African Empires and Trade

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Caravans

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Groups of people traveling together for mutual protection, often with pack animals such as camels.

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Camel Saddle

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Saddles developed by South Arabians as the use of the camel spread.

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Ghana Empire

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First of the great medieval trading empires of western Africa known as the Land of Gold.

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Mali Empire

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West African empire from 1235-1400 with trading cities Timbuktu and Gao.

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Mansa Musa

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Brought Mali to its peak of power and wealth from 1312 to 1337; displayed Mali’s wealth during an extravagant pilgrimage to Mecca.

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Mecca

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City in western Arabia that was the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad; ritual center of the Islamic religion and destination for pilgrimages.

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Mogadishu

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City in the coastal region of East Africa.

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Sahara Desert

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Large desert in northern Africa with an arid climate that makes farming nearly impossible.

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Songhai Kingdom

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An Islamic empire established in the 1400s after the decline of the Mali Empire in West Africa.

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Sundiata

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Mali’s founding ruler who gained control of the gold trade routes.