chapter 19, section 3

Chapter 19, section 3

1. A history of Rich Trading Empires
a. Three Trading Empires
i. The empires of Mali, Ghana, and Songhai thrived because of their positions on trade routes across the Sahara.
ii. Gold and Salt were mainly traded
iii. In 1235, the kingdom of Mali emerged, conquering Ghana, and reestablishing the gold and salt trade.
iv. The Songhai Empire took over, but was then destroyed by a Moroccan army
b. Stateless Societies
i. Stateless Societies: where people rely on family lineage to govern themselves
ii. An example of this is the Igbo of southeast Nigeria
iii. They faced challenges when colonization happened
2. West Africa Struggles Economically
a. Ghana’s Stability
i. The economy relies on exports of gold, diamond, magnesium, and bauxite
ii. Its economy is growing at a healthy rate
b. Problems in Sierra Leone
i. Some of the worst economic condition are in the area
ii. There is a 35% literacy rate
iii. Only 560 mile of road
3. Cultural symbols of West Africa
a. Ashanti Crafts
i. The Ashanti: Who live in what is now Ghana
ii. Ashanti are known for their work in weaving kente cloth
iii. Other crafts include masks and stolls
b. Benin art
i. Benin made beautiful objects of metal and terra cotta
4. Music in Daily Life
a. West African Music
i. Jazz, blues, and Reggae have origins here
ii. Over the years, they began singing in English and French, to boost popularity
5. Summary
a. This section went over the history and economy of west Africa. It talked about the growing economy of Ghana, and the poor economy of Sierra Leone. It also taught about the culture and music of the area.