west africa

West AfricaIn the Middle Ages

Warm-Up(1/17/12) Complete questionsWest Africa Civilizations

• What do we know?• What do we want to know?• What will we learn?

Geography• Savannah, Forest, Desert

• Vegetation Zones

• Different resources

Religion

• Traditional beliefs and religion

• Islam from North Africa

• A balance between the two religions

Achievements

• Elaborate trade networks

• Contributions to Muslim learning

• Strong government over a wide area

Politics• Rule by kings in empires or kingdoms• Kingdoms would expand when rulers of

wealthy cities conquered other cities • Kings made merchants pay tribute• Villages most important to common people

Economy

• All about the trade-Mali and Ghana able to prosper economically because they were located along trade routes

• Gold and slaves from the south, salt from the north, food from both

• Trans-Sahara trade

Social Structure

• Family structure• Villages are key• Kinship

considered vital

Geography and Trade

Niger River

Niger River• Important river in

West Africa• Went through 3

vegetation zones• Provided farmland• Transportation and

communication

Desert• Dry climate• Only plants that

need little water grow

• Sahara desert dominant feature and barrier

• Salt found here, and labor often needed

• Some food grown• No gold

Savannah• Grassland in a

tropical region• Flat, grassy, and

some scattered trees• Wet and dry seasons• Certain crops and

cattle come from this area in big amount

• No salt or gold• Extra Labor

Forest

• Wet climate with many plants

• Found in the southern coastal areas of West Africa

• Gold is found here• Some food grown,

but no salt• Extra Labor

Trading

• Trade can be difficult• Niger River helps

trade in parts of West Africa

• Sahara a large barrier to northern Africa

• Camel used starting in 300 CE

• Camel greatly increased trade abilities

The Trade

• What goes where?• Who gets what?• What does each

vegetation zone have?

• What does each vegetation zone need?

• How will it get there?

The Ghana Empire• Read pages 159-161 in textbook• Use Cornell Notes system• In your Main Ideas section, break up your

notes into sections:– The Foundation of the Empire– Religious and Cultural Changes– Influence of Islamic Beliefs– Ghana Under Attack

• Write at least 3 main points for each section

The Mali Empire

• Read aloud as a class pages 165-167 in textbook

• Use organized notes• First section: Rise of Mali– Sundiata Comes to Power (4 notes)– Mansa Musa Expands the Empire (4 notes)

• Second section: Decline of Mali– Internal Problems (2 notes)– External Problems (2 notes)

Sundiata• Sundiata had a

powerful army, captured parts of old Ghana, including the old capital

• Expanded the empire and trade networks starting in 1240 CE and made new capital of Timbuktu

Sundiata• Islam and traditional

beliefs are balanced• Crops expanded in

certain regions

Mansa Musa

• Mansa Musa came to power in 1312 CE and was a devoted Muslim

• Allowed his people to practice any religion

Mansa Musa

• 1324 CE began a great pilgrimage to Mecca that raised interest in West Africa

• Brought back Islamic advancements and ideas

Decline of Mali• After Mansa Musa

died in 1332 CE, people fought over who would be the next ruler

• Newly conquered regions began to rebel against Mali rule

Decline of Mali

• Berber’s came from the north and captured Mali’s territories and Timbuktu by 1433 CE

• By 1500 CE, Mali was only a small kingdom

West AfricaIn the Middle Ages

West Africa Civilizations

• What do we know?• What do we want to know?• What will we learn?

Geography• __________________________________________

• ____________________________

• ______________

Religion

• Traditional beliefs and religion

• Islam from _______________

• A balance between the _________________

Achievements

• Elaborate trade networks

• Contributions to _____________ learning

• Strong _______________ over a wide area

Politics• Rule by kings in empires or kingdoms• _______________ would expand when rulers of

wealthy cities conquered other cities • Kings made merchants pay _______________• Villages most important to common people

Economy

• All about the trade-Mali and Ghana able to prosper economically because they were located along __________________

• _________and slaves from the south, ___________ from the north, food from both

• _________________ trade

Social Structure

• _____________ structure

• Villages are key• Kinship

considered vital

Geography and Trade

Niger River

Niger River• Important

__________ in West Africa

• Went through 3 vegetation zones

• Provided ______________

• _________________ and communication

Desert• ___________ climate• Only plants that need

little water grow• _____________ desert

dominant feature and barrier

• ________ found here, and labor often needed

• Some food grown• ___________________

Savannah• _______________ in a

tropical region• Flat, ___________, and

some scattered trees• Wet and dry seasons• Certain crops and

cattle come from this area in big amount

• No ________________• Extra Labor

Forest

• Wet climate with many plants

• Found in the southern coastal areas of West Africa

• ____________ is found here

• Some food grown, but _______________

• Extra Labor

Trading

• Trade can be difficult• ___________________

helps trade in parts of West Africa

• ________________a large barrier to northern Africa

• Camel used starting in 300 CE

• Camel greatly increased trade abilities

The Trade

• What goes where?• Who gets what?• What does each

vegetation zone have?

• What does each vegetation zone need?

• How will it get there?

The Ghana Empire• Read pages 159-161 in textbook• Use Cornell Notes system• In your Main Ideas section, break up your

notes into sections:– The Foundation of the Empire– Religious and Cultural Changes– Influence of Islamic Beliefs– Ghana Under Attack

• Write at least 3 main points for each section

The Mali Empire

• Read aloud as a class pages 165-167 in textbook

• Use organized notes• First section: Rise of Mali– Sundiata Comes to Power (4 notes)– Mansa Musa Expands the Empire (4 notes)

• Second section: Decline of Mali– Internal Problems (2 notes)– External Problems (2 notes)

Sundiata• Sundiata had a

powerful army, captured parts of old Ghana, including the old capital

• Expanded the empire and trade networks starting in 1240 CE and made new capital of Timbuktu

Sundiata• Islam and traditional

beliefs are balanced• Crops expanded in

certain regions

Mansa Musa

• Mansa Musa came to power in 1312 CE and was a devoted Muslim

• Allowed his people to practice any religion

Mansa Musa

• 1324 CE began a great pilgrimage to Mecca that raised interest in West Africa

• Brought back Islamic advancements and ideas

Decline of Mali• After Mansa Musa

died in 1332 CE, people fought over who would be the next ruler

• Newly conquered regions began to rebel against Mali rule

Decline of Mali

• Berber’s came from the north and captured Mali’s territories and Timbuktu by 1433 CE

• By 1500 CE, Mali was only a small kingdom