Between 3000 and 1600 BC Powerful empires and trading states flourished in widely separated areas of Africa These

se were very different societies, reflecting the diversity of African geography, culture, and people.

Kingdom of KUSH The Empire of AXUM Ancient GHANA MALI Empire SONGHAI Empire

 Kingdom of Kush flourished from 750-

150BC. Located south of Egypt on the Nile River (known today as the country of Sudan) The Kushites had been Egyptian subjects.

750BC They invaded and conquered Egypt The Kushites made themselves the 25th dynasty of the pharaohs of Egypt.

630 BC The Kushites were no longer able to defend Egypt against outside attacks and were driven back to their own land. There they continued to rule independently from their capital of Meroe. Around Meroe were valuable iron deposits that the Kushites learned to utilized

1st century BC Meroe was carrying on a lively iron trade with Egypt, Arabia, India, Ethiopia, and portions of Africa in the farther south King and Queens of Kush used riches from trade to build walled palaces, huge temples, and burial pyramids.

The use of iron began to

spread in Africa about 500BC. Iron plows enabled farmers to increase food production and also as a military advantage.

Kush declined by about 200

AD while its neighbor, Axum, grew in power.

 Axum carried on a thriving trade with

the Mediterranean world and with Asia. Traders brought gold, ivory, and animals hides from the interior of Africa to ports on the Red Sea Arab traders settled alongside the farmers and merchants of Axum.

324 AD King Ezana of Axum and his people were converted to Christianity Around 600 AD, the spread of Islam across North Africa broke the connection between the Christian world and Axum

King Ezana

 Empires grew In the West African

Savanna Cities grew up on the edge of the desert The towns in the northern savanna of Africa were much like port cities

More than eight centuries

They took turn as capitals of

three powerful empires: Ghana, Mali, and Songhai. Gold was exchanged for salt across Sahara

A rich gold-mining area lay in a

wide forest region called Wangara Gold from Wangara was the basis for profitable trade.

 Traders brought the gold through the

forest to the savanna They were met by other traders from the cities of the North African coast who exchanged goods for the gold and carried it across the Sahara to cities in the Mediterranean

From there, much of the gold

was shipped for sale in Europe and Asia One important item needed by the West African was salt.

SALT

Mali had a series of rulers who

were unable to control a big empire after Mansa Musas death. Songhai tried to seize power Sonni Alis goal was to conquer Timbuktu.

SONNI ALI

 It is in Timbuktu where gold from

the south and salt from the north flowed However, Timbuktu was taken over by the nomadic raiders known as the Tuaregs. Timbuktu was attacked and captured by Sonni Ali in 1468.

TUAREGS

 His cavalry carried swords and long

spears. His infantry were armed with bows and poison arrows In the face this strong force, Tuaregs fled. His soldiers looted the city and had many people killed. They described him as horrible tyrant.

 He captured other cities of Mali

and ruled their for 35 years. The wealthy trading city Djenne was Sonni Alis next target His soldiers encircled Djenne in a siege.

 With the capture of Djenne, Songhai

dominated the trans-Saharan trading routes. Later, rulers conquered more territory which made Songhai the largest of West Africas trading empire. Sonni Alis son ruled for a few months and was later deposed by Askia Mohammad

 Took control of Songhai and he set out

to conquer more lands The empire grew big to include most of the grasslands to West Africa

 It reached from the Atlantic Ocean

halfway across Africa to Lake Chad, from what is today the southern border of Algeria He was an able administrator who gave the empire an improved system of government

 He strengthened Islam

He appointed Islamic judges to

enforce laws which is based on the Quran He encouraged Islamic scholarship

 Scholars learned to read and write

Arabic so that they can study the Quran. He sets up fair method of taxation and an efficient system of communications with the province.

 Timbuktu became a leading center

of Islamic learning, during his reign. Songhai was considered as the most organized tribes in West Africa.

 Morocco is jealous of its power and

wealth. Songhai was invaded by the Morocco because of unable rulers of Songhai.

 The Moroccans captured Timbuktu

and other cities but unfortunately, they were not able to hold the empire together. A number of provinces, cities and small groups broke away. As the empire collapsed, its once thriving cities slowly declined.