OF WEST

FRICA

Q TEXT SUMMARY
kingdom of Mali crushed Ghana and won
By A.D. 100, farming villages in West
control of the gold trade routes. Mali built
Africa were growing into towns. Over
the great trading city of Timbuktu.
time, these tow'ns became part of an
Timbuktu became a center of learning.
important trade network. Gold and salt
Around 1450, a new kingdom called
were the most important products trad-
Songhai emerged. The ruler of Songhai
ed. People needed salt in their diet to pre-
built the largest state that had ever exist-
vent dehydration, or the loss of water.
ed in West Africa.
There was plenty of salt in the Sahara,
Muslim merchants brought their reli-
but there was little in the
T t i £ BIG IDEA gion when they settled throughout West
savanna. There, a block of salt
West A f r i c a n rulers Africa. In time, however, Islam became an
was worth its weight in gold.
built powerful important influence. The emperor of
Strong West African rulers
kingdoms by gain- Mali, Mansa Musa, converted to Islam. He
created powerful kingdoms.
i n g control of trade based his system of justice on the Quran.
These kingdoms gained control
routes a n d defeat- West African kingdoms also used Muslim
of the trade routes. By 800, the
i n g t h e i r enemies. military technology. They adopted
kingdom of Ghana controlled
Muslim ideas, including the written lan-
trade in gold and salt across
guage, coins, and business methods.
West Africa. Around 1250, the

M GRAPHIC SUMMARY: Kingdoms of West Africa

Ghana (800-1000) Mali (1200-1450) Songhai(1450-1600)

• Controls trade in gold and salt • Mali conquers kingdom of Gtiana • Songhai grow/s into largest West
across West Africa African state

• Women work in business and • Mansa Musa becomes great • Controls important trade routes
government emperor

• King lias Muslim advisers • Maii controls gold trade routes • Emperor sets up Muslim dynasty

• Timbuktu becomes a great trading

city and center of learning

West Africa w a s the home of three important civilizations.

!:i R E V I E W QUESTIONS
1. What were the two most important 2. C h a r t Skills Which kingdom
products traded in West Africa? conquered Ghana?
 lADE ROUTES OF EAST

M T E X T SUMMARY
T h e kingdom of A x u m was located on Over time, this blending of cul- THE BIG IDEA
the coast of East Africa. I n A.D. 350, A x u m tures resulted i n a new language
Trade routes across
conquered and absorbed N u b i a . A x u m called S w a h i l i . Swahili mixed
the I n d i a n Ocean
controlled a trade network that linked .Arabic words w i t h Bantu, an
linked East Africa
Africa, I n d i a , a n d the Mediterranean .African language.
w i t h other regions.
world. I n the cities of A x u m , Africans
m i x e d w i t h people from other lands.
I n the 300s, the king of A x u m convert-
ed to Christianity. Over time, Christianity
Ei GRAPHIC SUMMARY:
spread throughout the kingdom. C i v i l war
and the spread of Islam in Northern Africa The Rise of East African
led to the decline of A x u m . However, peo- Trading Cities
ple living i n the mountains continued to
• Early trade with Phoenician, Greel<,
practice C h r i s t i a n i t y . These people
Roman, Arab, Chinese, and Indian
became the ancestors of the Ethiopians. merchants
Ethiopian Christians borrowed m a n y dif- ' Trading communities set up on the
ferent traditions from other cultures. They eastern coast

adapted East African music and dance.

They observed Jewish holidays and rules
about diet.
While A x u m declined, other trading East African trading cities develop
cities arose along the East African coast. I n
the 600s, Arab and Persian merchants set
up M u s l i m communities there. By 1000,
merchant ships from port cities such as
SHORT-TERIVl EFFECTS LONG-TERIVl
Mogadishu sailed to India to trade. Trade EFFECTS
led to a m i x i n g of cultures i n East Africa. • Growth of cities
on coast into ' Rich mix of
strong city-states cultures
• Rise of slave trade > Development
• Introduction of Swahili
of crops and language
animals from
Starting in the 600s, trading the Middle East
cities grew along the East and Asia
African coast.

Ei R E V I E W QUESTIONS
1 . H o w d i d the S w a h i l i language 2. C h a r t S k i l l s N a m e t w o results of
develop? the rise of East A f r i c a n trading
cities.

I Prentice-Hall, Inc. . Guide to the Essentials CHAPTER 12 79