West African Empires - Ghana, Mali, Songhai
5th Grade Informational Reading Texts
Ghana rose to power around the year 700 C.E. (A.D.) and was located between the desert and rainforest in the savanna region. It was directly between the two sought-after resources: gold and salt. The early kingdom (not to be confused with the current country, Ghana), had started long before year 700. The people there traded goods and farmed in their small villages made up of family compounds. These families would join together to listen to griots, storytellers responsible for remembering and telling about an area's history. Because there was no written language, oral history was important. Oral history is information that is passed down by speaking and is not always written down.
Within these villages, Africans mined iron ore and used it to build tools for farming and weapons for fighting. These weapons, along with its location, gave Ghana an upper edge in defeating smaller, weaker groups in its rise to power. Because they were located near two valuable resources, they soon began to control the trade. They taxed traders that came into Ghana with goods to trade. In exchange, Ghana offered traders a safe environment. Ghana soon became wealthy from these taxes and used the money to strengthen their army.
As traders from different areas came to Ghana, they brought with them new ideas and beliefs. Most traders that came across the Sahara desert were Muslims. A Muslim is someone who follows and believes the Islamic religion. Islam is a major religion of the world, with the belief that there is only one god and that Muhammad was his most important prophet. Ghana started to use and incorporate some of these religious beliefs and ideas into their culture. Around the year 1100, Ghana started to decline. It was hurt by a severe drought, coupled with an attack from an outside force.
As Ghana fell, a new empire, Mali, came to power. Mali rose as a powerful empire around the year 1200. It began as a small city-state of Ghana, but when Mali's leader, Sundiata, led a rebellion against Ghana, they took over the territory and power that was once Ghana's. Once Mali (under Sundiata's rule) came into power, they acquired even more land and took over the gold and salt trade that Ghana once controlled. Trading was expanded to include Egypt. This helped increase Mali's wealth and this wealth helped them to strengthen their army. The most famous ruler of Mali was Mansa Musa. Mansa Musa was a strong ruler who used Mali's money wisely.
He built up the army, but also built up the empire. The popular city, Timbuktu, was enhanced and became a place to learn. People would come to study medicine, astronomy, or mathematics. He also adopted Islam and went on a pilgrimage to the city of Mecca in Southwestern Asia. a pilgrimage is a journey to a sacred place. Mansa Musa's pilgrimage brought a lot of attention and trade money to Mali. After Mansa Musa died, Mali struggled. Weaker rulers came into power and the empire began to decline in the year 1400. This presented the opportunity for smaller kingdoms to attack and rebel, thus weakening the empire further.
The decline of Mali led to the rise of Songhai. Songhai was a small kingdom that had been ruled by Mali. After Mansa Musa's death, the people of Songhai were not happy with the new rule. Under their leader, Sonni Ali, they took over what was once Mali around 1400. Sonni Ali took over the trade routes and created a huge army for Songhai. He expanded the territory and Songhai became much larger than Mali. Songhai thrived for many years - expanding territory, encouraging learning, and continuing to offer a place of study for Muslim scholars. However, once Sonni Ali Songhai struggled with poor leadership. The poor leadership led to a civil war among kingdoms within the empire and Songhai became difficult to manage and control. Once weakened by fighting and drought, an army from North Africa came in and invaded Songhai. Like the two previous empires, Songhai fell apart.
Within these villages, Africans mined iron ore and used it to build tools for farming and weapons for fighting. These weapons, along with its location, gave Ghana an upper edge in defeating smaller, weaker groups in its rise to power. Because they were located near two valuable resources, they soon began to control the trade. They taxed traders that came into Ghana with goods to trade. In exchange, Ghana offered traders a safe environment. Ghana soon became wealthy from these taxes and used the money to strengthen their army.
As traders from different areas came to Ghana, they brought with them new ideas and beliefs. Most traders that came across the Sahara desert were Muslims. A Muslim is someone who follows and believes the Islamic religion. Islam is a major religion of the world, with the belief that there is only one god and that Muhammad was his most important prophet. Ghana started to use and incorporate some of these religious beliefs and ideas into their culture. Around the year 1100, Ghana started to decline. It was hurt by a severe drought, coupled with an attack from an outside force.
As Ghana fell, a new empire, Mali, came to power. Mali rose as a powerful empire around the year 1200. It began as a small city-state of Ghana, but when Mali's leader, Sundiata, led a rebellion against Ghana, they took over the territory and power that was once Ghana's. Once Mali (under Sundiata's rule) came into power, they acquired even more land and took over the gold and salt trade that Ghana once controlled. Trading was expanded to include Egypt. This helped increase Mali's wealth and this wealth helped them to strengthen their army. The most famous ruler of Mali was Mansa Musa. Mansa Musa was a strong ruler who used Mali's money wisely.
He built up the army, but also built up the empire. The popular city, Timbuktu, was enhanced and became a place to learn. People would come to study medicine, astronomy, or mathematics. He also adopted Islam and went on a pilgrimage to the city of Mecca in Southwestern Asia. a pilgrimage is a journey to a sacred place. Mansa Musa's pilgrimage brought a lot of attention and trade money to Mali. After Mansa Musa died, Mali struggled. Weaker rulers came into power and the empire began to decline in the year 1400. This presented the opportunity for smaller kingdoms to attack and rebel, thus weakening the empire further.
The decline of Mali led to the rise of Songhai. Songhai was a small kingdom that had been ruled by Mali. After Mansa Musa's death, the people of Songhai were not happy with the new rule. Under their leader, Sonni Ali, they took over what was once Mali around 1400. Sonni Ali took over the trade routes and created a huge army for Songhai. He expanded the territory and Songhai became much larger than Mali. Songhai thrived for many years - expanding territory, encouraging learning, and continuing to offer a place of study for Muslim scholars. However, once Sonni Ali Songhai struggled with poor leadership. The poor leadership led to a civil war among kingdoms within the empire and Songhai became difficult to manage and control. Once weakened by fighting and drought, an army from North Africa came in and invaded Songhai. Like the two previous empires, Songhai fell apart.