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Read this secondary source by professor Michael Gomez on the Songhai Empire's political structure, especially that of Timbuktu City. Don't read striked parts. 

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READING GUIDE QUESTIONS:
1. What does Songhai's government structure resemble? What aspects reflect a centralized government and a bureaucracy, and what contradicts this?
*consider the arguments the author proposes about the relationship between imperial officials and the qadi*

2. What was the main objective of the leaders of Songhai (Sunni Ali and the Askias)? What did the qadi and scholars of Timbuktu value? What is the common link between the two groups' values?

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Read this primary document by Leo Africanus in the 16th century, an Arab traveler who went to Timbuktu City and left this description. 

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READING GUIDE QUESTIONS:
1. What is the infrastructure and urban planning of Timbuktu like?

2. What goods are brought in from other countries? What does Timbuktu have to offer?

3. Why might the King have such a large number of men guarding him? Consider the previous document and how succession was like in the empire.

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Read this continued secondary source by Michael Gomez on economic structure of the Songhai Empire. Don't read striked-out parts.

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READING GUIDE QUESTIONS:
1. What was the tax system in Timbuktu? How does it compare to Ghana or Mali's economic system with gold?

2. What might have been the relationship between Timbuktu and Gao in the Songhai Empire? What role did economy play in the relationship?

3. What impact might Islamic laws have made on the economic state of Timbuktu and Gao?

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Read this primary document by Al-Umari, an Arab scholar. This describes Mansa Musa, King of Mali, and his trip to Cairo during his famous Mecca pilgrimage. 

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READING GUIDE QUESTIONS:
1. What was the purpose of Mansa Musa's Pilgrimage?

2. How did Mansa Musa's actions affect the value of Gold? What does this say about him as a person?

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Read the primary document written in the 12th century by Islamic scholar Al-Bakri. Keep in mind this is not his first-hand account. 

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READING GUIDE QUESTIONS:
1. How might the role of religion in the empire, especially the differences between King Tankamanin's religion and the religion of his subjects, account for the downfall of Ghana?
*refer to introduction for review of the empire's fall*

2. Why might the King flaunt wealth through the ornaments he wears and the decorations of the palace? What customs and practices in place also reflect this reason?

3. How does the King handle the gold found in the empire, and how does he facilitate trade? What might this economic system prevent?

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GHANA POLITICAl, SOCIAL, ECONOMIC DOC (1)

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Read this 1967 source that summarizes the ancient Songhai myth "Moses of the Son of a Spirit" from the 12th century. Additional information in Google Doc.

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READING GUIDE QUESTIONS:
1. How was the name Mousa decided? Knowing that the Songhai people were predominately Muslim, what might this tell us about Songhai religious beliefs?

2. What might the relationships between Mousa and his fiancee in the story tell you about the real relationships between Songhai men and women?

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Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

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This padlet will go over the empires of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai through examining the political, social, and economic structures of each. Following this, students will read 3 myths and legends and use this knowledge to create their own works.

THE LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

1. Understand the development of the empires of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai, and identify differences that arose and similarities that were maintained.
2. Understand the trans-Saharan gold trade and how the empires managed or utilized their natural resources through markets, tax, and traditions.
3. Identify unique cultural elements including the role of religion, especially with conflict, social classes, and infrastructure.
4. Identify significant leaders of the empires and the governmental structures that were in place during their reigns.
5. Analyze 3 significant myths/legends and understand how they reflect cultural and historical contexts of the empires.

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Read this primary document about Mali by Ibn Battuta from his travels in "Travels in Asia and Africa, 1325-1354." 

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READING GUIDE QUESTIONS:
1. What does Ibn Battuta say about the sultan's character (Mansa Sulayman) and the gifts he grants him? Why might this be?
*consider the previous document and what happened during Mansa Musa's rule*

2. What qualities does Ibn Battuta detail about the Mali people? Why does Ibn Battuta look favorly on the "good" qualities, and why does he dislike the "bad" ones?

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Read this excerpt, translated from French to English, from the 13th century primary document on the "Sundiata Epic." Additional information in Doc. 

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READING GUIDE QUESTIONS:
1. What was Sundiata like as a child? Why was Sassouma Bérété against him? What might this reveal about political and social realities of the Mali Empire?

2. Looking at how the war between Sundiata and Soumaoro was depicted, what are some real values that can be inferred about the Mali Empire?

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Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

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Read this textbook reading that recites an ancient legend from Ghana: "The Legend of Wagadu" from the 4th century. It includes variations of the legend. 

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READING GUIDE QUESTIONS:
1. Although there are some obvious mythological parts, what are some possible aspects that could reflect real social realities of the Soninke people?

2. It states throughout the legend that there are different variations of parts of the story itself. What people or groups of people might want to change certain parts of the story and why?

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Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

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Read this textbook reading, "Great Empire of the Past: Empires of Medieval West Africa," to introduce the development of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai. 

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READING GUIDE QUESTIONS:
1. What events contributed to the rise and fall of the Ghana, Mali, and Songhai empire?

2. Although the Mande, Soninke, and Songhai people all have close similarities especially in culture, what could account for some of the differences between them?

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Read this primary document from the 12th century written by Al-Idrisi, an Islamic scholar who used maps and geography to formulate an understanding of Ghana.

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READING GUIDE QUESTIONS:
1. What is revealed about how the King treats Islam? Is he tolerant and respectful of the religion?

2. Why is the "nugget of pure gold weighing thirty pounds" important to the King? Why might it be important for political purposes?

3. What is the reputation of Ghana to others from this time? What are some positive attributes Al-Idrisi talks about that are important to the kingdom?

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Read this supplemental document from the Department of the Arts of Africa in the MET on the gold trade in Mali to understand the development of economics.

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READING GUIDE QUESTIONS:
1. How did Islam impact gold producers? What does this reveal about Mali rulers and how much value they put into the religion?

2. What were the effects of gold in Cairo? What did these effects mean for other areas in the future?

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Read historian J.D. Fage's secondary source about Ancient Ghana along with a primary source written by Baghdad geographer Al-Masudi.

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READING GUIDE QUESTIONS:
1. What was the trading system in Ghana? What can you infer about the empire from this system?

2. What were the incentives for Muslims to travel to Ghana? What did they do after coming to Ghana?