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=AFRICAN KINGDOMS 300CE - 1500sCE=

Ghana
Ghana is now a country, even though it used to be a kingdom. Ghana's kindom lasted from 300 to the 1200s. Ghana was a very wealthy kingdom. It was very wealthy because it was in the middle of both gold and salt trade routes and had lots of iron. Salt, iron, and gold where all very valuable. Ghana was at its best durring 1000 C.E. (B.C.). Ghana's king collected taxes from merchants and had a very strong army. Many Muslims started moving in to Ghana because of its wealth. Many people adopted this religion. Later on around 1200 C.E. Ghana was often attacked by some various groups of Berbers. In 1076 Ghana's capital city Kumbi Saleh was conquered. Later on Ghana almost but not fully restored its power. Unfortunately, Ghana was fully invaded and conquered in 1240 C.E. by Sundiata Keita from __Mali__... Sumanguru was king of Soso people. In 1200s, he conquered Mali, and killed all princes except Sundiata because he was paralyzed but he was wrong because after Sundiata called as hungerling lion. After that, he get rid of Mali and get his country back. In 1240, he conquered Mali. He died in 1255. While the Mali is getting stronger, the islam also got stronger. Mali's new laws, new tax systems, and educations were based on Islam. One of the important city, Timbuktu was located in great bend in Niger river. Timbuktu has many mosques, many libraries, many stone building, and famous Muslim univercity. Mansa Musa was a great leader of Mali, he steghtened the country and helped people. Mansa Musa was also very religious. One of the Isam pillars is: "make a pilgramege to Mecca if you can afford it" Mansa Musa decided to make a pilgramage to Mecca. The caravan includede many people, there were teachers, doctors, and other people who went witzh Mansa Musa. Mansa Musa was also smart, he took all the cheifs of Mali so they would not overthrow him while he was gone. Al together, the caravan included 60 000 people! He also took lots of Gold, he shared it on the way tto Mecca and back. He gave away gold as he passed Cairo. It is said every person in Cairo had at least one peace of gold. Back home, his son was ruling very good. Later in 1332 Mansa Musa died. Mansa Musa's son's son was ruling Mali badly. Later, Mansa Sulayman came to rescue, and helped the country, he was Mqansa Musa's son's son's uncle. By 1500's Mansa sulayman dies; Mali cloapses. Songhai takes over. Islam became the most important religion in West Africa. Mali was an important region of the Islamic world in the Middle Ages. After Sundiata's death in 1255, Mali had a rich Islamic culture, new laws, a tax system and love for education. There were two important cities in Mali, Niani and Timbuktu. The city of Timbuktu started at the bend of Niger River. At the beginning, the city consisted of just a few tents and then it grew much bigger. It became a big learning and trading center. The people of Timbuktu were proud of their library, mosques, stone buildings and the university. After Sundiata died, one of his sons, named Mansa Musa, became the leader of Mali. Mansa means an emperor. Sundiata and Mansa Musa were the two most famous rulers of Mali.
 * Mali**
 * Mansa Musa and his pilgramage**
 * A Muslim Nation**
 * Timbuktu, a Center of Learning**

Songhai
The Songhai empire did not live like or with everyday people. Some people were born into a certain group that worked with horses, the other made weapons for war. People couldn't change their group or job so they would be in the same group and do the same job forever. Moslims of Songhai celebrated their new leader and his deap faith in Islam. With Askia Muhammad in controll of the governement, moslim scholars, teachers and students once again settled in Timbuktu. Askia Muhammad's final years were bleak, a bitter contrast to his early glory. One of his sons overthrew him and exiled Askia Muhammad to a lonely miserable island. In his last years Askia Muhammad was finally allowed to return back home where he died in 1538.

**Songhai**
Songhai had two princes, Ali Kolon and Sulyman Nas. Ali Kolon had led expeditions for Mali. Then Ali Kolon planned an escape from Mali. He hid food and weapons in secret places that he could use on his way back to Gac, his home country. Ali Kolon escaped with his brother and a few other loyal supporters. Chief Akil said Ammar had to be his tax collecter. Ammar sent a tetter to Sonni Ali Ber it said: I will give you Timbuktu if you get rid of Akil because he was unfair with money. Akil escaped into the desert but Ammar still got Timbuktu. Soni Ali Ber said he was muslim but didn't really follow muslim laws. People of Mali attacked Jenne lots of times but could not get past the swamps. Mali finally defeated Jenne and became main power of West Africa. Sonni Ali Ber kept the kingdom under control.

//Traders of med-evil Africa// Yusef, a trader, was in a caravan.The caravan was in the middle of the Sahara hoping to be close a oasis because it was midday and it was burning hot! He was setting to south Africa and sell all the salt he had from the mines. He had dreamed of selling all the salt he had and becoming a rich man. 200-pound cakes of salt and 2 cakes on each camel. Yusef had also seen salt houses glittering in the shimmering sun, he saw them in a village. //Ships of Desert// Yusefs camels smelled and sweated in the desert, they even spat on their masters, but Yusef was glad he had them. The camels were really special they stored their fat and could walk without water for days. Yusef was sweating and his legs hurt so he laid against a camel but Yusef knew that other people got in other and worse problems. He heard people who went through sandstorms and they had to eat their own camels for food. One day Yusefs cousin got lost and nobody heard of him again. He tried to forget all the bad things and think of the things he could buy when he would trade the salt. He could buy or trade a lot of things and one of them are slaves. Slaves were usually from wars. Then Yusef could trade again...
 * Trans-Sahara Trade Route**

Ghana 300 beginning of Ghana kingdom 1000 peak power of Ghana 1076 Kumbi Saleh is conquered 1240 Sundiata Keita captures Kumbi Saleh Mali 1307 Mansa Musa rules Mali 1324 Mansa Musa makes pilgrimage to Mecca Songhai late 1300s-early1400s Ali Kolon starts Sonni Dynasty 1468 Songhai king invades TImbuktu 1473 Songhai Empire main power in West Africa 1493 Askia Muhammad establishes Askia Dynasty

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