Section 3: Trading States of Africa
- East Africa
- Made up of several city states
- Seasonal monsoon winds allowed for trade
- Exported gold, ivory, hides, tortoise shells, and slaves
- Imported: porcelain and weapons
- With the spread of the Islamic religion, it tied the people together
- Swahili States
- Language is Bantu with Arabic and Persian influences.
- Kilwa becomes the major port city and is the center of this region.
- Great Zimbabwe
- The location and amount of gold allowed for trade and stability.
- The Shona slowly gained control of the gold and people.
- Great Zimbabwe was the largest of the fortresses and stood as a symbol of their power.
- Declined in the 1400’s for unknown reasons.
- West Africa
- 3 major kingdoms existed in this area: Ghana, Mali, and Songhai.
- Sahel kingdoms traded gold to the desert peoples for salt. This allowed for mutual growth.
- They were ruled by monarchs
- Ghana
- Earliest kingdom
- Founded by the Soninke people in the 300’s A.D.
- Thrived on gold and salt trade.
- Gold trade allowed them to build large armies and conquer peoples
- Tunka Manin was a powerful king with a large army.
- They began to decline and the Berbers invaded and destroyed the capital.
- They lost trade and were conquered by Mali in 1235 A.D.
- Mali
- Had all of Ghana’s kingdom
- Mansa Musa- He supported the arts and education and made Timbuktu a center of learning.
- Famous for his vast pilgrimage to Mecca
- After his reign, people fought over power.
- They declined and in 1468 A.D, Sonni’Ali captured Timbuktu and started the Songhai kingdom.
- Songhai
- Centered in Gao, and larger than Mali
- Sonni’Ali divided the kingdom into provinces with governors.
- Built a fleet of warships to patrol Niger river
- Mohammed I Askia-successor to the throne.
- Made Timbuktu into a thriving area of trade.
- Sponsored Islamic scholarship
- The people under the kingdom fought amongst themselves
- In 1591 A.D. Moroccan army conquered the area.