Ghana/Mali

2019 research

by Tyler Schreiber, Brandon Kluge, Jackie Samandas, Alex Snower, Ryan Jensen, Michael Stoichkov, and Lane Margolin

  • Ghana traded slaves and gold for salt with Arabs
  • Ghana became a rich kingdom quickly due to their abundance of gold and trading with Arabs
  • Originally a trade center for gold and timber. Turned into one for trans-Atlantic slave trade.
  • Weakened from attacks, Ghana was cut off from international trade and later were engulfed into the Mali nation
  • Islam spread to these areas
  • Mansa Musa was the richest person in world history (spent a lot of gold on his pilgrimage to Mecca)
  • Composed of vassal kingdoms
  • Used military might to control territorial boundaries
  • Held almost full control of trans-Saharan trade (during time of existence)
  • Used camels to transport goods
  • Ghana empire became Mali empire in 1200

Timbuktu- Commercial + Islamic learning/teaching center

source: check _eLibrary_ under Kingdom of Ghana