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What two goods drove the trans-Saharan trade, and in which directions did they move?
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All Flashcards in Topic 21.5
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21.5.112 cards
What two goods drove the trans-Saharan trade, and in which directions did they move?
Gold moved north (from West African goldfields like Bambuk and Bure); salt moved south (from Saharan sites like Taghaza).
Define 'jihad' as used in the Almoravid conquest of Ghana.
A religious military campaign undertaken by Muslims, in this case launched by the reformist Almoravid Berber movement from the 1050s.
Why were monsoon winds essential to Indian Ocean trade?
They reverse direction seasonally, letting dhow sailors travel out to Africa/Asia and back within a single year using predictable wind patterns.
What was Kumbi Saleh, and how was it physically organized?
The capital of the Ghana Empire, split into a royal town (traditional religion, royal court) and a separate Muslim merchant quarter with mosques.
Describe the process by which Islam typically spread into a West African trading kingdom.
Merchants converted first for trade/legal benefits, then ruling elites converted for diplomatic and administrative advantages, then scholars settled and built lasting institutions (mosques, schools).
Who was King Afonso I of Kongo and why does he matter?
Born Nzinga Mbemba, ruled 1509-1543; became Catholicism's most committed royal sponsor, building churches and corresponding directly with the Pope.
How did Ghana's kings keep control over gold supply, according to al-Bakri?
All gold nuggets found belonged to the king by law; ordinary people could keep only gold dust, preventing an oversupply that would crash gold's value.
What succession system did the Ghana Empire use, and why is it notable?
Matrilineal succession — the throne passed to the king's sister's son, keeping succession within the royal bloodline through female descent rather than direct father-to-son inheritance.
Compare how Islam spread in West Africa versus how Catholicism spread in Kongo.
Islam: gradual, over centuries, via trade contact, merchants/scholars often first. Catholicism: rapid, within a generation, via direct royal diplomacy with Portugal, king converted first.
List three combined causes of the decline of the Ghana Empire (beyond the Almoravid jihad alone).
Disruption/diversion of trade routes, loss of tribute from breakaway vassal chiefdoms, and environmental strain (overgrazing/desertification) around Kumbi Saleh.
What ended Ghana's power vacuum in 1235, and who led it?
Sundiata Keita defeated the Sosso kingdom in 1235 and founded the Mali Empire on former Ghanaian territory.
What goods flowed along the Indian Ocean trade network, and in what basic exchange pattern?
Africa exported slaves, ivory and spices; in exchange, textiles, glass beads and ceramics (e.g. Chinese porcelain) flowed back into Africa.
21.5.212 cards
Who founded the Mali Empire and how?
Sundiata Keita, by defeating Sumanguru Kante of the Sosso kingdom at the Battle of Kirina (c1235).
What was Mansa Musa's most famous act as ruler of Mali?
His pilgrimage to Mecca in 1324, giving away so much gold in Cairo that its value fell there for years.
Why did Mali have more gold wealth than Ghana?
Mali controlled the Bure goldfields, a richer gold source, in addition to trans-Saharan trade routes Ghana had also used.
Who was Abu Ishaq al-Sahili?
An architect Mansa Musa brought back from his Mecca pilgrimage; he built mosques and buildings in Timbuktu.
What caused Mali's decline?
Succession disputes after Mansa Musa's death, attacks from neighbouring peoples (including Songhai), and loss of control over trade routes.
What is the Manikongo?
The title of the king who ruled the Kingdom of the Kongo from the capital Mbanza Kongo.
Who was Afonso I of Kongo?
King Nzinga Mbemba (r. 1509–1543), who converted to Catholicism, strengthened royal power through the new faith, and tried to limit the slave trade with Portugal.
How did the Kingdom of the Kongo first make contact with Europeans?
Portuguese sailors reached the Kongo coast in 1483, opening trade and religious contact with the Manikongo.
Compare how Mali and Kongo used religion to strengthen their states.
Mali's rulers adopted Islam to gain legitimacy and links with North African Muslim traders; Kongo's kings adopted Catholicism to gain legitimacy and links with Portugal.
What was Kilwa's role among the Swahili city states?
Kilwa was the most powerful Swahili city state by the 14th century, controlling access to the gold trade linked to Great Zimbabwe.
What made Indian Ocean trade possible for the Swahili coast?
Predictable seasonal monsoon winds let ships travel reliably between East Africa, Arabia, Persia and India.
What is 'cosmopolitan Swahili culture'?
A blend of African Bantu social structures with Islamic religion, Arabic-influenced language, and Indian Ocean architectural styles, produced by centuries of coastal trade contact.
Topic 21.5 study notes
Full notes & explanations for Trade and the rise and decline of African states and empires (800–1600)
History exam skills
Paper structures, command terms & tips
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