This stuff is deep and complicated...........thus my emphasis on moving forward...........there is only so much u can do in a day.....................and togetherness is the most imp. point to me.........and re examining........this is very involved.......

Regents Prep: Global History: Movement:African Trading Kingdoms

BackgroundThe African Trading Kingdoms consist of three main cultures, Ghana, Mali, and Songhai, all located in West Africa.  All three kingdoms maintained vast trading networks across the Sahara desert and into the Middle East and North Africa.  The main exportwas gold, which made each kingdom wealthy and strong, and provided them with the conditions necessary for cultural and intellectual achievementIslamic InfluencesGhana, Mali, and Songhai were all influenced by Islam to different degrees.  The kings of Ghana often had Islamic advisors, while Mali and Songhai established Islamic Empires after converting.  In Mali, the emperor Mansa Musa was famous for his pilgrimage to Mecca, one of the Five Pillars of Islam.  This pilgrimage gained Mali closer ties with the Islamic world, and increased trade and cultural diffusion between Mali and the Muslim Empire. Spread of Ideas During the 1400s, Timbuktu became a center of learning under the leadership of Mali emperor, Mansa Musa. Again, this is the influence of Islam, with Islamic scholars traveling from around the Muslim world to study and teach and the University of Timbuktu.  This interaction helped to spread ideas about Africa to the outside world. CommerceGhana, Mali, and Songhai established trade routes that were in use for centuries.  Early trade networks were setup inside of Africa.  As these networks grew and became more prosperous, they expanded to include the Mediterranean and then eventually Europe.  Trade goods included gold, salt, cooper, iron, various minerals, and agricultural products.  A negative effect of this interaction was the start of the slave trade, when Europeans needed a cheap, reliable labor source for their New World colonies. Migrations Many migrations occurred throughout Africa.  This resulted in a diversity of cultures across the continent as ideas and beliefs were spread.  African cultures included hunter-gatherers, fishers, farmers, and cattle herders.