1. Songhai
1.1. Sunni Ali, A Conquering Hero
1.1.1. 1464 Sunni Ali
1.1.2. Built empire by military conquest & built professional army
1.1.3. Captured Timbuktu & took Djenne
1.2. Akia Muhammad Governs Well
1.2.1. Drove Ali's son from power
1.2.2. Set up tax system
1.2.3. 1591- Moroccan invasion
2. Other Peoples of West Africa
2.1. Hausa City-States Compete
2.1.1. Emerged between 100-1200
2.1.2. Governed farming villages
2.1.3. Kept slaves to build & repair cities
2.1.4. Ruler depended on crops & trade of salt, grain & cotton cloths
2.1.5. Similar form of government: rulers=great power, ministers= check this power
2.2. Yoruba King & Artists
2.2.1. Unity=formation of several Yoruba kingdoms
2.2.2. King=religious & political leaders
2.2.3. Ife-highest spiritual authority, gifted artists
2.2.4. Secret society limit king's rule
2.2.5. Ife & Oyo=largest Yoruba kingdoms
2.3. Kingdom of Benin
2.3.1. 1400s Ewuare-built powerful empire=Benin major Western African state
2.3.2. 1480s Portuguese tradings ships-pepper, leopard skins, ivory & enslaved persons (began European interference)
2.3.3. East Africa-prospered from trade & developed cities & empires
3. Ghana
3.1. Gold-Salt Trade
3.1.1. Gold & Salt- most important trade items, transported by camel caravans
3.1.2. Gold came from forest region south of Savanna
3.1.3. West Africa's savanna lacked salt
3.2. Land of Gold
3.2.1. 800-Ghana becomes empire
3.2.2. King controlled trade and demand taxes
3.2.3. Rulers= religious leader, chief judge, & military commander
3.2.4. Only King can own gold nuggets
3.2.5. King limited supply of gold, kept price from falling
3.3. Islamic Influence
3.3.1. Islam spread through trade- Muslim merchants settled & introduced their faith
3.3.2. Rulers converted to Muslim- majority of population didn't, remained to Animism
3.3.3. 1076-Muslim almoravid conquest of Ghana, never regained power
4. Mali
4.1. Sundiata Conquers an Empire
4.1.1. Mali's first great leader
4.1.2. Took over Ghana & trading cities of Kumbi & Walata
4.1.3. Died in1255
4.2. Mansa Musa Expands Mali
4.2.1. Mansa Musa: 1312-1332
4.2.2. Divided empire into provinces & appointed governers
4.2.3. 1324-1325-hajj to Mecca
4.2.4. Built new mosques at Timbuktu
4.3. Travel of Ibn Battuta
4.3.1. Traveled for 27 years in Islamic world
4.3.2. Mansa Musa's successors
4.3.3. 50 years- Mali empire weakened