WEST AFRICA

1. WEST AFRICA BEFORETRANS-ATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE Produced by: Rolande Chue-Edwards Jan 2011

2. ANCIENT MAP OF WEST AFRICA Produced by: Rolande Chue-Edwards Jan 2011

3. WEST AFRICA Produced by: Rolande Chue-Edwards Jan 2011

4. WEST AFRICA • An important feature of ancient civilization of West Africa was that its people, its goods and culture moved all over the world. So there were exchange of scientific ideas, technologies and culture between Asia, Europe, the Mediterranean and West Africa, particularly in the areas of agriculture and industrial production. Produced by: Rolande Chue-Edwards Jan 2011

5. West Africa states • Savanna States: Ghana Borno Songhai Mali • Forest States: Oyo Benin Dahomey Ashante Produced by: Rolande Chue-Edwards Jan 2011

6. West African Empires Produced by: Rolande Chue-Edwards Jan 2011

7. THE POLITICAL SYSTEM • The empire of Songhai and the kingdoms of Mali, Benin and Kongo were large and powerful with monarchs heading complex political structures governing hundreds of thousands of subjects. In other areas, political systems were smaller and weaker, relying on agreement between people at village level. As in 16th century war-torn Europe, the balance of power between political states and groups was constantly changing. Produced by: Rolande Chue-Edwards Jan 2011

8. ECONOMY • They made fine luxury items in bronze, ivory, gold and terracotta for both local use and trade. • West Africans had traded with Europeans through merchants in North Africa for centuries. The first traders to sail down the West African coast were the Portuguese in the 15th century. Later the Dutch, British, French and Scandinavians followed. They were mainly interested in precious items such as gold, ivory and spices, particularly pepper. • From their first contacts, European traders kidnapped and bought Africans for sale in Europe. However, it was not until the 17th century, when plantation owners wanted more and more slaves to satisfy the increasing demand for sugar in Europe, that transatlantic slaving became the dominant trade. Produced by: Rolande Chue-Edwards Jan 2011

9. ECONOMY • It was gold from the great empires of West Africa, Ghana, Mali and Songhai which provided the means for the economic take off of Europe in the 13th and 14th centuries and aroused the interest of Europeans in western Africa. When the famous historian of Muslim Spain, al-Bakri wrote about Ghana in the 11th century, he reported that its king 'rules an enormous kingdom and has great power'. The king of Ghana was said to have an army of 200,000 men and to rule over an extremely wealthy trading empire. In the 14th century, the west African empire of Mali was larger than western Europe and reputed to be one of the largest, richest and most powerful states in the world. • Gold and salt was a major West African export to the mediterranean and Europe. • They also had a thriving textile export industry as early as 8th century. Produced by: Rolande Chue-Edwards Jan 2011

10. European views of Africa before the Slave Trade • Before the devastation of the Transatlantic Slave Trade important diplomatic and trading partnerships had developed between the rulers of European countries and those of Africa who saw each other as equals. Some of the earliest European visitors to Africa recognised that many African societies were as advanced or even more advanced than their own. Produced by: Rolande Chue-Edwards Jan 2011

11. social • Art, learning and technology flourished and Africans were especially skilled in subjects like medicine, mathematics and astronomy. • They were technological advanced in agricultural practices, had a very keen interest in education, • The were skilled at iron technology and trade in iron goods. Produced by: Rolande Chue-Edwards Jan 2011

12. Social • . The empire of Songhai was known, amongst other things, for the famous university of Sankore based in Timbuktu. Aristotle was studied at Sankore and also subjects such as law, various branches of philosophy, dialectic, grammar, rhetoric and astronomy. In the 16th century one of its most famous scholars, Ahmed Baba, is said to have written more than 40 major books on subjects such as astronomy, history and theology and he had his own private library that held over 1500 volumes. One of the first reports of Timbuktu to reach Europe was by Leo Africanus. In his book, published in 1550, he says of the town: 'There you will find many judges, professors and devout men, all handsomely maintained by the king, who holds scholars in much honour. There too they sell many handwritten north African books, and more profit is to be made there from the sale of books than from any other branch of trade.' Produced by: Rolande Chue-Edwards Jan 2011

13. Ghana, Mali, Songhai were all ruled by monarchs, and prosperous economies and trading contact with Europe they depended on Gold-Salt trade, tax on trade. • All three were influenced by Islam, their rulers were converted to Islam. The growth of Islam encouraged the spread of literacy. • All rulers had strong Military background which helped to expand their territory Produced by: Rolande Chue-Edwards Jan 2011