over face
A main reason Hausa did not develop empire
Constant fighting among city states
Portuguese trading ships
This (trading of salves) several countries of Europe interference in Africa during which they enslaved Africans and seized African territories for colonies
how did ghana become a kingdom
trade routes crossed the savanna through the region farmed by the soninke people
the soninke people called their rule ghana or war chief
muslim traders began to use the word to reger to the soninke region
where was salt found
sahara contained deposist of salt
what did west africa lack
west africa’s svanna and forests lacked salt
ghana’s king
controlled trade and commaded a large army, could demand taxes and gifts from cheifs of surrounding lands
stored in his palace
ghana’s affected by islam
ghanas rulers converted to islam
many people in the empire clung to their animsitc beliefs
encouraged spared of literacy
ghana’s fall
muslim almoravids of north africa completed their conquest of ghana
how islam affected mali
manusa musa
songhai’s rise
built an army and extended their territory to the large bend in the niger river neart gaogained control of all important trade routes
