The World in 1500 39

ONE AFRICAN’S STORYKing Tenkaminen (TEHN•kah•MEE•nehn) of the West African empire of

Ghana was a powerful ruler. He grew rich by taxing gold traders who

traveled through his land. In 1067, a geographer wrote a description of the

royal court.

A VOICE FROM THE PAST

The king adorns himself . . . wearing necklaces round his neck and braceletson his forearms. . . . Behind the king stand ten pages holding shields andswords decorated with gold.

al-Bakri, quoted in The Horizon History of Africa

West Africa was the homeland of many of the enslaved Africans who

were brought to the Americas after 1500. You will read about West Africa

in this section.

Societies of West Africa

MAIN IDEA WHY IT MATTERS NOW TERMS & NAMES

33

African Geography and World TradeAfrica is the world’s second largest continent after Asia. (See the mapon page 40.) Although Africa has a variety of land forms and climates,almost three quarters of it lies within the tropics. The equator runseast-west across the center of Africa. Dense rain forests stretch alongthe equator in central and western Africa. North and south of the rainforests are broad savannas, which are grassy plains with thorny bushesand scattered trees. Beyond the savanna in the North lies the Sahara,the world’s largest desert. Beyond the savanna in the South lies thesmaller Kalahari Desert.

By A.D. 1500, coastal ports had linked Africa with the rest of theworld for many centuries. Ships from ports on the Mediterranean andthe Red Sea carried goods to Arabia and Persia. On Africa’s east coast,city-states carried on a brisk trade with ports across the Indian Ocean.

The peoples of West Africa developed

sophisticated kingdoms, trade

networks, and artistic achievements.

It was from this region that many

Africans were brought to the

Americas.

Ghana

Muslims

Islam

Mali

Songhai

Hausa

Yoruba

Benin

Taking Notes

Use your chart totake notes about West Africa.

AMERICAS

WESTAFRICA

EUROPE

Trade

CALIFORNIA STANDARDS

CST3 Students use a variety ofmaps and documents to identifyphysical and cultural features ofneighborhoods, cities, states, andcountries and to explain the histori-cal migration of people, expansionand disintegration of empires, andthe growth of economic systems.

REP4 Students assess the credibilityof primary and secondary sourcesand draw sound conclusions fromthem.

REP5 Students detect the differenthistorical points of view on histori-cal events and determine the con-text in which the historicalstatements were made (the ques-tions asked, sources used, author’sperspectives).

HI2 Students understand and distin-guish cause, effect, sequence, andcorrelation in historical events,including the long- and short-termcausal relations.

0 1,000 Miles

0 2,000 Kilometers

0° Equator

Tropic of Cancer

0°

A T L A N T I CO C E A N

Niger

R.

Benue R.

VoltaR

Me dite r ra nea n Se a

Congo R.

Senegal R.

S A H A R A

A F R I C A

Fez

Taghaza

Kumbi Saleh

Niani

TimbuktuGao

KanoKatsina

BilmaAgades

Zaria

Nok

Benin City

Ife

Tunis

TripoliMarrakechSijilmasa

Djenné

Ghana, 1000Mali, 1400Songhai, 1500Trade routes

Like other parts of Africa, West Africa has rain forest along the equa-tor and savanna to the north. The Niger River arcs across those grass-lands and forests and then empties into the Atlantic Ocean. Along itsnorthern edge, West Africa borders the Sahara.

Ghana Grows WealthyOn a map, the Sahara appears to be a barrier between West Africa andthe ports on the Mediterranean coast. But by A.D. 500, camel caravansled by eager merchants made regular journeys across the great desert.This connected West Africa to the wider world.

Ghana became the first West African kingdom to grow rich throughtrade. From the 700s to the mid-1000s, Ghana prospered by controllingthe busy trade in gold and salt. Located on the southern edge of theSahara, Ghana became a marketplace for traders going north and southin search of salt and gold. (Ancient Ghana was northwest of modernGhana.) Salt was important because it helps the human body retainwater in hot weather. Traders carried salt from the Saharan salt mines inthe north. In Ghana’s markets, they met other traders offering gold fromthe forests of West Africa.

Ghana’s king benefited from this trade. He imposed taxes on all goldand salt passing through his kingdom. The taxes had to be paid in gold.The king also claimed all gold nuggets found in his kingdom. Ghana’sking used the resulting wealth to pay for an army and build an empire.

40

The city of Timbuktu was famous not only fortrade but also as a center of Islamic learning.This mosque was built in the 1300s and 1400s.

BackgroundThe camel is usedin the desertbecause it cantravel up to 10days withoutwater.

A. AnalyzingCauses Why didthe king wanttaxes to be paidin gold and allgold nuggets tobe given to him?

SkillbuilderAnswers1. Songhai2. PossibleResponse Tunis toFez to Sijilmasa toTaghaza toTimbuktu

GEOGRAPHY SKILLBUILDER Interpreting Maps1. Place Which of the three West African empires occupied

the largest amount of territory?2. Movement Describe the route that you would take from

the port city of Tunis to the trade city of Timbuktu.

West African Empires, 800–1500

A. PossibleAnswer so hewould grow rich

Islam Enters GhanaMany of the traders who came to Ghana from North Africa wereMuslims. Muslims are followers of the religion of Islam. Founded bythe prophet Muhammad in the 600s, Islam teaches that there is oneGod, named Allah. Muslims must perform such duties as praying fivetimes a day and making a pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca in Arabia.Muslim traders crossing the Sahara brought Islam from North Africa toWest Africa. Ghana’s rulers allowed those Muslims to build mosques, orhouses of worship, in Ghana’s capital, Kumbi Saleh. In time, Ghana’srulers employed Muslims as advisers.

The Muslim empires of North Africa wanted to convert Ghana’s peo-ple to Islam and to control Ghana’s gold trade. In 1076, a Muslim armyconquered Kumbi Saleh. This lessened Ghana’s power. A number oflocal leaders took advantage of Ghana’s weakness. They built up theirown small states on the edges of the once mighty empire. Ghana neverregained its former strength.

Over the next several centuries, more and more West Africans con-verted to Islam. In fact, many of the enslaved Africans who werebrought to the Americas were Muslims.

Mali Replaces GhanaBy the 1200s, another West African kingdom hadtaken over most of Ghana’s territory. This kingdom,called Mali, became West Africa’s most powerfulstate. Its wealth also came from control of the gold-salttrade. But because it was located farther south thanGhana, Mali was better able to control the trade on theupper Niger River. (Ancient Mali stretched farther west thanmodern Mali and not as far north.)

Mali’s first great ruler, Sundiata (sun•JAHT•ah),reigned from about 1230 to 1255. He came to power bycrushing a cruel, unpopular leader. Sundiata’s armies con-quered many important trading cities. This made Mali’shold on trade stronger and made Mali more prosperous.Sundiata was a Muslim, but he did not force his people toaccept Islam. Most of the people of Mali retained their tra-ditional African beliefs.

Mali’s other great leader was Mansa Musa (MAHN•sah moo•SAH),who was a devout Muslim. Mansa Musa came to the throne in 1312.Under his leadership, the empire became one of the largest in the world.

Mansa Musa is best remembered for making the Muslim pilgrimageto Mecca in 1324 and 1325. On his way to Mecca, he stopped in Cairo,Egypt. According to some stories, Mansa Musa entered the city leadinga huge caravan that included 500 servants who waved staffs decoratedwith gold. Each of the 80 camels in his caravan struggled under theweight of a 300-pound sack of gold. The legend of Mali’s wealth spread

The World in 1500 41

A Europeanmapmaker placedthis picture ofMansa Musa on amap in 1375. Itwas drawn fromhis imagination.

Vocabularypilgrimage: a tripto a holy place

Vocabularydevout: very religious

B. MakingInferences Howdo you think theEgyptians reactedto Mansa Musa’scaravan?B. PossibleAnswer Theywere impressedby his wealth.

all the way to Europe. This was one reason that Europeans began totrade with Africa about 150 years later.

On his return to Mali, Mansa Musa brought back many Muslim schol-ars, artists, and architects. They helped spread Islamic culture and learn-ing throughout the empire. The city of Timbuktu (TIHM•buhk•TOO) ineastern Mali became a leading center of trade and Islamic learning. AfterMansa Musa’s death in 1337, Mali slowly grew weaker.

The Empire of SonghaiAs Mali’s power decreased, the Songhai (SAWNG•HY) people livingat the Great Bend in the Niger River broke away from its control. In1464, under the leader Sunni Ali, they began their own empire. SunniAli was a Muslim, but he also practiced the traditional Songhai religion.

Under Sunni Ali, the Songhai captured the great city of Timbuktu.Then they put the important trading city of Djenné (jeh•NAY) undersiege and captured it after seven years. In addition to conquering terri-tory, Sunni Ali set up an organized system of government.

After Sunni Ali died in 1492, conflicts arose. Some Muslims began arebellion because they wanted Islam to be the only religion of Songhai.The leader of the revolt was Askia Muhammad, a devoted Muslim.

Askia Muhammad won his fight and became Songhai’s second greatruler. For 35 years, he ably governed the empire. He chose capable offi-

cials who made the government run smoothly. He alsoexpanded trade and set up an efficient tax system. AskiaMuhammad used his wealth to build mosques and sup-port Muslim scholars.

After Askia Muhammad’s reign, several weak rulerssucceeded him. Even when a strong ruler took thethrone again, the empire faced problems. In spite ofSonghai’s wealth and learning, it lacked modernweapons. In 1591, a Moroccan fighting force fromNorth Africa invaded Songhai with gunpowder andcannon. They easily defeated Songhai’s soldiers, whowere defending their empire with swords and spears.

Other West African KingdomsAs empires rose and fell in some parts of West Africa,small city-states arose in other parts of the region. The

Hausa (HOW•suh) states emerged afterA.D. 1000 in what is now northern Nigeria.Hausa city-states, such as Katsina and Kano,thrived on trade. Although the Hausa peo-ple shared a language, their city-states wereindependent of each other.

The Yoruba (YAWR•uh•buh) lived in theforests southwest of the Niger River. Ife andOyo, the largest Yoruba states, had kings

42

Vocabularysiege: surround-ing a castle or citywith an armyuntil it surrenders

C. RecognizingEffects Howwould AskiaMuhammad’sactions promoteIslam in Songhai?C. PossibleAnswer byencouragingIslamic worshipand study

AFRICAN HERITAGE

One way many AfricanAmericans show pride in theirheritage is by wearing kentecloth. Kente cloth, shownbelow, is a colorful fabricwoven by the Akan and Ewepeople of Ghana.

Some African Americans cele-brate the holiday of Kwanzaain December. Based on tradi-tional African harvest festivals,Kwanzaa lasts a week. Each dayhonors a value held by Africans:unity, self-determination, collec-tive responsibility, cooperativeeconomics, purpose, creativity,and faith.

who were considered to be partly divine. The Yoruba were mostlyfarmers, but they also had gifted artists, who carved wood andivory and cast metal sculptures. Yoruba statues are still consid-ered great art.

Another kingdom famous for its art was Benin. Benin,located in the delta of the Niger River, lay on main traderoutes and prospered because of that. The capital, Benin City,was large and surrounded by thick, earthen walls. About1600, a Dutch visitor compared Benin City to his home cityof Amsterdam in Europe.

A VOICE FROM THE PAST

The houses in this town stand in good order, each one close andevenly placed with its neighbor, just as the houses in Hollandstand. . . . The king’s court is very great. It is built around manysquare-shaped yards.

Olfert Dapper, quoted in Centuries of Greatness

In the late 1400s, Europeans reached Benin. Portugueseships arrived, and the Portuguese set up a trade center nearBenin City. Benin traders sold the Portuguese pepper,ivory, and leopard skins in exchange for copper and guns. Intime, the Portuguese and other Europeans also began totrade for enslaved Africans. The Europeans who came to West Africawere not seeking information about its rich history or culture. Theywanted a supply of laborers to work on large farms, called plantations.Chapter 2 explains more about plantations and slavery.

Trade was just one reason Europeans were sailing far beyond theirlands. Social changes were also spurring them to explore the world.Those changes are discussed in Section 4.

The World in 1500 43

2. Using GraphicsCompare the Ghana Empireand the Mali Empire using aVenn diagram like the oneshown.

How was the influence ofIslam different in each? (HI1)

3. Main Ideasa. How did Ghana’s rulerbenefit from controlling thegold-salt trade? (HI2)

b. How did Islam spreadwithin West Africa? (HI2)

c. For what artistic achieve-ments are the Yoruba andthe people of Benin known?(HI3)

4. Critical ThinkingIdentifying Facts andOpinions Is the descriptionof Benin City above mainly astatement of fact or opinion?(REP2)

THINK ABOUT• whether Dapper’s state-

ment can be proven bymeasurement orobservation

• whether his statementexpresses his own bias

1. Terms & NamesExplain the

significance of:• Ghana• Muslims• Islam• Mali• Songhai• Hausa• Yoruba• Benin

Section Assessment

ACTIVITY OPTIONS

SPEECHGEOGRAPHY

Retell Mansa Musa’s famous journey as an oral history or create a map thatshows the route you think he took from Mali to Mecca. (CST3)

3

Ghana MaliBoth

D. AnalyzingPoints of ViewDo you thinkDapper’s view ofBenin City is posi-tive or negative?Explain.D. PossibleAnswer Positive,because he com-pares it favorablyto his home town.

Benin artistsproducedsophisticatedbronze statuessuch as this figureof a horn-blower.