The Great Kingdoms of West Africa
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Goal: To discuss three major trading kingdoms that rose and fell in
West Africa
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Words to Knowcaravan a convoy, especially of camels
gold a metal traded in West Africa
gold and salt trade the exchange of gold and salt that was the basis of wealth for
the West African kingdoms
salt an important mineral in the ancient world; traded in West Africa
Songhai a people who ruled Gao and later built an empire
Swahili the culture and language of the East African city-states
trade the exchange of money and goods
West African Kingdoms great trading kingdoms that arose in West Africa, south of
the Sahara Desert
Names to Know
Askia the Great the leader of the Songhai Empire at its peak
Mansa Musa a ruler of Rome who continued the persecution of Christians
Sundiata the king of the Kangaba people who led a revolt against the Ghana
Empire and founded Mali
Sunni Ali the leader of the Songhai people and founder of the Songhai Empire
Places to Know
Gao a great trading city from which the Songhai Empire grew
Ghana Empire the first of the great trading kingdoms of West Africa
Kilwa a great East African city-state
Kumbi Saleh a small trading village from which the Ghana Empire developed
Mali a city built by Sundiata that became the center of the Mali Empire
Mali Empire a powerful trading kingdom of West Africa
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Mombasa a great East African city-state
Songhai Empire the largest of the great trading kingdoms of West Africa
Timbuktu a great center of trade and learning in the Mali and Songhai empires
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Readings
The Influence of TradeIn this lesson, you will learn about three great kingdoms that rose and fell in Africa
during the course of about 1,000 years. These are called the West African Kingdoms
because they existed in the area known as West Africa, just south of the Sahara Desert.
The great kingdoms of West Africa were all based on trade, which is the exchange
of money and goods. Trade had always been important throughout Africa. But around
the year 900, trade began to become more and more important in northern Africa. This
is largely because of the Arab Muslim influence there. The Arabs, like the Africans, had
a long history and tradition of trade. It was natural, then, that trade between and among
these people would begin to flourish.
The Muslim lands of northern Africa and the lands of central Africa are separated
by the vast Sahara Desert. Incredibly, people had learned to cross the lonely desert
thousands of years earlier. By 1000, trade by caravan, or convoy, was well established.
Traders, Arab and African alike, led long caravans of camels across the desert, heading
north and south. From seaports on the Mediterranean, the trade routes stretched to
Europe, Asia, and beyond.
The two major goods that were traded in West Africa were gold and salt. Both were
valued for the same reasons they are today. Gold was used for money and jewelry.
Traders from the north wanted the gold to buy goods from Europe and Asia. Gold was
found in mines in the forests of central Africa. Salt is a mineral that people need in their
diet to sustain life, and salt was scarce in West Africa. Salt was mined in the Sahara
Desert. In fact, it was so abundant in that barren region that people built their homes
there out of salt blocks.
At the southern edge of the Sahara, where the West African kingdoms developed,
gold was exchanged for salt, and vice-versa. This was known as the gold and salt trade.
In time, other things were also traded. Along with gold, traders from the south brought
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ivory and slaves. Along with salt, traders from the north brought horses, textiles,
weapons, paper, and other manufactured goods.
At the sites where trading took place, important cities developed. These cities were
located on trade routes between the gold mines to the south and the salt mines to the
north. The people who controlled these areas controlled the trade and became wealthy.
They did so by charging both import and export taxes that were paid in gold. Royal
officials observed the trade, made sure it was conducted fairly, and collected the taxes.
In return, royal guards protected the traders from robbers.
The trade in gold, salt, and other goods became the basis of the wealth of the great
kingdoms of West Africa. You will read about three of these kingdoms on the following
pages.
Practice 1: The Influence of Trade
Choose the letter of the correct answer to each of the following questions.
1. What items were traded by the kingdoms of West Africa?
a. horses and paper
b. textiles and gold
c. salt and weapons
d. all of the above
2. Why did the kingdoms of West Africa arise where they did?
a. They were surrounded by gold mines.
b. They controlled the trade routes between the north and the south.
c. They were surrounded by salt mines.
d. They needed fertile farming lands.
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The Ghana Empire
The Ghana EmpireThe Ghana Empire was the
first great West African
trading kingdom. It started as
a small trading village called
Kumbi Saleh. Kumbi Saleh
was founded well before the
increase in trade in the 900s.
In fact, the city was founded
in the 200s, a full 700 years
before West African trade
really began to surge. Today,
this region is in the country of
Mauritania.
The Ghana Empire lasted for more than 1,000 years. During this period, Ghana
was a magnificent trading kingdom. Arab traders led long camel caravans loaded with
salt from the Sahara and dried fruits from northern Africa to Ghana. There, these goods
were traded for gold (and later ivory and slaves) from areas south of Ghana. As the
great meeting place between north and south, Ghana grew rich on trade.
The kings of Ghana charged both export and import taxes on goods that were
traded there. They used their wealth to finance an efficient system of government. They
also used it to finance a powerful army. The army kept the trade routes safe, protecting
Ghana’s income and source of wealth.
The village of Kumbi Saleh, from which the kingdom developed, grew in wealth,
power, and population. By the 900s, it had a population of about 15,000. It was the
largest city in the region.
Of course, the people of Ghana did more than trade. Many worked as farmers and
craftspeople. The iron smiths of Ghana, who made weapons for the army, became
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famous for their work. Ghana was also known as a place where beautiful leather goods
and fine jewelry were made.
For centuries, Ghana was a thriving, busy, wealthy kingdom. It reached its peak in
the 900s and was attacked by rival tribes in the 1000s. These attacks were devastating.
By 1235, the Ghana Empire was no more.
Practice 2: The Ghana Empire
Choose the letter of the correct answer to each of the following questions.
1. From what trading city did the Ghana Empire grow?
a. Mauritania
b. Cairo
c. Kumbi Saleh
d. Axum
2. How did the kings of Ghana become rich?
a. by controlling travel through the Sahara
b. by selling slaves
c. by selling gold
d. by charging import and export taxes
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The Mali Empire
The Mali EmpireIn the early 1200s, the king of
the Kangaba people,
Sundiata, led a revolt against
the Ghana Empire. In the
Battle of Kirina in 1235, he
defeated the last of the
Ghana emperors. This battle
was so famous that legends
of it are still told by the people
of the area.
Newly independent and
powerful, Sundiata built a new
city, Mali. Sundiata then
conquered the neighboring
Sasso people and the lands of other neighboring tribes, thus beginning the great Mali
Empire. The Mali Empire replaced the Ghana Empire as the most powerful trading
kingdom in West Africa. It was the supreme power in West Africa until the 1500s.
Like the Ghana Empire before it, the Mali Empire was built on trade. And, like
Ghana, it owed its success largely to its location between the salt mines to the north
and the gold mines to the south.
Sundiata ruled until 1240. After his death, other rulers rose to power and
maintained the greatness of Mali. The most impressive of all was a man named Mansa
Musa. You will read about him in the next section.
Practice 3: The Mali Empire
Choose the letter of the correct answer to each of the following questions.
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1. Which battle marked the end of the Ghana Empire and the beginning of the
Mali Empire?
a. the Battle of Kirina
b. the Battle of Sundiata
c. the Battle of Ghana
d. the Battle of Kumbi Saleh
2. On what was the Mali Empire’s economy based?
a. slavery
b. oppression
c. taxes
d. trade
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Mansa MusaMansa Musa became king of the Mali Empire in 1312. He ruled Mali for 25 years. Few
other leaders in history have been as effective as Mansa Musa. In fact, his reign is
remembered as a golden age in West Africa.
Mansa Musa was a strong ruler. But he was wise enough to let the various peoples
of the empire follow their own traditional ways of life. In this way, he kept the kingdom
peaceful.
Mansa Musa’s system of strong law, coupled with his tolerance of local practices,
kept the peace in Mali. Mansa Musa worked hard at this. Historians believe that he
settled many legal disputes himself. In addition, Mansa Musa worked to make Mali
richer than ever before. He did this by expanding Mali’s trade.
As you have read, Islam had become a powerful force in northern Africa a few
centuries before the rise of the West African kingdoms. By Mansa Musa’s time, the
religion had spread to West Africa. Mansa Musa himself was a Muslim. In 1324–1325,
Mansa Musa made a pilgrimage to Mecca, the holy city of Islam. His entrance to the city
is remembered as being one of the most spectacular processions in history.
Mansa Musa led about 60,000 other Mali pilgrims into the city. Among them were
12,000 slaves—each carrying a 4-pound brick of gold. This display of wealth stunned
the Arabs. News of the great, wealthy kingdom of Mali spread far and wide. This served
to increase trade in Mali even further.
Practice 4: Mansa Musa
Choose the letter of the correct answer to each of the following questions.
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1. Which of the following contributions did Mansa Musa make to Mali?
a. He kept the peace.
b. He expanded Mali’s trade.
c. He helped make Mali famous through his memorable pilgrimage to
Mecca.
d. all of the above
2. How long did Mansa Musa rule Mali?
a. a brief time
b. 25 years
c. many months
d. a decade
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TimbuktuYou may have heard of Timbuktu. It is one of the greatest cities in world history.
Timbuktu still exists today, although it has lost its greatness. It was once one of the
most remarkable places on Earth.
Timbuktu, which is now called Tombouctou, was founded around 1100. As a
popular meeting place for traders, it rapidly grew in wealth and population. Mansa Musa
made it the capital of the Mali Empire.
But Timbuktu was more than just a capital. And it was more than just a trade
center. It was also a center of Muslim learning. During the Mali Empire, a great
university at Timbuktu attracted scholars from throughout the Islamic world. More than
100 schools in Timbuktu taught Islam, geography, history, and other subjects. The
university there educated 25,000 students at a time. Judges, doctors, and religious
leaders also gathered in Timbuktu.
In Timbuktu, learning and education were just as highly respected as wealth. In
fact, one scholar has said, “In Timbuktu, books were valued as much as salt, and salt as
much as gold.” Another African scholar in Timbuktu owned 700 books, a vast number
for those times.
When he returned from Mecca, Mansa Musa ordered the building of many new,
beautiful mosques in Timbuktu. Mosques are Muslim houses of worship. Mansa Musa
also ordered that new buildings be made of long-lasting brick instead of mud.
Timbuktu thrived from the 1200s to the 1500s. During this 300-year period, it was
recognized as one of the great cities of the world. Today, Tombouctou is a sleepy little
town. Much of it lies in ruins. But even now, 500 years after its decline from greatness, it
remains one of the most famous and fabled cities in history.
Practice 5: Timbuktu
Decide if each statement below is true or false. Choose the correct answer for each
statement.
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1. Timbuktu grew rich because it was a center of learning.
a. True
b. False
2. Timbuktu was a great trading city.
a. True
b. False
3. Universities did not exist when Timbuktu was at its peak.
a. True
b. False
4. The people of Timbuktu were Muslims.
a. True
b. False
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The Songhai Empire
The SonghaiEmpireAfter Mansa Musa, the Mali
Empire was ruled by a series
of weaker kings. During this
time, the city of Gao became
a wealthy and powerful
trading center in the empire.
Gao soon decided to break
away from the Mali Empire.
The rulers of Gao were of
the Songhai people. By the
late 1300s, they were strong
enough to refuse to pay taxes
to the rulers of Mali. By the mid-1400s, led by a fierce cavalryman, the Songhai began
to conquer their neighbors. Their leader was Sunni Ali, who ruled from 1464 to 1492.
Soon, Sunni Ali had conquered much of the Mali Empire, including the great city of
Timbuktu.
Eventually, the Songhai Empire became the largest of the great trading kingdoms
of West Africa. At its peak in the late 1400s and early 1500s, it covered an area the size
of western Europe. Like the Ghana Empire and the Mali Empire before it, the Songhai
Empire was based on trade.
In 1493, Sunni Ali was succeeded by Askia the Great. Askia continued the tradition
of strong government that Sunni Ali had established. He expanded trade and brought
Songhai to its peak. But the Songhai Empire did not last. In 1591, a Moroccan army
defeated the Songhai.
Practice 6: The Songhai Empire
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Choose the letter of the correct answer to each of the following questions.
1. Who was the first leader of the Songhai Empire?
a. Gao
b. Askia the Great
c. Sunni Ali
d. Muhammad
2. In which city was the Songhai Empire centered?
a. Mali
b. Timbuktu
c. Gao
d. Kirina
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East African City-States
City-States in EastAfricaYou have read that, from
about 900 to about 1500,
three great trading kingdoms
arose in West Africa: Ghana,
Mali, and Songhai. During this
same period, other great
trading centers were growing
on the opposite side of the
continent, along the eastern
coast of Africa. And, as in
West Africa, Arab Muslim
traders helped trade centers
grow in the region known as
East Africa.
By about 1100, Arab Muslim traders who traveled by ship were trading up and
down the entire coast of East Africa. They traveled between Africa and China, India,
and other nations along the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf, and the Indian and Pacific
Oceans. The traders brought such goods as silk, cloth, and porcelain to Africa. From
Africa, they took gold, ivory, artworks, and slaves.
Over time, many of these traders settled in Africa. As a result, city-states developed
there. A city-state is a large, independent city that has its own ruler and laws. All of the
East African city-states earned their wealth through trade. Two of the more powerful
city-states were Kilwa and Mombasa.
The people of these city-states developed a remarkable new culture. It was a
unique mix of traditional black African and Arab cultures. This culture was called
Swahili. Swahili is also the name of the unique language they spoke—a mix of African
Bantu languages and Arabic.
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The city-states of East Africa prospered from the early 700s through the 1300s.
Like the kingdoms and cities of West Africa, the city-states of East Africa were thriving
societies. Their contributions to culture, language, and trade became part of the proud
tradition that is African history.
Practice 7: City-States in East Africa
Choose the letter of the correct answer to each of the following questions.
1. Where did trading city-states emerge?
a. along Africa’s eastern coast
b. along Africa’s southern coast
c. along Africa’s northern coast
d. along Africa’s western coast
2. What were two important city-states in Africa?
a. Ghana and Mali
b. Songhai and Askia
c. Kilwa and Mombasa
d. Swahili and Mali
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Activity 1: African Trading Empires
Three great kingdoms emerged in western Africa between 700 and 1600. These were
the Ghana Empire, the Mali Empire, and the Songhai Empire. Each of these had distinct
characteristics. The one thing they had in common was that their wealth was based on
trade. Answer the questions below as they relate to each empire to reinforce your
knowledge about these three great civilizations.
What person founded this empire?
1. Ghana Empire:
2. Mali Empire:
3. Songhai Empire:
What was the major city of this empire?
4. Ghana Empire:
5. Mali Empire:
6. Songhai Empire:
During what years did this empire flourish?
7. Ghana Empire:
8. Mali Empire:
9. Songhai Empire:
What goods did this empire trade?
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10. Ghana Empire:
11. Mali Empire:
12. Songhai Empire:
What modern country exists where this empire once ruled?
13. Ghana Empire:
14. Mali Empire:
15. Songhai Empire:
What made this empire unique from the others?
16. Ghana Empire:
17. Mali Empire:
18. Songhai Empire:
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Activity 2: Mansa Musa
Mansa Musa became king of the Mali Empire in 1312. While he was the king, West
Africa experienced a golden age.
Pair up with a classmate. One of you will play the role of a newspaper reporter. The
other will play the role of Mansa Musa. As a reporter, you ask the king four questions
about his rule. These may be on any topic you want from the wonders of Timbuktu to
Mansa Musa’s pilgrimage to Mecca. As Mansa Musa, your partner answers the
interviewer’s questions. Then switch roles.
Question 1
1. Reporter:
2. Mansa Musa:
Question 2
3. Reporter:
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4. Mansa Musa:
Question 3
5. Reporter:
6. Mansa Musa:
Question 4
7. Reporter:
8. Mansa Musa:
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