Africa-Lesson 3

West African Empires

West Africans needed salt because salt was used to preserve food in the hot climate of West Africa.

Necessity is typically called "the mother of invention" and can also be called "the mother of trade" because necessity, such as salt, can be obtained through trade in a region that cannot provide for itself.

The kings of Ghana grew wealthy because their kingdom was along the major trade routes to and from North Africa, and they controlled the trade of salt for gold.

(above: Ghana's flag)

The ruler of Ghana was also known as "master of gold" because West Africa, which Ghana was part of, was the Mediterranean world's main source of gold.

North Africans obtained the salt they used in trade by boiling seawater until the water evaporated and cut the salt that remained into large blocks.

Ghana's rulers followed the rule of economics known as "supply and demand" by keeping the supply of gold scarce. Ghana's rulers kept the demand for the metal (and its price) high.

Ghana's neighbors started attacking them because they wanted to control the gold trade. $

Sunjata was able to control a huge region because of the system of government that he organized in which he was able to spread his power and influence throughout his region.

Timbuktu was a great city because it was the center of religion, culture, and learning.

Timbuktu is located on the edge of the Sahara Desert. Timbuktu was founded around A.D. 1100 and its population grew after Mansa Musa's death.

*By 1450, Timbuktu's population was around 100,000 and 25% of those were scholars!

Mansa Musa's pilgrimage to Mecca affected the price of gold because he gave away so much gold when he passed through Cairo that the price of gold dropped and did not rise again for decades.

Mansa Musa respected Islam because he made a pilgrimage to Mecca, made Timbuktu a center of Muslim learning and religion, assisted in converting people to Islam, and spread Islamic law.