2.4 North Africa and West Africa Saharan Kingdoms

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts from the study of the West African Saharan kingdoms of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai.

Kingdom of Ghana

The first massive kingdom in West Africa that traded salt and gold to other parts of the world.

Trans-Saharan Trade

The trade region and network operating across the Sahara, connecting West Africa, Central Africa, the Middle East, and Europe primarily through gold and salt.

Camel Saddles

The key technological invention that made trans-Saharan trade possible by carrying riders and goods weighing as much as 600 pounds.

Mali Kingdom

The West African empire that succeeded Ghana, officially declared itself an Islamic Nation, and became the largest gold trade empire in the 13th and 14th centuries.

Mansa Musa

The most influential Malian king who made a famous pilgrimage to Mecca in 1324, giving away massive amounts of gold and impacting Egypt's economy.

Hajj

The Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca made by King Mansa Musa in 1324 accompanied by 2,000 people and a large quantity of gold.

Timbuktu

The capital city of the Mali Kingdom that served as a center of culture, trade, Islamic worship, and education housing early universities and a large library.

Griots

Traditional West African oral storytellers who passed down history, traditions, and stories from one generation to the next.

Mansa

The title for a king in the Mali Empire, who claimed a percentage of all gold discovered in the kingdom.

Kingdom of Songhai

The third kingdom to rule the West African region after Mali, characterized by a strict form of Islam and the use of cannons and guns in warfare.