Chapter 12

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Chapter 12 Early Societies in West Africa
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12.2 Geography and Trade

• The northern border of West Africa is the Sahara
  Desert
• The Atlantic Ocean makes up the western and
  southern borders
• The eastern edge is made up of mountains.

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• The Sahara Desert is about 3.5 million square
  miles and is about the size of the United States
• It is very dry and not suitable for large
  settlements

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The sahel (semi-desert) is further to the south-
It has enough water for some grasslands, short
bushes, and a few trees
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• The sahel becomes savanna, an area of tall
  grasslands and some scattered trees
• Long rainy season produces good farmland and
  grazing for cattle

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• The savanna becomes forest further to the south
• Woodland forest provides different kinds of trees
• Rainforest dominates the southern-most region
  

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• Trade connected the different West African
  regions
• Rivers were used to trade for highly sought-after
  goods

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II. Early Communities and Villages
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• Earliest farm communities consisted of extended
  families
• They produced most of their needs
• Traded with other families for goods they could
  not produce themselves

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• Farming communities settled south of the Sahara
  Desert
• Communities joined together to form larger
  villages

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• Development of Towns and Cities
• - Ironworking and trade fueled the growth of
  cities
• The Nok tribesmen made iron tools by 500 B.C.E.
• They used charcoal-fired ovens to melt the steel
• Blacksmiths shaped it into tools

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• Iron tools improved farming techniques, helping
  to create a demand for the tools
• Better farming from tools led to a food surplus,
  which stimulated trade
• More trade led to the growth of large towns and
  cities

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• City of Jenne-jeno, built in 300 B.C.E., was
  excavated in 1977, proving that cities existed in
  Africa long before the arrival of Europeans
• 1. Built at the junction of the Bani Niger
  Rivers
• 2. Good location for fishing, farming,
  trade
• a. Traded catfish, fish oil, onions, rice
  in exchange for salt, iron, copper, gold

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• Craftsmen included potters, metal smiths,
  weavers, leather workers, and bead makers
• Blacksmiths were most admired, as iron was a
  prized item in West Africa
• Many blacksmiths were also leaders of their
  community or village

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• IV. The Rise of Kingdoms and Empires
• Rulers of trading centers grew wealthy from
  taxes on traded goods
• They used the wealth to raise and equip an
  army to conquer other regions
• They also collected tribute from the conquered
  peoples
• West African rulers were both political leaders
  and religious leaders
• They performed religious ceremonies to please the
  gods

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Between 500 and 1600 C.E. three great kingdoms
arose in West Africa south of the Sahara Desert
- Ghana
- Mali
- Songhai
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• The king might send a governor to rule a
  newly-conquered region
• If they were cooperative, the king might allow
  self-rule

2 pictures of the great Mali King Mansa Musa
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Advantages and disadvantages of being part of an
empire

• Advantages

• Disadvantages

• King provided protection
• Armies kept trade routes safe
• Wars between cities came to an end

• Had to pay tribute to the king
• Had to serve in the kings army