read more
Ghana 500 A.D. - 1230 A.D.
Most people live in small farming villages with locan councils
Kings
Ruled through military power, collected taxes & tributes from villages
ivory, slaves & animals skins traded through Berbers to Mediterranean In the 700s Islam's arrives in West Africa
Muslim Traders began to influence Ghana 1000 AD. Weakened kingdom falls
Mali (1240 A.D. - 1400 A.D.)
Sundjiata Keita (Founder)
Same type of political structure of Ghana, with stronger king.
Capture Timbuktu
(Trading city in Sahara)
Mali becomes Rich
Mansa Musa (1312 - 1337)
Doubled size of kingdom provinces with governors. Pilgrimage to mecca
By 1300s West Africa
Is a center of Islamie learning & culture
Mali collapsed into civil war / 400s
1460s - Sonni Ali expands
Songhai Empire (1200s - 1590)
Sonni Ali conquers Timbuktu & Malian Empire Mehammad toure, his successor, politically reforms / organizes empire & builds a calvary & navy.