Ghana Empire
What two valuable goods helped Ghana become wealthy through trade?
Gold and salt
Who founded the Mali Empire?
Sundiata Keita
Which Mali ruler became famous for his great wealth?
Mansa Musa
Which empire rose after Mali declined?
The Songhai Empire
What river was important to both Mali and Songhai?
The Niger River
How did Ghana's kings make money from traders who passed through the empire?
They collected taxes on traded goods.
What did Sundiata create that helped bring peace and order to Mali?
A strong central government
What religious journey did Mansa Musa Make?
A pilgrimage to Mecca
What important city did Songhai gain that had also been important to Mali?
Timbuktu
What desert did traders cross using trans-Saharan trade routes?
The Sahara Desert
What city became important because it was located at the center of several trade routes?
Kumbi Saleh
Why did Timbuktu become an important trade center?
It was located near the Niger River and the edge of the Sahara, where many trade routes passed.
Which Songhai leader used a strong military to conquer territory once controlled by Mali?
Sunni Ali
Why was Timbuktu valuable to Songhai?
It was a wealthy trade center and also a center of religion and learning.
What religion spread into West Africa partly through merchants and traders?
Islam
Why were camels especially useful for trans-Saharan trade?
They could travel long distances across the desert and go several days without water.
How did Mali make money from goods moving through Timbuktu and other cities?
It taxed traded goods.
Which Songhai ruler helped spread Islam by supporting mosques and bringing Arab scholars to Timbuktu?
Askia Muhammad
What important resource did Songhai struggle to control compared with Ghana and Mali?
The southern gold fields
Why did Timbuktu's location help it grow?
It was near the Niger River and trans-Saharan trade routes, so traders from many regions passed through.
What is one reason the Ghana Empire eventually declined?
-changing trade routes
-conflict
-environmental changes
-loss of control over trade
Name two ways Mali was similar to Ghana.
-both became wealthy through the gold-salt trade
-both were influenced by Islam
- both depended heavily on trade routes
How were Sundiata and Askia Muhammad similar as leaders?
Both strengthened their empires through strong central leadership/government and helped organize or expand their kingdoms.
Name two factors that contributed to the decline of Songhai.
- internal conflict
- drought
- disease
- invasion
What was one major way trade shaped Ghana, Mali, and Songhai?
It brought wealth and helped the empires grow powerful. It also encouraged cultural and religious exchange.