Warm-up #13 • How might the different climates in West Africa affect settlement patterns and the growth of towns?
Dec 17, 2015
Warm-up #13• How might the different climates in West
Africa affect settlement patterns and the growth of towns?
Warm-up #13• How might the different climates in West Africa
affect settlement patterns and the growth of towns?
• People would be more likely to settle and develop cities in hospitable regions like the savannah in West Africa.
• People would live in the savannah or forest near river valleys (like how Ghana was between the Niger and Senegal rivers) where they could go food.
Trade and African EmpiresEssential Question
What role did trade have on the development of Ghana?
I. Ghana• Between Sahara Desert and deep forests make
perfect location for trade and could access the Niger and Senegal Rivers. – Early farmers banded together for defense. Used iron
tools for farming and weapons, herded cattle, and had surplus food.
• Ghana became a powerful trading empire in Africa.• Location between the gold and salt gave control over
trade.• Took over neighboring tribes but let kings remain in
power over local areas. • Peak of empire was under Tunka Manin.
II. Economics
• A. Economy was built on controlling the trade of gold and salt.
Africa has:
Gold
Africa wants:
Arabia has:
Arabia wants:
Gold
B. Importance of Salt• Survival– You need salt to live.– We lose salt when we sweat. It’s
hot in Africa. Therefore, they sweat and lose salt. Without it, they die.
• Food – it flavors and preserves food.
• It cannot be made anywhere. Need a place to allow salt water to evaporate and leave salt. The desert is the perfect place to do this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bi9bJhRZtKA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G24Yc8DijLM
Ponder
How much salt do you think it would take to equal the
value of a pound of gold?
Well, now how much would you pay?
But wait, don’t’ answer yet, there’s more!
C. Salt for Gold • Africans were willing to trade 1 pound of gold for 1
pound of salt.• Arabians were willing to trade 1 pound of salt for 1
pound of gold.– Source of gold was kept a secret to limit the supply and
increase demand. • Used Silent Barter (exchange goods without direct
contact) to keep peace. – Salt traders went to riverbank and left slabs of salt and beat
a drum to tell the gold traders to trade. Then leave. – Gold traders came by boat and left whatever amount of gold
they thought was fair and took the salt. The left. – If the salt traders were happy with the deal they beat the
drum again, took the gold, and left. Gold minder would come take their salt. Kept trading until everyone was happy.
Gold
Big Desert
Salt
Excuse me, may I buy some cheap salt?
I will trade my valuable salt for your
“worthless” gold!
III. Influence of Trade • Ghana’s rulers gained wealth and power from
trade.– Army took control of trade from the merchants and
protects them from bandits. • By 800 almost all trade routes between and south Africa go
though Ghana. • Accessed other goods like wheat, sheep, cattle, and honey. • Capital Koumbi Saleh becomes great trading center.
– Taxed traders for goods when entering and leaving the empire. Conquered tribes paid tribute.
– Kings kept some of the gold from mines because all gold produced was officially property of the king.
– Only king could own gold nuggets everyone else could only have gold dust.
Ponder
Look at the location of Ghana on the
following map. Why do you think it was
built there?
IV. Influence of Islamic Beliefs • Which goods came ideas as a result of
trade:– some of Ghana’s kings converted to Islam and
combine it with traditional beliefs. • Rulers hired Muslims to high up positions in
government because they could read and write. • Muslims also advised the Kings.
–Ghana’s upper class converted to Islam. • Learned Arabic to study the Qur’an• Muslim ethics influence government, law, and
culture.
V. Ghana Falls 11th centuryA. Invasion - Muslim Almoravids declare war on
Ghana1. Went to war because Almoravids wanted other Muslims
to follow their interoperation of Islam.2. Were traders who envied the wealth of Ghana. 3. Trade was weakened by the war and Ghana’s capital was
seized in 1076.
B. Overgrazing - Almoravids brought herd of animals that ate all the grass, causing soil erosion. Farmers had to search for new homes.
C. Internal Rebellion – 1200 conquered people rebelled against Ghana making it weak to attack from other neighbors.