Houghton Mifflin Social Studies
Chapter 5, Lesson 3: The Empires of Mali and Songhai (pp. 118-122)
I. Mali Develops a Prosperous Trade
B. Sundiata improved agriculture and restored the region's gold and salt trade, making Mali the most powerful kingdom in Africa.
B. In 1324, Mansa Musa made a famous pilgrimage to Mecca.
C. Under Mansa Musa, rich trading cities such as Timbuktu and Niani became centers of culture and learning.
III. Power Shifts to Songhai
B. Under Muslim kings, Songhai became the greatest trade empire of West Africa by the late 1500s.
IV. Songhai Collapses
B. Morocco's military campaign to capture Songhai's salt and gold mines also contributed to Songhai's collapse.
Lesson at a Glance Outline
A. In 1235, King Sundiata of Mali defeated King Sumanguru of Ghana and established his capital at Niani, on the Niger River.
II. Mansa Musa Enriches the Empire
A. Mali's greatest ruler, Mansa Musa, expanded trade, encouraged Islam, and enlarged the empire.
A. Mali gradually weakened and eventually was taken over by neighboring Songhai, a former province of Mali.
A. Eventually, Songhai was weakened Songhai by the local people's resentment of the Muslim ruling class.
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