The Empires of Mali and Songhai
Mali and Songhai Empires
Textbook lesson number three from chapter five is titled "The
Empires of Mali and Songhai". These empires were in West Africa, and were
one of the largest and most prosperous empires. The lesson assigned is intended
for sixth or seventh graders. It is comprehensible for that level but it does
not cover as much information as it should. It can go more in to depth on
certain information. For the most part it is precise on what is stated.
In 1235 the rise of the new kingdom of Mali and King Sundiata's
reign began. This happened in the Battle of Kirina, which caused King Sumanguru
to end his reign and the fall of Ghana. Sundiata was the king of Mali. He did
not fight again after the Battle of Kirina. Sundiata's goal was to restore
prosperity to his kingdom. Mali became a productive farming region and economy
was based on trade. Salt and gold mines were big factors in the expansion of
trade routes. The Niger River became a busy form of trade route for gold and
other goods. In less than 100 years Mali became the most powerful kingdom in
Africa. By the late 1300's, Mali was three times larger than what Ghana had
ever been.
In 1307, Mansa Musa, Mali's greatest ruler came to the throne. He
was a Muslim that increased the conversion to Islam. Mansa Musa is best known
for his 3,500-mile journey in 1324 to Mecca. He had about 50,000 people and 80
to 100 camels loaded with gold dust accompanying him. This helped put Mali on
the map of Africa. From the pilgrimage Mansa Musa brought back scholars with
him. Culture and learning were encouraged. The expansion of Mali increased and
was divided into states controlled by Musa's. In 1332 Mansa Musa died. Mali was
not able to be protected by other kings and fell.
The Songhai was a mixture of farmers, traders, fishermen, and
warriors. Mansa Musa ruled the Songhai but after his death they stopped paying
taxes to Mali. In 1435 Sunni Ali declared Gao's independence. Mali weakened and
by 1464, Sunni Ali began to expand his kingdom of Songhai. The Songhai Empire
expanded outside of Mali. Ali was a Muslim but not a devoted believer. When Ali
died his son took over the throne. A Muslim force overthrew Ali's son and Askia
Muhammad came to the throne. Islam was declared the state religion. At the peak
of its power in the late 1500's, the Songhai Empire was wealthier and larger
than Mali had ever been. It was the greatest trade empire of West Africa.
In 1585 Morocco captured Songhai's salt mines in Taghaza. The
Moroccan ruler wanted full control of Songhai's trade. In 1590 Morocco's ruler
sent an army to conquer Songhai. These soldiers had guns with them and
therefore captured Songhai. Songhai had not yet been introduced to guns.
Songhai was the last trading empire of West Africa. The Moroccans were not able
to find the gold mines in order to establish trade. Songhai was no longer an
empire, but a series of military camps.
The rise of the Mali Empire rose from the empire of Ghana. In the
lesson it is stated that in 1235 the empire of Ghana fell and the kingdom of
Mali rose. This statement is true according to Bentley and Ziegler, "About
1235 Sundiata returned to his homeland and claimed the throne."(429) The
lesson retells the legend of how Sundiata came to be the first king of Mali.
For the most part it is precise but it does not go in depth. This is typical
for a sixth/seventh grade lesson. It should have given more detail on Sundiata.
This lesson does not state the background of this king. In the book The
Guardian of the World, the author states the legend of Sundiata. He
describes Sundiata as
"The 'Nankama' or Predestined One, born with both legs paralyzed
but who through magic and faith curses himself of this handicap and eventually
becomes Mali's first Emperor." (9).
He was known as the "Lion King". This is something that should
have been included to make it easier for the students to remember him.
Mali's next greatest king was Mansa Musa. The lesson is not
accurate on the date Mansa Musa succeeded to the throne; the date they state is
1307. InMali: A Search for Direction the dates for the ruling of
Mansa Musa was, "Around, 1317, Mansa Musa became king, and in 1324-1325
made a pilgrimage to Mecca." (20) This source is accurate for all other
sources have the same dates.
The one fact that is correct in all sources is the great journey
of Mansa Musa to Mecca. This is the most important fact about Mansa Musa, which
is stated in all resources dealing with the Mali Empire and this king, Mansa
Musa. The lesson portrays it fairly accurate and covers the most important
facts. One important fact is that for "this pilgrimage put Mali on the map
in both figurative and cartographic terms." (Imperato 23) Another being
that he brought back with him scholars as it is stated in the article "African
Odyssey Interactive",
"He brought back a number of Muslim scholars, architects, and other
skilled men amongst whom was as-Saheli who distinguished himself by building
the University of Sankore at Timbuktu."
This fact is fairly important for the reason that it is something that
young students can easily grasp and understand how it was that education was
encouraged.
The decline of the Mali Empire is accurate, it states the reason
for their weakness and why it shifted its power to the Songhai. The shift of
power is described in the book Warriors, Merchants, and Slaves,
"the decline of Mali and the rise of Songhay in the fifteenth
century"(8). As it is stated in the lesson and other books, the Mali
Empire was attacked and eventually it was taken over by Sunni Ali who
established the Songhai Empire. The facts are somewhat square, but it does not
go in to great detail.
The fall of the Songhai Empire is also stated fairly accurate. The
facts are true and the dates go in hand with all the other resources listed.
The fact that gold and salt were one of the biggest trading products of these
empires is also true.
"The impetus for this growth and that of its capital, Gao, was the
slat trade that originated in the Taghaza mines in the Sahara and the gold
trade, over which Songhay assumed control after Mali's decline."(Imperato
23)
This lesson frequently states this to insure that it will be grasped.
Overall the facts are true and square with the sources. It does not go in depth
for the reason that it is intended for sixth/seventh grade students.
The ideas in this lesson are not really distorted in the process
of simplifying the language. The right vocabulary is used and it is to the
sixth/seventh grade level. The content is easily adapted for the reason that
the language being used is not complicated. Not many new key terms are used and
so the students know what each word means or at least have an idea for its
meaning. For this reason the content of the lesson is quickly adapted without
ideas being distorted.
Overall the lesson is a fair presentation of the subject at hand.
The ideas stated could have gone more in depth to be able to comprehend the
lesson. The ideas stated are an overview of the history. It is not intended to
go in to great detail; it is just so that the students can have knowledge of
what went on in other parts of the world. As mentioned before it is common for
the sixth/seventh grade level for they cannot take in as much information and
all they really need to grasp are the key facts in the lesson. As they get
older the topics will go more in to depth where they will be analyzed. The most
important events were covered and dated as well as the ideas.
People are mainly omitted. By this I mean all the people being man
or woman. The main focus of this lesson is on the kings and the rise and fall
of the empires. Wars and the people engaged in them are about the only ones
they include. As if the empires had no difficulties ruling the people. This can
be for the reason that it can confuse the students. They might not be able to
understand what it is that should be grasped and understood.
Mali and Songhai were the greatest trading empires of West Africa.
They were rich in gold and salt and had important kings that made the empires
prosper and expand. The empires go hand-in-hand for the reason that once the
Mali fell it just shifted power to the Songhai. The lesson states the ideas for
the sixth/seventh grade students in a manner that is comprehendible.
Resources
Andrea, Alfred J. and James H. Overfield. The Human
Record: Sources of Global History, Fourth Edition
Volume 1: To 1700.
Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2001.
Bentley, Jerry H. and Herbert F. Ziegler. Traditions and
Encounters-A Global Perspective on the Past, Volume 1:
From the Beginnings to 1500. U.S.: McGraw Hill Company, 2000.
Camara, Laye. The Guardian of the Word. New York: Random
House Inc., 1984.
Clark, Andrew Francis. From Frontier to Backwater.
Maryland: University Press of America, 1999.
Hale, Thomas. The Epic of Askia Mohammed. Indianapolis:
Indiana University Press, 1996.
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