Kingdom of Ghana

1. INTRODUCTION TO
Kingdoms of Africa
EQ: How did Ghana
become a trading empire?

2. Background Information on Ghana
• Kingdom of Ghana
lasted from 500C.E.
until 1200s.
• Existed in the
semidry Sahel,
spread between
Senegal and Niger
Rivers
– (Modern day
Mauritania and Mali)

3. How Did Ghana Develop into an
Empire?
• We don’t know for sure!
• Possibly a group of
warriors used iron
weapons to defeat
neighbors
– Ghana means “war chief”
• Control of trade (GOLD)
made king and people
wealthy

4. 13.2 Ghana’s Gov’t and Military
• Arab scholars called
Ghana “land of gold”
• Ghana ruled by
powerful king
– Head of army
– Made decisions
(justice)
– Led religious
worship

5. How did the King Preserve Wealth?
• King controlled supply
of gold
• All of the gold nuggets
in kingdom had to be
given to king (Some
chunks weighed 40
pounds!)
– Other people only
got gold dust

6. Daily Life of King
• Each day king held court
with his people
– King arrived to beat of
royal drums
– He dressed in colorful
robes, gold jewels, cap
• His people showed
respect by kneeling and
throwing dust on their
heads

7. What Happened in Court?
• King does business
within empire
• Listens to concerns of
people
• King is surrounded by
young servants,
governor, dogs with gold
collars
• LOTS OF RICHES!

8. What Did King’s Government
Officials Do?
• Officials were paid
from kingdom’s
wealth
• Officials in charge of:
– Army, business,
taxes
• King chose governors
to rule some parts of
his empire

9. When Kings Died...
• Sons DID NOT inherit
the throne!
• Royal inheritance
was matrilineal
– BASED ON
WOMEN’S FAMILY
LINE
• In Ghana, the son of
the king’s sister took
over the throne

10. Ghana’s Military
• Had regular army,
reserve forces, and elite
(top) soldiers
• Regular Army: (Thousands)
– Kept borders secure,
peaceful
– Wore cotton pants,
sandals, headdresses
– Color of soldier’s shirt, and
# of feathers in headdress
show rank
– Used weapons (Spears,
swords, bows and arrows)

11. During wartime...
• King called upon more
forces
• Every man in empire
had to complete
military training
• 200, 000 soldiers
gathered at times!
• Top (elite) soldiers
selected for courage,
honesty, intelligence
– Bodyguards, escorts,
advisors

12. Part 2 EQ: Explain How Trade
Worked in Ghana…
• Ghana between 2 trading areas
– North African forests and forests of
Southern West Africa

13. What resources did traders have?
North Traders:
-crossed Sahara
with salt, copper,
and cowrie shells
(used as $)
Traders from S.
Western Africa:
-had Kola nuts,
hides, leather, ivory,
gold, even slaves

14. Ghana’s Location
• Allowed it to
control TRANSSAHARAN trade
• Traders going
south had to pass
through Ghana
• Each time, paid
taxes
• Taxes led to
Ghana’s wealth

15. What is Trans-Saharan Trade?
• Archeologists
found evidence to
show North
Africans brought
gold from
southern forests
in 400B.C.E !
(LONG AGO!)
• Travel across
Sahara desert is
very hard

16. Increase in Trans-Saharan Trade
caused by…..
Aren’t
I
cute!!
?
• Use of camels!
– Brought to Sahara
300C.E
– Traveled well in
desert
– Drink 25 gallons of
water at a time!
– Travel many days
without stopping
• Double eyelashes
and hairy ears to
keep sand out!

17. Trade also increased because of the
spread of…
• ISLAM!
• Muslims invaded Ghana’s empire in 7th
Century
• Muslims converted West Africans to
Islam, controlled trade
– Muslims became merchants
– In 1000, Ghana dominated trade routes
between N and W Africa

19. What was the journey like for
traders coming from the North?
• Start in N. Africa, travel
along border of Sahara
• Cross Ghana, Gulf of
Guinea, to Chad
• 1352: Muslim
historian Ibn
Battuta crossed Sahara

20. Battuta described his journey as…
• Dangerous
• Caravans lost way,
some died
• No water, killed
camels, drank water
in stomachs 
• Stopped at Taghaza,
salt mines
• Got salt to take to
porters (people who
carry loads)