Homework for Block E and H (Thursday 30 November)
During the presentations today, I learned many intresting facts about West Africa. I learned How the Songhai Empire grew to Greatness, The conquest of Songhai by Morocco, The Kingdom of Mansa Musa, and The Kingdom of Gold.
Here is what I learned from the presentations:
The Kingdom of Gold
Indegious Religion
The people in Ghana worship their ancestors and only believe in one major god. They believed that if they treated their gods well, there would be not many disasters (natural disasters).
Sources of Ghana’s Strength
Ghana was a very strong country because of the tax and iron. The King was really good. Everyone was treated equal. The country overall was well run because of the King.
Trans-Sahara saving
Ghana was a safe place because there were a lot of military and soldiers. You couldn’t avoid paying tax because of the soldiers. If people couldn’t afford to pay money as tax, they could give food instead.
Islam
Islams were very religious people. They built a lot of mosques. The Islams were kept away from Ghana so Ghana wouldn’t become Islam and Islam wouldn’t become Ghana.
The Kingdom of Mansa Musa
Mali at it’s Height
Mali was remained powerful for almost about 200 years. Mali’s empire was twice the size of Ghana’s empire
Mansa Musa’s Pilgrimage
Mansa Musa’s Pilgrimage was bigger than the others. 500 slaves carried a bar of gold that weighed about 4 pounds. The gold was from Mansa Musa, he was a very generous man
Impact of Pilgrimage
Europeans put Mali on the map because of such great wealth Mali had. Prices went up because people were more rich in Mali now.
The fight
The fight of control was at Kirina. The fight was really bad. Both leaders used magic on the battlefield.
How the Songhai Empire grew to Greatness
Songhai Gains Independence from Mali
In the 15th century (1400’s), a person called Sunni Ali Ber helped gain independence from Mali.
The Empire under Askia Muhammad
Askia raised power and complete control and stated Islam as the state religion.
Songhai Empire at its Height
Songhai’s empire grew to be larger than Mali and Ghana’s empires combined! This was because of the Union that brought the two empires together. Songhai’s empire grew from fishermen and farmer (ancestors). Songhai was the last of the largest trading empires in Western Africa
What happened to Sunni Ali?
Sunni Ali had died but his son was still alive at that time. The people who didn’t like Sunni Ali’s son’s policies, they turned against him. So then Askia Muhammad ruled the country and ruled other countries also and thats the second reason why the empire became so big.
Conquest of Songhai by Morocco
At 1580 a morracon man wanted to conquer Songhai. He made a very expensive army with high classed shields, armour, and very good weapons. He wanted to also get the salt and gold resources. He sent out musketeers to see the salt and gold mines. When they went it was deserted. So they went to Gau (the major city in Songhai) to conquer Songhai. Songhai surrendered to Morocco for an offer to pay tribute to slaves. The Morrocan rulers remained in Songhai.
