the states of west Africa and east Africa
●
powerful kingdoms/imperial states ruled west africa
●
earliest kingdom=Ghana
●
controlled/taxed trans-Saharan trade in gold>>Ghana kings gained financial resources
needed to maintain a large army & influence west african affairs
●
Mali empire replaced Ghana for power in west africa
●
mali rulers used ghana policy of controlling trans-saharan trade
the songhay empire
●
Mali empire weaken>>songhay emerged>>took place as dominant western grasslands
power
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based in trading city Gao
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rejected Mali authority>>raids in deep Mali territory
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Songhay ruler Sunni Ali
○
campaign to conquer neighbors & reinforce/strengthen songhay empire
○
took trading cities Timbuktu and Jenne
○
used ^ wealth to dominate central Niger valley
songhay administration
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sunni ali=built elaborate administrative/military apparatus=oversaw affairs in realm
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governors=oversee provinces
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instituted a hierarchy of command>> turned army into effective military force
●
created an imperial navy=patrol niger=important commercial highway in songhay empire
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trans-Saharan trade=traded gold, slaves for salt, textiles, metal goods
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emperors=Muslim
○
supported mosques, built schools teaching the Quran, maintained an Islamic
university @ Timbuktu
○
like ghana and mali, for them Islam=a cultural foundation for cooperation w/
muslim merchants and islamic states that were in north africa
■
so like they used it to get in good w muslims for good
trading/political/economical relationships… i think
○
even tho ^ they didnt abandon traditional religious practices
fall of songhay
●
moroccan army=had muskets, opened fire on songhay (who used to be invincible and
prosperous and all)
●
songhay weakened>>subjects revolted
●
songhay empire crumbled>>small regional kingdoms/city states in west africa
○
Kanem-Bornu, Kongo,
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trading people like diula&mande=established series of states>>entered commercial
relations w european merchant-mariners
●
atlantic trade in west african society=increased in prominence & worked against interest
of imperial states like mali and songhay(they relied on control of trans-saharan trade to
finance their empires)
●
basically regional states displaced the songhay empire in west africa
swahili decline
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the swahili city-states in east africa fell on hard times
●
vasco da gama=portuguese mariner
○
made his way up the east african coast when traveling to india
○
lought with local forces @ mozambique and mombasa
○
on 2nd voyage to india=forced ruler Kilwa to pay tribute
○
followers used cannons on swahili ports along east african coast
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massive portuguese naval expedition restrained all swahili cities from sofala to
mombasa
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portuguese built administrative centers @ mozambique and malindi
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constructed forts throughout region
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hoped to control trade in east africa
●
didnt succeed ^
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disrupted trade patterns>>sent swahili cities into a decline>>never recovered
the kingdoms of central africa and south africa
the kingdom of kongo
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- Fall '07
- Austin
