WEST AFRICA

WEST AFRICA

1. Ghana

   • Economy
     • From North came salt and from the West came the rich resources of gold,ivory, and other goods.
     • Kumbi-Saleh quickly became an important Southern- trade route
     • Ghana grew rich from the trans- Saharan trade.
     • Ghana traders had to give the king a trading tax.
     • Ghana also placed a tax on the local goldmines the neighboring group had to tribute. Which made Kumbi- Saleh increase in wealth and power.
     • Kumbi- Saleh was the center of trade and served as a business district of the capital.
   • Geography
     • Ghana was located in the Sahara Desert and in the middle of the salt and gold trade routes.
     • Kumbi - Saleh was the capital of Ghana
   • Social Structure
     • Primarily nomadic people.
     • The city had about 30,000 people that lived in Kumbi-Saleh which was protected by a wall.
     • Most of the house were made out of wood and clay, but wealthy peoples houses were made out of wood and clay.
     • The king lived in the grandest building in the city. It was inherited by Arab and Berber merchants and contained more than a dozen mosques
   • Religion
     • The wall served as a royal spiritual capital of the empire
     • The kings home contained of a sacred grove of trees used for religious ceremonies.
     • After the ending rule of Ghans and converting many to Islam
   • Achievements
     • Crossed the Saharn Desert with Camels
   • Politics
     • Was controlled by the Soninke.
     • The kingdom was ruled by a king called the Ghana
     • The king was a supreme judge.

2. Mali

   • Economy
     • Controlled the gold trade
   • Geography
     • Most of the gold trade came up the Niger river
     • Mali was located in an agriculturally
   • Social Structure