African History

Sample Lesson - Introduction

Lesson 2.10: Ancient Ghana and the Trans-Saharan Trade

What has two thumbs and helped create the Ghanaian Empire? Well…not camels, because of the thumbs thing.
(Source)

We all enjoyed that little trip to the kibbutz version of ancient Africa. But now, it's time to go back to the good ol' fashioned kingdoms, again. The kind with, you know, kings? We're going to hang out a little longer in West Africa, but jump a few hundred years into the future. We'll land in a powerful, important kingdom called Ghana.

Which is not to be confused with the Republic of Ghana (a nation on the coast of Western Africa with a population of over 25 million). Not that Ghana. This Ghana was founded on the southern edge of the Sahara desert in about 300 CE, just a bit north and inland from present-day Ghana. It was one of the earliest and richest kingdoms of West Africa, and provided the foundation for a bunch of powerful kingdoms that came afterward, like Mali and Songhai. You'll hear more about those realms in the next unit in the context of the spread of Islam in medieval Africa.

But for now, we're going to focus on the ancient roots of those great civilizations, and of early Ghana. Why was this such a prime spot for empire building (dude, that's a giant desert—how great could it possibly be?)? Why did Ghana emerge in the 300s? What made it so rich and powerful? And what animal can run as fast as a horse, can go six months without food, and likes to spit on people for fun?

Sample Lesson - Reading

Reading 2.2.10: Gold and Camels

Go Go Gadget, Camel!

Before we talk about the specifics of Ghana itself, we should talk about the creatures that made it great. It's always dangerous to reduce massive historical events down to a single factor—because, duh, history is complicated—but we think it's safe to say that the introduction of camels had a serious impact on West African development.

These days, a four year old can drive a battery-powered vehicle up to eight miles per hour. We can take a car, train, bus, or plane and arrive pretty much anywhere we want to go in a few days. We may need to off-road in a Jeep, do some hiking, or get in a canoe, but we'll get there.

Back in the infant days of the first millennium, the hot rides had four legs, not four wheels. Horses, elephants, oxen, yak: if you could ride it, or use it to haul your stuff, you domesticated that baby.

Around 200 CE, camels from the Arabian peninsula started arriving on the African continent. By 300 CE or so, they had made their way across the Sahara Desert and into West Africa.

Camels are basically the perfect pack animals for the Saharan Desert environment. They can withstand the desert's extreme temperatures—both the brutal heat of the day and the bitter cold of the night. They have a double set of thick eyelashes to protect their eyes from the sand (it is the desert, after all). Camels have soft feet that can handle walking on the shifting dunes. And camels can go days—up to two weeks—without eating or drinking.

Naturally, as soon as camels came on the scene, people started venturing further and further into the Sahara Desert, eventually meeting up with the folks on the other side in West Africa. Thus began an era of booming trade, with gold, salt and even slaves going back and forth across the formidable Saharan desert.

Read about the Trans-Saharan Trade and its impact on West Africa. You can stop reading after the "West African Empires" section. As you read, ponder the following queries:

• What products were exported from West Africa? What products were imported to West Africa?
• How did the caravans travel across the desert?
• Why was the location of Ghana so advantageous?
• What major empires arose in West Africa as a result of the Trans-Saharan trade?
• What are some common characteristics of the West African empires?

The Empire of Ghana

Thanks to camels, the kingdom of Ghana could finally take advantage of all the gold they were sitting on. Literally, Ghana was sitting on gold mines. They had gold swords, gold shields, even gold saddles. But there are only so many everyday objects you can make out of gold. The Soninke people of Ghana needed to trade their gold for other valuable stuff, like salt, jewelry and books. And, of course, more camels.

Thanks to these hearty desert beasts, and a killer location in the middle of the trade network, the kingdom of Ghana could exchange their gold far and wide. Ghana prospered both from their abundant natural resources (gold, obvi) and their system of taxation. Read this article about their history and their ultimate demise. And consider the following questions as you do:

• What does the name "Ghana" mean?
• When and by whom was the kingdom of Ghana founded?
• What was the role of the griot in West Africa?
• How did the salt-gold trade happen, and why was it so important?
• How did the silent barter system work?
• How did Ghana's system of taxation add to its success as a kingdom?

Since we're already reading about West Africa, we may as well keep going and learn about two other important West African empires: Mali and Songhai. These two big Kahunas rose to power chronologically after Ghana. Just keep scrolling down the article, and bear these questions in mind as you read:

• When and where was the empire of Mali located?
• How did Sundiata help turn Mali from a loose group of communities into a great empire?
• Who was Mansa Musa and why was he important?
• Why did the Mali Empire enter into decline?
• Who was Ali-Ber?
• Why is Songhai considered the most well-organized empire in ancient Africa?
• How and why did the Songhai Empire crumble?

Sample Lesson - Activity

Activity 2.10a: Let's Caravan!

The concept of "caravanning" seems a lot different in ancient Africa than today in the US. We think of caravanning as following your friends' cars to the football game, not trekking across a dangerous, wild desert landscape. However, the basic concept remains the same: there's safety in numbers.

Crossing the Sahara was a Very Big Deal. Even with camels, this wasn't a walk on the beach. From the sandstorms to the dehydration to the raiders, trouble was literally at every turn. But, ah, when you emerged on the other side, what did you find? Gold. Or salt, depending on which direction you were heading. Either way, like we said, Very Big Deal.

Maybe it still seems like no biggie. So what, some dudes traded gold, salt, and slaves on the backs of camels. Across a desert.

Well, let's see if we can make a more lasting impression.

Step One

First, go read this article about the Saharan Desert. Pay special attention to these sections: Introduction, Physical Features and Physiography, Drainage, People, and Transportation. And answer the following questions as you go. Not because we love asking questions (okay, maybe we do), but because your responses will help you in the second part of the assignment.

You're welcome.

Answer each question in 25 – 50 words.

• Approximately how many miles across is the Sahara Desert, in the north-south direction and in the east-west direction?
• What different types of topography are found in the Sahara Desert?
• What water is available in the Sahara?
• What is life like for people living in the Sahara?
• What were some of the hazards of traveling across the Sahara by caravan?

Step Two

Now, the fun part. Imagine you've got a load of gold to get from Timbuktu to Tunis. Uh, across the desert. Your job will be to plot a course for your camel caravan. How will you cross the desert? Where will you stop along the way? What obstacles will you try to avoid?

In either digital or physical form, draw a map of the Sahara and plot your course on it. Your route should definitely not be a perfectly straight shot, because there are a few geographic obstacles between those two points. Make sure your map includes the following requirements:

• Include at least four cities marked on the map. Two of them should be Timbuktu and Tunis.
  
  • Here's a blank map of Africa to get your started. It already contains modern political boundaries, so it saves you one step.
• Include modern political state names (for reference) and approximate ancient boundaries as applicable (for example, the borders of ancient Ghana). Use color, shading, or another technique to distinguish between ancient and modern states.
• Look up maps of both modern and ancient Africa. Here are some starting points:
  
  • Pre-colonial map of Africa
  • Political map of Africa
  • Google map: Timbuktu to Tunis
• Mark your journey using known trade routes through the desert. You'll need to conduct some research for this step! Here are a couple resources to help you get started:
  • Historic Map of Africa circa 1400
  • Ghana Trade Routes
• Include at least three topographical features on your map, such as oases, wadis, mountain ranges, ergs, etc. 
• Make your trade route map look good. Whether you're a minimalist who prefers clean lines and monochromatic color schemes, or an artist who likes to illustrate and use vibrant colors, you can make a map that is pleasing to view.

In addition to the graphic, write about 100 words explaining why you chose the route you selected. Include as many specific details as possible, including safety concerns and geographic obstacles.

Here's an example of what we're looking for in your written response:

In order to get from Timbuktu to Tunis, we'd have to travel a whopping 3,854 kilometers. It would take three days to drive this route today, and about 70 days to cross it via camel caravan back in the glory days of the Trans Siberian trade boom. We'd want to travel north through the towns of Arawan, Taodeni, and Taghaza. After reloading with supplies, it would be a long haul to the next stop at Sijilmasa at the foot of the Atlas Mountains. We'd have to be very wary of raiders along this portion of the route, since it's a long stretch of unguarded territory. Finally, we'd curve our route north and east as we traveled the final leg to Tunis, to avoid hitting the Grand Erg Oriental.

When it's finished, upload your responses to Steps One and Two below. We don't know about you, but we're planning a Trans Saharan road trip after this one.

Sample Lesson - Activity