History Alive 7-3; 2.2 African Empires - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

History Alive 7-3; 2.2

African Empires

and Cities

2.2A: Iron technology’s Impact on

W

est Africa

Before the Discovery of Iron

Most people were hunter-gatherers

Tools and weapons were made of bone and stone fixed to sticks

The

Nok

Use Iron Technology after 500 B.C.E.

Rocks were crushed into small pieces to extract iron ore

Iron ore was melted in a furnace or over a fire

Hammers were used to beat warm iron into tools or weapons

2.2A: Iron technology’s Impact on

W

est Africa

Iron Brings Revolutionary Changes

More efficient farming developed due to iron tools such as axes and hoes

Larger meat supply was produced due to iron-tip weapons

Permanent settlements grew along rivers as the number of farms increased

Job specialization led to the production of more trade goods

2.2A: Iron technology’s Impact on

W

est Africa

Early Trade Centers Develop

Jenne-jeno

: inhabitants use Niger River as a natural highway for trade

Trade brought great wealth to those who controlled West African cities

Tremendous wealth allowed West African leaders to build powerful armies, which were used to invade neighboring territories

2.2B: The Kingdom of Gold

Indigenous Religion

Believed in one god, created world and lesser gods ruled over daily life

Believed disaster could be avoided by pleasing gods with prayer and ritual

Trans-Saharan Trade

North Africans brought salt to trade for gold

Wangarans

brought gold to trade for salt

Ghana exploited geographic location and military power to tax all traders

2.2B: The Kingdom of Gold

Islam

Tolerance for Muslims, but

Koumbi

divided between Muslims and Soninke

Most government officials and merchants were

S

oninke converts

Sources of Ghana’s Strength (800-1500 BCE)

Iron weapons allowed Ghana’s large army to conquer neighboring territory

Controlled of tans-Saharan gold-salt trade

2.2B: The Kingdom of Gold

Sources of Ghana’s Unity

King’s powers were absolute; acted as a sole judge in all criminal matters

Large, powerful army and nobles enforced king’s decisions

Peasants contributed a portion of their harvest so that city dwellers could focus exclusively on their trade

2.2C: The Kingdom of Mali:

Mandinke

vs. Sosso

The Fight for Control of Mali:

Mandinke

vs.

Sosso

The

Mandinke

, under the leadership of

Sundiatta

, controlled

mali

Samanguru

, the leader of the

Sossos

, captured

Koumbi

, a city in Mali, in 1203

Legend indicates that both leaders used magic in the Battle of

Kirina

Sundiata’s

victory expanded

Mandinke

territory and began the Empire of Mali

2.2C: The Kingdom of Mali:

Mandinke

vs. Sosso

Mali at Its Height

Under Musa, Mali was twice the size of Ghana

Mali remained powerful for nearly 200 years

Mansa Musa’s Pilgrimage

Brought thousands of people and

camelloads

of gold with him

Very generous with his gold

2.2C: The Kingdom of Mali:

Mandinke

vs. Sosso

Impact of Pilgrimage on Mali

Mapmakers began to include Mali on maps

Qur’anic

schools and Muslim architecture built throughout Mali

Government officials read and wrote in Arabic

Territory was divided into provinces ruled by

dugu

tigis

2.2D: How the Songhai Empire Grew to Greatness

Songhai Gains Independence from Mali

Songhai lived under rule Malian Empire for hundreds of years

Sunni Ali

B

er

helped Songhai gain independence from Mali in 1400s

2.2D: How the Songhai Empire Grew to Greatness

The Empire Under

Askia

Muhammad

Askia

, a devout Muslim, rose to power by gaining support from those who opposed intolerant policies of Sunni Ali’s son

Askia

declared Islam the official Songhai religion and appointed Muslim judges

Askia’s

conquests made the Songhai Empire larger than Mali or Ghana

2.2D: How the Songhai Empire Grew to Greatness

Songhai Empire at

I

ts Height

Strong central government with ministers and market inspectors to carry out king’s order

Social system similar to a caste system:

Those with special privileges

Free people and soldiers

War captives and slaves; worked on farms

Songhai was center of learning

Timbuktu’s University of

Sankore

attracted scholars from across the world

2.2E: The Conquest of Songhai by Morocco

Al-Mansur: Sultan of Morocco

Wanted to control source of both gold and salt

Commanded powerful army that was equipped with muskets

Seizure of the Salt Mines at

Taghaza

Al-Mansur’s musketeers seized the

Taghaza

mines

Al-Mansur was furious and prepared his army for an attack on

Gao

2.2E: The Conquest of Songhai by Morocco

Moroccan Attack on

Gao

Judar

Pasha was ordered to capture

Gao

with 4,000 musketeers

Songhai’s 118,000 warriors fought bravely, but the muskets were too powerful

Songhai surrendered to Morocco and offered to pay tribute of gold and slaves

2.2E: The Conquest of Songhai by Morocco

Effects of the Conquest on west Africa

Political unity kept by Ghana, Mali, and Songhai was destroyed

Salt-gold trade disrupted with lack of central control

Cultivated land fell to waste

Moroccan rulers remain in the area