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Jan 1, 600
The Start of the Ghana Empire
This empire was established around in 600 A.D. The first people of the Ghana empire were farmers.
Did you know that the Ghana empire suffered a lot of droughts because much of their land was by or inside the Saharan desert? -
Jan 1, 700
The Ghana Empire (Continued) Trade
The people of the Ghana empire started to stop raising animals like cattle and sheep. Then they started to trade ivory, slaves, and gold with other Arabian empires that were in the north and east of them. -
Jan 1, 1062
The Ghana Empire (Continued)
In 1062 A.D. Tenkamenin became the ruler of Ghana. This king built prisons for enemies, temples, and good looking tombs for other important officals.This king ruled a very wealthy kingdom under his ruling. -
Jan 1, 1076
Ghana(Continued)
In 1076 A.D., Muslim invaders captured the capitcal of Ghana empire, which caused it to start crumbling. -
Jan 1, 1203
Ghana(Continued)
In 1203 A.D, Sumanguru, a king during that time,tried to return glory to Ghana and revive it's honor. -
Jan 1, 1203
Ghana's End(600-1235)
In 1203 A.D, Sumanguru, king of Ghana tried to restore Ghana but a new kingdom, Mali, was rising and gaining power to the east of it.
In 1235 A.D. Mali defeated the last king of Ghana. -
Jan 1, 1236
The Start of Mali
When Ghana was crumbling, Mali took its place as the best kingdom in west Africa. In 1236 A.D, a magician and warrior,named Sundiata. became the king of Mali. -
Jan 1, 1240
Mali
In 1240 A.D, Sundiata destroyed the capital of Ghana and took over the gold and salt trade.Now Ghana was no more. -
Jan 1, 1307
Mali(Continued 1307-1324)
In 1307 A.D, Mana Musa(Sundiata's grandnephew) became ruler of Mali.In 1324 A.D he visited the holy city Mecca . During his trip he brought thosands of slaves and hundreds of pounds of gold to show his wealth. This caused him to be very popular. -
Jan 1, 1332
Mali's End(1236-1464)
In 1332 A.D Mansa Musa died. He left behind a empire that was governed by law and had a good econmy. During his time no European country had intense patriotsim, but the empire of Mali did. During the 15th century a bigger and greater power was rising; the Songhai empire. -
Jan 1, 1464
Songhai(Rise of an Empire)
In 1464 A.D, Sunni Ali, a Muslim leader of Songhai, defeated the forces of Mali and became the ruler of the most powerful empire in the West Africa -
Jan 1, 1493
Songhai(Continued) Askia Muhammed
Askia Muhammad who was considered Songhai's most brilliant leader, took the throne. This ruler encouraged learning, trade, and increased power of the Songhai's army by forcing countries to provide extra soldiers. -
Jan 1, 1497
Songhai(Continued)
In 1497 A.D Askia made a pilgrimage to Mecca and returned with doctors, architects, scientists, and scholars to help build his flourishing empire.Songhai still grew and prospered becasue Askia opend inded polices. During his ruling banks, schools, mosques, and courts were made for the citizens of Songhai. -
Songhai's End(1340-1700)
The Songhai empire was the most powerful empire in West Africa until 1700 A.D when the invading forces of Morocco and Spain destroyed the last of the African empires. -
Did You Know
Did you know that the king of Ghana became a Muslim? He taxed goods passing through the kingdom and also created a huge army to collect payments(taxes) for protection from neighboring countries.
