Songhay

1
Songhay

• Ancient kingdom of West Africa

2
Songhay

• The first large city in Songhay was Kukya.
• The Berbers, nomadic people, established a
  settlement later called Gao.
• Gao became the most important trade and
  commercial center in Songhay.
• Gao was settled in two sections One by Moslem
  traders and the other by Songhay people.

3
Songhay

• Gao once fell to Mali, but was later recovered by
  Songhay princes.
• The brothers, Ali Kolon and Sulayman Mar
  (princes) founded a new succession called the
  Sunni.
• As Mali weakened, Songhay recaptured Timbuktu in
  1468.
• The Songhay army captured Jenne in 1473.

4
Songhay

• The conquest of Jenne and the union of the two
  royal families (King Ali and Queen mother of
  Jenne) established Songhay as the leading power
  of West Africa.
• After Sunni Ali died, Askia Muhammed Toure became
  king.
• Askia did much to reestablish the religion of
  Islam. He was known as Al Hajj, which means the
  pilgrim.

5
(No Transcript)
6
Ashanti Ancient and Modern

• West Africa

7
Ashanti

• The Ashanti tribe has a current population of
  more than 2 million and is the largest ethnic
  group in modern-day Ghana.
• They are widely known for their skill in
  handicrafts including wood carving, pottery, and
  the weaving of brightly colored cloth called kente

8
Ashanti

• In the 19th century, a series of wars with Great
  Britain gradually weakened the Ashanti kingdom.
• In 1902, the area was declared a British colony.
• Ghana achieved full independence from the British
  in 1957.