Ghana (7th Grade > Frutos)
How did Ghana make most of its money?
Ghana made most of its money through the TAXES it charged on the gold/salt trade that passed through its land.
Describe the hajj (pilgrimage) that Mansa Musa made.
Like many other Muslims, Mansa Musa made a pilgrimage to the Muslim holy city of Mecca (hajj). In 1324, he brought with him 50,000 people, 500 slaves carrying golden staffs, and about 10,000 pounds of gold dust.
Which group of people also traded in Ghana?
Muslims
HOW DID ISLAM AFFECT THE AFRICAN WAY OF LIFE? Name 3 old African religious practices that they kept.
1) Africans showed respect for the spirits of dead ancestors. 2) They kept their belief in spirits who could help those who prayed to them or made sacrifices to them. 3) They used amulets that they believed helped people or protected them from harm.
Name two reasons why it was difficult to travel across the Sahara difficult.
1) Caravans would sometimes lose their way and traders would die in the desert. (They got lost and died.) 2) It's difficult to find water! (They could die of thirst.)
Name ten facts that Leo Africanus made when he visited the city of Timbuktu?
1) Houses were made out of CLAY with thatched roofs. 2) The king's temple and palace were made of STONE. 3) The city is filled with wells of SWEET WATER. 4) There is plenty of grain and animals. People eat melons, cucumbers, bread, meat, and rice. 5) There is not much salt because people have to carry it from a mine hundreds of miles away. 6) King leads his army into battle. His soldiers ride on horses they purchased from Arabs. The servants ride camels. 7) Horsemen and foot soldiers shoot poisoned arrows at their enemies. 8) There are many doctors, priests, judges, and scholars. 9) Books are the most valuable possession of all; they sell for more money than any other kind of goods. 10) The people are gentle and cheerful, and always playing musical instruments.
Name two other problems Ghana faced.
1) Lack of resources: Trees were cut down to provide charcoal for iron-smelting furnaces. 2) Water became so scarce farmers could no longer grow crops. People were forced to leave in search of better conditions.
Name three differences between Ghana and Mali.
1) Mali was an Islamic Kingdom 2) The Kings built schools so their people could learn to read the Koran. 3) They built universities so that students could discuss the important ideas of their religion. They also studied history, philosophy, and science.
HOW DID ISLAM AFFECT THE AFRICAN WAY OF LIFE? Name 5 religious practices that Africans learned from Muslims.
1) They prayed in Arabic 2) The learned Islam's Five Pillars 3) They went on pilgrimages 4) They celebrated religious festivals 5) They regarded all Muslims as part of a single community
EDUCATION How long would it take to receive their highest degree? Describe their graduation ceremony.
10 years At GRADUATION, students wore a cloth headdress called a turban to symbolize divine light, wisdom, knowledge, and excellent moral character.
Which tribe began attacking the Soninke kingdom?
Almoravids
Who eventually takes over the capital?
Almoravids
To bring unity to Songhay who did they put on the throne? What was the first decision that he made?
Askia Muhammad He declared Islam the state religion.
How many gallons of water can a camel drink at one time? And why would this be important for traders?
Camels can drink up to 25 gallons of water at a time. This is important since camels can travel several days in the desert without stopping.
How impressed were Europeans with Mansa Musa hajj?
European mapmakers produced maps of West Africa with his image prominently displayed.
How would you pay for your items?
GOLD DUST
Describe some of the activities of the people of Ghana.
Ghana was first an AGRICULTURE kingdom. People FARMED, RAISED LIVESTOCK, BUILT CITIES , and created ART & MUSIC. They lived in HOUSES made out of RED CLAY - which dried as hard as cement - and covered ROOFS made out of REEDS or STRAW.
Why did Ghana become such a powerful kingdom?
Ghana's CENTRAL LOCATION made it a good place for TRADE. Traders from the SALT MINES to the NORTH and GOLD FIELDS to the SOUTH passed through Ghana. Proximity to RIVERS: The SENEGAL and GAMBIA RIVERS aided in communication and transport of goods.
What major improvement did he make to Songhai?
He had his people dig many new wells for water, and his engineers designed waterways to bring water to desert regions.
Which profession could bring you a great amount of fame?
IRON-WORKERS Soninke iron-workers were treated like magicians. They kept their iron-working skills secret, so that no one knew exactly how the iron was made.
What religion did he practice?
Islam
Why was Islam attractive to the Soninke people?
Islam stressed the belief in "Brotherhood of all believers."
What area became the capital city of Ghana? And why would this be a wise choice?
KUMBI became the capital city of Ghana From ~800 to 1050, while the gold and salt trade thrived in Ghana, Kumbi had the BUSIEST and WEALTHIEST marketplace.
Which empire did the Mande tribe create? And what became the new capital?
Mali (Capital: Niani)
Which African tribe soon conquered Kumbi?
Mande
In 1307, who became Mali's greatest ruler?
Mansa Musa
What problem does the Soninke king face with his people?
Many of the Soninke people converted to Islam and they joined the Almoravids!
EDUCATION After they mastered these courses what fields could they major in?
Medicine, Surgery, Astronomy, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Philosophy, Geography, Art, and History
In 1464, who conquered Mali? What was the name of the new empire (and its capital)?
Prince Sunni Ali Songhay (Capital: Gao)
EDUCATION What were the basic courses of learning at Sankore?
Quran / Koran Islamic Studies Law Literature
During this time salt was as valuable as gold. The old saying was "a pound of gold for a pound of salt." Why do you think this was so?
Salt, which was used to PRESERVE and FLAVOR FOOD, was not easily available to Ghana, so it became priceless because THEY NEEDED IT FOR THEIR HEALTH. Salt was IMPORTANT to include in their diets because their body LOST SO MUCH SALT through PERSPIRATION.
Ghana was the ancient kingdom of which people?
Soninke By the late 900s, the Soninke ruled more than 100,000 sq. miles & hundreds of thousands of people. They made Ghana the first great trading empire in West Africa.
To keep the Muslim and Soninke religions apart what plan did the Soninke kings come up with? Describe his plan.
The Soninke kings had their own traditional religion. They were tolerant of Islam, but they wanted to keep it separate. So they DIVIDED Kumbi, and other trading towns INTO SECTIONS HOW: These sections were linked by a six-mile long boulevard (a wide street). The Muslims section Kumbi had 12 mosques and one-and two-story homes. The Soninke section was a walled city with wood or clay houses, straw roofs, and a large wood and stone palace for the king.
After Mansa Musa died in 1332, what problems did the new kings soon experience that would lead to their downfall?
The kings who followed him could not hold Mali's vast lands. Throughout the empire people stopped paying taxes and supporting the Mali king. Soon it was under attack on all sides.
GOVERNMENT CHANGES How did the idea of succession change once Islam was accepted?
The line of succession changed from matrilineal (from the mother) to patrilineal (from the father).
Who would be next in line when the king dies?
The next king would go through the WOMEN'S BLOODLINES aka MATRILINEAL (rather than the men's aka patrilineal). For example: The SON of the KING'S SISTER took over the throne.
With all this tax money being collected, name three ways the king could use it to help the kingdom of Ghana.
The taxes helped pay for the ARMIES THAT PROTECTED THE KINGDOM. The taxes helped the King CONQUER OTHER TERRITORIES. The taxes allowed the king to PROTECT THE TRADE ROUTES FROM BANDITS who might rob caravans.
How did the Soninke kings treat the Muslims?
They treated them with respect and were tolerant of their religious differences.
Describe the people of Songhai.
They were excellent farmers, traders, fishermen and warriors.
EDUCATION What city had the most universities? What was the most famous university in West Africa?
Timbuktu University of Sankore (MOST FAMOUS)
Why do so many Muslims move to Ghana?
Trade was extremely profitable.
What religious practice do SONINKE people have a hard time accepting?
Under Islam, succession is passed down from father to son (Patrilineal). However, Soninke believed in the opposite (Matrilineal).
What items could you buy at the capital?
Weapons, tools, jewelry, clothes, cattle, sheep, honey, wheat, raisins, ivory, pearls, and slaves.
What did Mansa Musa bring back with him?
When Mansa Musa returned to Mali from Mecca, he brought Arab scholars with him. Culture and learning grew in Niani, Timbuktu, and other trade centers. Trade expanded, too. Muslims came to Mali to trade with fellow believers.
Describe the Ghana king.
a. Head of the ARMY b. FINAL say in matters of JUSTICE c. Leader in RELIGIOUS ceremonies d. Worshipped as a GOD
Describe Ghana's military.
a. Huge army that included archers and a cavalry b. Each man had to serve ONE MONTH out of the year so they spent part of every workday making swords, shields bows, and arrows.
Name two factors that led to the growth of the trans-Saharan trade.
• The introduction of the CAMEL to the Sahara • The spread of ISLAM
