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Throughout the history of the Kingdom of Aksum, growth and unity spouted through the religious element and guided the perspective of the community. In the fourth century CE, merchants of Aksum who were working to trade with Mediterraneans were exposed to new points of view. Over time, these thoughts and practices from the fellow traders impacted the ideas of the Aksumites, royals included, to switch over from polytheism to Christianity related practices (Bentley 289). Translating the Bible from English to Ethiopian and building monasteries was a large step in this direction. Stone monuments, elaborate tombs, churches built after conversion, and coins marked with crosses were all additional examples of how items were used to carry out and expand Christian beliefs. The structure of the element involved regular practices involving animal rituals, worshiping deities, and church became much more common. This was an example of how the element was present in dealing with their purpose and principles of divine beings (Ancient Agrarian Societies: Aksum). Priests in the religion and kings gained legitimacy through Christianity as examples of religious leaders. Switching over to Chrisitanity influenced politics by strengthening their trade with other countries, similar to how the religion acted as an internal and external connector. It is clear how the religious element is interlaced in the Aksum history, including aspects of daily life and community beliefs.

Works Cited

Baker, David. "Ancient Agrarian Societies: Aksum." Ancient Agrarian Societies: Aksum, www.oerproject.com/en/oer-materials/oer-media/html-articles/origins/unit3/ancient-agrarian-societies-aksum. Accessed 29 Sept. 2025.

Bentley, Jerry H. Traditions and Encounters : a Brief Global History. 2nd ed.

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The Swahili city-states reflect the political element of society through the use of taxes to enforce trade and the individual states governmental structure. Although the Swahili are all one people, each Swahili society is separated into an individual city-state. A city-state was governed by a chief. After the introduction of Islam, each ruler was supported by a council (Cartwright). The council represents the structure of the 3 functions of government: executive, judicial, and legislative. Councils were built up of trusted advisors and judges (Cartwright). The judges in each Swahili city-state council represent the Judicial branch of government. Similar to the United States, the council acted as the cabinet to the chief.

During the 12th century, The Swahili city-states had become a central hub for trading. With this influx of money entering individual city states, chiefs of Swahili city-states began enforcing taxes on the profits of any trades made within their jurisdiction (Bentley 294). The profits of these taxes allowed each chief to grow extremely wealthy. The taxes held in place by the chiefs allowed them to hold a monopoly on the profits in their region. The power that the chiefs gained through taxing their peoples trades created a structure of government that used the threat of taxes to control its people. The Swahili city-states government is an excellent example of the political element of society being used to control people and efficiently govern.

Works Cited

Bentley, Jerry H., et al. Traditions and Encounters : a Brief Global History. 2nd ed.

Cartwright, Mark. "Swahili Coast." World History Encyclopedia, 1 Apr. 2019, www.worldhistory.org/Swahili_Coast/. Accessed 26 Sept. 2025.

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"East African City-states." Charter Cities Institute, 25 June 2020, 

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Economic Element in Kilwa

Trade through the maritime Silk Roads demonstrates the economic element of society and shows how the three factors of production were present in the Swahili city-state of Kilwa. Trade goods, merchants, taxes reflect the land, labor, and capital respectively that led to Kilwa becoming a prospering civilization. Trade flourished in Kilwa as the maritime Silk Roads expanded across the Indian Ocean during the 8th century CE. Kilwa imported products including cotton, silk textiles, perfumes, and porcelain from as far away as India and China. In exchange, Kilwa exported gold, slaves, and ivory (Bentley 294). Those wares made up the land factor, since they were the resources that were required for production. Merchants in Kilwa demonstrate the labor factor, because they were the human effort that was necessary to transport goods throughout the maritime Silk Roads. They were consequently vital for the benefits of trade that impacted Kilwa. In addition to providing the labor that contributed to Kilwa’s thriving economy, they also influenced Kilwa’s social system. The influx of traders from Egypt and the Arabian Peninsula settling in Swahili city-states caused a blending of social customs, practices, and language ("Did You Know? Kilwa Kisiwani an East African Trading Port on the Maritime Silk Roads."). The final factor of production, capital, was demonstrated through the tax that Swahili city-states placed on trade. By taxing all trade that passed through, Kilwa gained wealth which led to an increase in strength, power, and influence. Kilwa transformed into a city-state filled with large coral buildings, public centers, and stone mosques (Bentley 294). Due to manufacturing and exporting goods, Kilwa became connected to kingdoms across Africa, and was able to import luxury commodities from across the Indian Ocean. Kilwa’s connection to trade on the maritime Silk Roads caused it to become the wealthiest of all Swahili coast cities (Cartwright). Ultimately, trade in Kilwa reflects how the factors of production were present in the society and that they were an essential component in creating a rich, thriving city-state.

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Ancient Zimbabwe centralized male figures in its government and relied on respect to maintain order. Firstly, success was measured by how many wives and cattle a man had. Wives were seen as labour at their disposal. They were expected to sow, tend crops, prepare food, and fetch water (Cartwright). Moreover, the government itself was led by male family heads (Cartwright). The chief was often the wealthiest man. The chief also maintained control over the trading routes. This allowed them to tax and profit from incoming trades (Bentley 295). Furthermore, the organization of the trade routes helped govern the society. Ancient Zimbabwe lacked a military or police force; instead, they depended on the respect of their elders and people in power to maintain order (Cartwright). The use of respect instead of force or violence was preferred by their society. The absence of an army to support the chief's authority led to several disputes. They were eventually conquered by a neighboring kingdom. This moral authority is an unthinkable form of government; today's society differs greatly from Ancient Zimbabwe’s. Overall, ancient Zimbabwe revolved around male power and authority. They also maintained the political stability with agreement and respect for elders.

Works Cited

Bentley, Jerry H., et al. Traditions and Encounters : a Brief Global History. 2nd ed.

Cartwright, Mark. "Great Zimbabwe." World History, Mark Cartwright, www.worldhistory.org/Great_Zimbabwe/. Accessed 27 Sept. 2025.

"Map of the Kingdom of Zimbabwe." Map of the Kingdom of Zimbabwe, www.worldhistory.org/image/10179/map-of-the-kingdom-of-zimbabwe/. Accessed 30 Sept. 2025.

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The Songhai Empire's economy can be attributed to their excellent ability to trade their valuable resources. Songhai acquired wealth through trade, exchanging gold, enslaved Africans, and cola nuts (Britannica). The Songhai empire was located in west Africa primarily along the Niger River. Their location contributed their resources, hosting gold mines and a main source of clean water. The Songhai empire had merchants that would travel across the Sahara and trade with empires across the Sahara to get resources not obtainable on their side. This revolutionized the ability to trade in Africa. Food would be provided by local markets that relied on local farms for supplies (World History Online). The Songhai Empire would also conquer neighboring kingdoms and take slaves for their kingdom. Now this was normal in ancient Africa but the way the songahi utilized them was different. They used slaves as a militia or part of the military where they would conquer more kingdoms to grow their empire. Now the Songhai weren't worried about a rebellion from the slaves because the government would allow the slaves to have a say in the overall running of the government. Overall the Songhai Empire heavily used trade to build their economy and with that economy they became the largest empire in Africa in the 1500s.

Works Cited

"African History, 500-1590." Gale World History Online Collection, Gale, 2023. Gale in Context: World History, link-gale-com.uprep.idm.oclc.org/apps/doc/DYFLMI771937564/WHIC?u=seat71728&sid=bookmark-WHIC&xid=f57aecf4. Accessed 26 Sept. 2025.

Britanica. academic-eb-com.uprep.idm.oclc.org/levels/collegiate/article/Songhai-empire/68696.

South Africa History Online. sahistory.org.za/article/songhai-african-empire-15-16th-century.

South Africa History Online. "Songhai, African Empire, 15-16th Century." South African History Online, 28 Sep. 2025, https://sahistory.org.za/article/songhai-african-empire-15-16th-century.

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The Swahili city states show the religious element through there belief in a creator god, the answers to questions of existence, and through there worship. The earliest mosque that we know of was built in the 9th century out of wood. Initially Islam traders and Arab traders came to trade in the 7th century and by the 12th century the Islam religion was the most practiced. This showed the use of the religious element  their practices. By mostly sticking with the muslim religion and by building mosques they are showing the use of worship. (Mark Carwright). The religion element is about questions of existence and it seems as though the Swahili peoples believed in the Islamic ways for a while but ultimately, they had many people of different cultures. Though they also interacted with many people of other religions the Swahili people seemed  to have had many different types of beliefs throughout. (Heba Elhanafy). This shows through the mosques built that they have been worshiping, through there beliefs they believe in one creator god, and through their many cultural beliefs that create a unique culture they are showing their many different answers to the existential question

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Great Zimbabwe National Monument, Zimbabwe

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Inside of the Great Enclosure which is part of the Great Zimbabwe ruins. By Image taken by Jan Derk in 1997 in Zimbabwe. (en:Image:Great-Zimbabwe-2.jpg) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

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Great Zimbabwe National Monument, Zimbabwe

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Great Zimbabwe National Monument, Zimbabwe

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The Artistic/Intellectual Element of Society in Zimbabwe

Great Zimbabwe’s architecture was detailed, beautiful, and innovative. It showed how Zimbabwe was connected to the Artistic/Intellectual element of society through their impressive art work. Great Zimbabwe (the capital of Zimbabwe) was a city full of revolutionary and innovative architecture such as palaces, towers, and public buildings (Bentley 295). This demonstrates Zimbabwe’s-specifically Great Zimbabwe’s-connection to the Artistic element of society through their advanced construction,which is a visual art. This is shown by the detail of what they were building. The Great Enclosure (a series of walls and fortifications made of granite blocks) had layers and designs on it. It’s also the largest single structure in sub-saharan Africa. The homes were also impressive as they were all connected and compact, allowing a lot of people to live in one city. The Acropolis (stone passageways leading to enclosures)  is also very impressive as the king and his family used to live there. Royals were often even buried in granite encased caves because that's how important the material was to their palaces (Prorok). Architecture in Great Zimbabwe was clearly very impressive and was likely a point of pride for the country. Often people forget that construction is an art, but it’s clearly a visual art and deals with beauty.Therefore Zimbabwe’s architecture connects to the Artistic/Intellectual element of society.

Works Cited

Bentley, Jerry H., et al. Traditions and Encounters : a Brief Global History. 2nd ed.

Derk, Jan. Inside of the Great Enclosure which is part of the Great Zimbabwe ruins. 1997. Explora, Salem Press Encyclopedi, 2022, research-ebsco-com.uprep.idm.oclc.org/c/pbiv4s/viewer/html/3gz6ugmyv5. Accessed 30 Sept. 2025.

Prorok, Carolyn V. "Great Zimbabwe Urbanism and Architecture." Explora, Salem Press Encyclopedia, 2022, research-ebsco-com.uprep.idm.oclc.org/c/pbiv4s/viewer/html/3gz6ugmyv5. Accessed 27 Sept. 2025.

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The Kingdom of Mali represents a political monopoly through its use of force to maintain order. The Kingdom of Mali was organised into provinces where each province had a governor, and each town had mayors. A mayor would be responsible for taxes, justice, enforcement, etc, however, all of these provinces were ruled by the mansa or king. The mansa had complete military control (with the help of few advisors) and deployed large armies to stop any rebellions in the smaller kingdoms and to safeguard the many trade routes.

Bentley, Jerry H., et al. Traditions and Encounters : a Brief Global History.

2nd ed.

"The Empire of Mali (1230-1600)." South African History Online, 30 Sep. 2025,

https://sahistory.org.za/article/empire-mali-1230-1600.

Netchev, Simeon. "Map of the Mali Empire." World History Encyclopedia,

https://www.worldhistory.org#organization, 29 Apr. 2024,

www.worldhistory.org/image/18903/map-of-the-mali-empire/.

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The dark yellow spots of this image are gold fields.

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The Kingdom of Ghana represented the economic element by using gold to sustain itself through taxing trade and making gold the kingdom’s main export to gain commodities from northern Africa. The Kingdom of Ghana sourced its gold from the Senegal, Niger, and Gambia rivers, a region that was plentiful in gold, showing the land element in the three factors of production. Within the kingdom, once gold was mined, it was transported back to the capital, where it would either be collected by the king, who kept all large nuggets of gold for himself. This meant that the gold that was in circulation with lower classes as their form of currency was mainly dust that had come from previously eroded gold nuggets in the rivers. Over time, the value of gold slowly began to lower, due to there being such larger amounts collected and being put into circulation, even as dust.

Gold was in high demand in northern Africa, encouraging trade between the two large economies. Northern Africa was able to provide a highly demanded commodity to the kingdom, salt. Ghana was more centrally focused on the continent for a kingdom, and not having major access to the coast as they already were close to rivers. Along with salt, which provided flavor and a means for drying meat, other examples of human needs and wants were cloth, horses, and small manufactured wares, such as tools. Finally, aside from gold, traders from Ghana provided slaves and ivory to merchants from further north (Bentley 291).

Works Cited

Aa77zz. "Trans-Saharan Trade Routes." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 01 Mar 2019, https://www.worldhistory.org/image/10148/trans-saharan-trade-routes/. Web. 01 Oct 2025.

Bentley, Jerry H., et al. Traditions and Encounters : a Brief Global History. 2nd ed.

Department of the Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas. "The Trans-Saharan Gold Trade (7th–14th Century Century)." In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/gold/hd_gold.htm (October 2000)

"Ghana." Britannica Academic, Encyclopædia Britannica, 14 Apr. 2009. academic-eb-com.uprep.idm.oclc.org/levels/collegiate/article/Ghana/36657. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.

"Kingdom of Ghana: Primary Source Documents." Kingdom of Ghana, www.bu.edu/africa/outreach/teachingresources/history/ancient-to-medieval-history/k_o_ghana/.

"The Story of Africa: West African Kingdoms." The Story of Africa: West African Kingdoms, BBC, www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/africa/features/storyofafrica/4chapter1.shtml.

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Alicia Zhang

Early World History

Ms. Lindberg

1 October 2025

African Kingdoms: Kingdom of Ghana

The social element of society in the Kingdom of Ghana is reflected in its culture, which is heavily built on stratification and hierarchy, with influences from kinship, class, and local traditions that were commonly passed down through oral storytelling. This is seen through the patrilineal system that the kingdom of Ghana’s society followed, as well as in the multiple classes of people, from the elite to slaves. The quote, “The kingdom of Ghana was led by a king, also known as the ghana (meaning “war chief”). The king led the army, controlled trade, and was the primary administrator of justice. Despite the broad powers of the king, his direct control over the kingdom did not extend beyond the capital city of Koumbi Saleh,” and “All available evidence suggests that the kings were all male,” show how gender played a role in the rulers of the Kingdom of Ghana and the roles that the king had as the ruler, which is part of the aspect of stratification in the social element. The influence and existence of the king and local rulers demonstrate the hierarchical aspect of the Kingdom of Ghana’s social structure, stemming from their ranked authority. ("History, Society, Kinship, and Kingship in the Kingdom of Ghana.") The quote, “Local traditions were preserved through oral storytelling and griots (historians and poets),” illustrates how indirect education played a crucial role in preserving the culture and traditions of the Kingdom of Ghana. An example of how the Kingdom of Ghana displayed direct education would be in this quote: “Islamic scholars taught Arabic, the Quran, and Islamic law.” This illustrates how students learn languages, likely through direct practice of speaking and doing. ("Daily Life in the Kingdom of Ghana.") These points and textual evidence demonstrate the presence of the social element in the social structure of the Kingdom of Ghana, particularly in the way it displays stratification and hierarchy within the kingdom. The Kingdom of Ghana also shows how a person’s gender may influence their life, which is part of the differentiation aspect of the social element. Stratification is explicitly displayed in the Kingdom of Ghana through the influence of lineage and kinship on a person’s life and place in society, particularly how a person’s lineage or occupation determines their social class.

Works Cited

"Daily Life in the Kingdom of Ghana." The Archaeologist, 23 Mar. 2025, www.thearchaeologist.org/blog/daily-life-in-the-kingdom-of-ghana-1. Accessed 30 Sept. 2025.

"History, Society, Kinship, and Kingship in the Kingdom of Ghana." PBS Learning Media, static.pbslearningmedia.org/media/media_files/sigvxbn7z70fhgugnpd5eur59q4a2aww.pdf. Accessed 30 Sept. 2025.

"Kingdom of Ghana." UShIstory.org, www.ushistory.org/civ/7a.asp. Accessed 30 Sept. 2025.

"SOCIO-POLITICAL STRUCTURE OF THE ANCIENT GHANA EMPIRE." fctemis, fctemis.org/notes/4498_sociopolitical%20structure%20of%20the%20ancient%20Ghana%20empire.pdf. Accessed 30 Sept. 2025.

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Kingdom of Ghana, Mali Empire, Songhai in Africa

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Explore the historical significance of Kingdom of Ghana, Mali Empire, and Songhai in Africa. Dive into the Mystery of History Volume 2, Lesson 45 for an insightful journey through time.

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Mali Map - The Empire of Mali (1230-1600)

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Artistic/Intellectual Element in the Kingdom of Mali

The Kingdom of Mali demonstrates the artistic portion of the artistic/intellectual element of society through its detailed visual, literature, and performance arts. The Djenne Terracottas were visual representations of men with weaponry, both with quivers and one on horseback from the 13th-15th century. These figures highlight the importance of the military, especially the cavalry. The Kingdom of Mali supposedly had a cavalry unit of over 100,000 strong. Since horses are not native to this region of Africa, they require a lot of care to maintain (National Museum of African Art). Production and sustainability of this unit shows that the kingdom had a powerful economy, able to support high expenses. Another piece of art from this region is the Epic of Sundiata. This story is based on a tale from the area, and performed by specialized performers, known as griots (Bentley 283). Live performances included a version of the story, accompanied by music from traditional instruments and visuals using hand motions or props (The Sunjata Epic). This tale was subsequently transcribed as literature in the 20th century. Overall, the Kingdom of Mali, through the Djenne Terracottas, and the Epic of Sundiata, exemplifies the artistic part of the artistic/intellectual and the visual, literature, and performance arts.

Works Cited

"Mali." Encyclopedia Britanica, Editors Of Encyclopedia Britanica, www.britannica.com/biography/Musa-I-of-Mali. Accessed 29 Sept. 2025.

Mali Informational. Mali Empire, www.worldhistory.org/Mali_Empire/. Accessed 29 Sept. 2025.

Mali Storytelling. How Storytelling Affected Mali, files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ903865.pdf? Accessed 29 Sept. 2025.

Mali Summary. The Empire of Mali (1230-1600), sahistory.org.za/article/empire-mali-1230-1600. Accessed 29 Sept. 2025.

"The Sunjata Epic." Youtube, www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuA0hDluS04.

Traditions and Encounters : a Brief Global History. 2nd ed. E-book ed., Bentley, Jerry H., et al.

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Mateo Andrade

The Sonhai Empire had a well-organized social structure, one of the largest and most powerful in West Africa. Social class played a big role in how individuals lived; each group had its own role. At the top was the emperor, known as the Askia. Just below him were the nobles, royal family members, and military leaders. These people had high status, owned land, and were responsible for protecting the empire and maintaining order. Below them was the middle class, made up of merchants, traders, and skilled workers. These individuals were crucial to the economy and contributed significantly to Songhai's wealth through trade (“Songhai Empire”). Some gained respect and higher status because of their success, even if they were not born into noble families. Most people belonged to the lower class, including farmers, herders, fishers, and laborers. They worked hard to support the empire but had little power or influence (Songhai Empire[Gale]). At the bottom of the society were enslaved people, who had no rights and were often forced to work in homes, farms, or the military. Social class in Songhai was usually determined by birth, and it was difficult to move to a higher class; however, people who succeeded in trade or became educated had a small chance to improve their status. The empire’s social structure helped it stay organized, but also created inequality.

Works Cited

Gale World History Online Collection. "SongHai Empire." SongHai Empire, go-gale-com.uprep.idm.oclc.org/ps/retrieve.do?resultListType=RELATED_DOCUMENT&searchType=ts&userGroupName=seat71728&inPS=true&contentSegment=&prodId=WHIC&docId=GALE|VQUSUW056135940&it=r.

H, Bentley Jery. Traditions and Encounters.

Bentley, Jerry H., et al. Traditions and Encounters: a Brief Global History. 2nd ed.

"Soghai Empire." Britannica, academic-eb-com.uprep.idm.oclc.org/levels/collegiate/article/Songhai-empire/68696.

"Songhai empire." Britannica Academic, Encyclopædia Britannica, 17 Apr. 2023. academic-eb-com.uprep.idm.oclc.org/levels/collegiate/article/Songhai-empire/68696. Accessed 26 Sep. 2025.

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Religion in Ghana and its conversion to Islam had major effects on economics there through the relationships it built with traders and merchants and its inclusivity of multiple religions. The kings of Ghana allegedly converted into islam sometime around the tenth century. One of the reasons that Ghana was successful through this conversion. “The kings of Ghana made no attempt to impose islam forcibly on the society nor did they accept islam exclusively for their own purposes" (Bentley 292). Conversion in a large society is oftentimes unsuccessful because of a new religion being mandated by authorities. If they included multiple religions, their population would grow and Ghana would attract more visitors and residents.

“Ghana's leaders might have understood that tolerating Islam would be beneficial to trade.” (Ghana Empire). Their awareness towards this topic is very likely since Islam was so widespread at the time. The second phase to this plan was to bring in more merchants, traders and travelers. Doing this brought more income into the city, making the king even more wealthy. Some of their strategies were to build religious buildings, keep religious figures in the woods surrounding the palace, and to respect and allow people to access and practice magic. The amount of mosques they had in the city showed their commitment and devotion to the religion (Fink).

Works Cited

Fink, Ichard, and Aileen Carlson. "Rise and Fall of Ghana." Salem Press Encyclopedia, Salem Press, 1 Sept. 2022. Topic Overviews 6-12, research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=46972ce3-57b5-3c3a-820e-9f979d032f2b.

"Ghana Empire." Gale World History Online Collection, Gale, 2022. Gale in Context: World History, link-gale-com.uprep.idm.oclc.org/apps/doc/OYKVYW390521092/WHIC?u=seat71728&sid=bookmark-WHIC&xid=449169c7. Accessed 26 Sept. 2025.

Bentley, Jerry H., Ziegler, Herbert F., Streets, Heather E., Barrosse, Emily.

Traditions & Encounters: A Brief Global History. New York: McGraw Hill,

2006

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Owen Luke

Priscilla Lindberg

Early World History

9/30/25

Political Element

The political element is shown in the Songhai empire because there government is run by an emperor. This emperor rules the government but also has people looking over certain parts of the empire since they grew a lot in the time they were still running. They grew as the military conquest when on and they took over land. When they were taking over this land they created districts with around 35 cities inside of each of these districts. Each district was maintained by the government and over looked by the Emperor who over time got servants to keep there economic state running.

The empire had people called “Local leaders”. These people had close relations with the emperor but were still not considered apart of the government. Which came with the Local leaders they had “The intellectual elite”. These people were the heads of the educations, artisans, and the religion leaders. They also had the people called “The political elite” These people were the runners of the government. They were the imperial advisors, ministers, governors, and other regional leaders.

Works Cited

"Songhai Empire." Brittanica, academic-eb-com.uprep.idm.oclc.org/levels/collegiate/article/Songhai-empire/68696.

"Songhai Empire." Gale World History, go-gale-com.uprep.idm.oclc.org/ps/retrieve.do?tabID=Reference&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&searchResultsType=SingleTab&retrievalId=31cece8d-941b-44e3-b970-a8ead6876bc6&hitCount=42&searchType=BasicSearchForm&currentPosition=5&docId=GALE%7CCX3048600061&docType=Topic+overview&sort=Relevance&contentSegment=History-World-Misc&prodId=WHIC&pageNum=1&contentSet=GALE%7CCX3048600061&searchId=R2&userGroupName=seat71728&inPS=true.

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The Christian Kingdom of Axum connects with the political aspect of society because it had a monopoly on violence to maintain order in many ways. The kingdom of Axum expanded and in 321 AD, King Ezana of Axum and his royal court all converted to Christianity. The court sent monks, foreign and native went and created churches over the next few decades. They taught people about Christianity and tried to convert Pagans into Christians. They repressed pagan practices to consolidate power and create more unity within Axum. They also invaded many neighboring territories, and taught more people about Christianity. Axum had a standing army, good politics and useful faculties and amenities for the people. They had their governing zone in the ancient city of Axum. They traded and through that trade, Axum adopted many ideas from other cultures. “Another example of Axum's tendency to profitably mix ideas from different cultures can be seen in the kingdom's coinage, the first sub-Saharan kingdom to have its own mint (World History Encyclopedia).” The coins, called the King Ezana coins with his face on it, proved the financial stability of Axum. The coins show the political aspect of Axum because due to their monopoly on order in the area, everyone followed their laws and used Axum’s coins.

Works Cited

Bentley, Jerry H., et al. Traditions and Encounters : a Brief Global History. 2nd ed.

The Editors of Encyclopedia Brittanica. "Aksum." Brittanica, Encyclopedia Brittanica (Inc.), 20 July 1988, www.britannica.com/topic/history-of-Ethiopia. Accessed 29 Sept. 2025.

---. "Aksum." Brittanica, Encyclopedia Britannica (Inc.), 20 July 1988, www.britannica.com/topic/history-of-Ethiopia. Accessed 29 Sept. 2025.

Cartwright, Mark. "Kingdom of Axum." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 21 Mar 2019, https://www.worldhistory.org/Kingdom_of_Axum/. Web. 29 Sep 2025.

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The Social element was a key part of the kingdom of Aksum. In this kingdom, there were many social classes. The social classes include: royalty, nobles, merchants, artisans, farmers, and slaves. All of these played distinct roles in their society. This kingdom was stratified, and the mighty royals ruled over the lesser people of the kingdom. “The king, known as the Negus (Emperor), was at the top of society, ruling with absolute power” (“Daily life in the Aksumite Empire: A hub of Trade, Culture, and Power.” The Archaeologist). This connects with the social element that we have been learning about because the key part of stratification is very prominent in this society. The Aksum kingdom has also been influenced by some of the major countries across and around the Red Sea, with which it exchanged. One of these countries was Saba, and they were known to have migrated to Aksum in the first millennium BCE. However, “Aksum did not originate from one of the Semitic Sabaean kingdoms of southern Arabia but instead developed as a local power” (Aksum, Encyclopedia Britannica). This also means that the divine, all-powerful kingdom of Aksum was created from the start on its own and merely had a little input from others from the various trading routes. In conclusion, the social element was a key factor for the trading and hierarchy systems of the people of Aksum.

Works Cited

Britannica Academic. Accessed \.

https://academic-eb-com.uprep.idm.oclc.org/levels/collegiate/article/Aksum/5305

"Daily Life in the Aksumite Empire: A Hub of Trade, Culture, and Power." The Archaeologist, Mar. 2025, www.thearchaeologist.org/blog/daily-life-in-the-aksumite-empire-a-hub-of-trade-culture-and-power. Accessed 29 Sept. 2025.

"The Kingdom of Aksum." National Geographic, education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/kingdom-aksum/.

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Gold was a major part of the economic element in the Mali empire. Gold was obtained through both mining within the empire (Geography | Virginia Department of Education) and through trade (Cartwright and Brink). Gold is a natural resource that was mined from the Senegal and Niger rivers, and while the possession of gold nuggets was restricted to the king, merchants were allowed to use gold dust as a currency in trading. During its second golden era, the Mali King Mansu Musa had managed to spend or give away so much gold as to crash the price of gold by 20% (Cartwright and Brink). This means that gold had become a fully fledged currency, its value depending on the market rather than its actual value. The existence of a currency and extensive trade routes shows the specialization of the merchant class, a factor of society.

Works Cited

Bentley, Jerry H., et al. Traditions and Encounters : a Brief Global History. 2nd ed.

Cartwright, Mark, and Carsten Ten Brink. "Mali Empire." World History Encyclopedia, May 2024, www.worldhistory.org/Mali_Empire.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. "Mali." Encyclopedia Britannica, 25 Aug. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/place/Mali-historical-empire-Africa. Accessed 29 September 2025.

"The Empire of Mali (1230-1600)." South African History Online, sahistory.org.za/article/empire-mali-1230-1600.

Geography | Virginia Department of Education. www.doe.virginia.gov/teaching-learning-assessment/k-12-standards-instruction/history-and-social-science/instructional-resources/mali-ancient-crossroads-of-africa/geography.

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The Social element was a key part of the kingdom of Aksum. In this kingdom, there were many social classes. The social classes include: royalty, nobles, merchants, artisans, farmers, and slaves. All of these played distinct roles in their society. This kingdom was stratified, and the mighty royals ruled over the lesser people of the kingdom. “The king, known as the Negus (Emperor), was at the top of society, ruling with absolute power” (“Daily life in the Aksumite Empire: A hub of Trade, Culture, and Power.” The Archaeologist). This connects with the social element that we have been learning about because the key part of stratification is very prominent in this society. The Aksum kingdom has also been influenced by some of the major countries across and around the Red Sea, with which it exchanged. One of these countries was Saba, and they were known to have migrated to Aksum in the first millennium BCE. However, “Aksum did not originate from one of the Semitic Sabaean kingdoms of southern Arabia but instead developed as a local power” (Aksum, Encyclopedia Britannica). This also means that the divine, all-powerful kingdom of Aksum was created from the start on its own and merely had a little input from others from the various trading routes. In conclusion, the social element was a key factor for the trading and hierarchy systems of the people of Aksum.

Works Cited

Britannica Academic. Accessed \.

https://academic-eb-com.uprep.idm.oclc.org/levels/collegiate/article/Aksum/5305

"Daily Life in the Aksumite Empire: A Hub of Trade, Culture, and Power." The Archaeologist, Mar. 2025, www.thearchaeologist.org/blog/daily-life-in-the-aksumite-empire-a-hub-of-trade-culture-and-power. Accessed 29 Sept. 2025.

"The Kingdom of Aksum." National Geographic, education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/kingdom-aksum/.

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Economy in Great Zimbabwe

Gold, ivory, and slaves are considered the things that made them the most profitable when it comes to trading in Zimbabwe. This country has gained a considerable reputation for being a center of trading. where goods such as beef and a wide variety of dairy products are sold and exchanged. Dairy products made up about one-fourth of the total agricultural money during most years in the history of Great Zimbabwe, looking at how important to the economy ti the econimy thay are when it comes to gold and ivory. Gold is one of these things that make up for a large part of these products. The exact amount of money made from them selling gold and ivory is difficult to tell exactly, because there are no real records to figure out how much they made. So all we know is that they were rich in material, and they sold things like this that were in high demand during that period of time. This unknowingness makes it hard to fully understand the exact amount it contributed to the economy of Great Zimbabwe.

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Kesai

The political element is incorporated in the Kingdom of Ghana, due to the system that was in place, in order to run a successful and strongly led kingdom.

The Kingdom of Ghana was around for a long time, before developing into a state during the 4th or 5th century CE. The kingdom quickly grew in size and wealth in the 6th-13th century CE.

The Kingdom of Ghana had a hierarchical structure, to make sure the empire and its people were being run smoothly. The person with the most power and rule was the King, who oversaw a multitude of things- such as, being the head controller of the army, maintained order and stability in the empire, and controlled all aspects of trades. Another thing he would traditionally do, was hold public conferences/meetings, in order to get the public’s insight and complaints about things that weren’t going so well. Alongside the king, was a range of different groups of people who helped with the kingdom.​​​ The council of elders, who gave the king advice on religion and state, whilst also acting as a legislative and judicial body for their community and the local people. Next is counselors and ministers, who overlooked multiple government sectors, such as the armed forces, tax collection, and trades with foreigners. As well as influencing the king’s authority- they mainly dealt with social issues, like keeping the peace and being standby at public conferences or meetings to answer any questions. Lastly, civil servants managed foreign affairs, collected taxes and trades, and recruited soldiers to help within the empire’s army.

As the kingdom kept expanding and growing in territory and resources, civil servants were also responsible in enforcing control. The king also made regional officials and governors being held at the royal court, to make sure the loyalty of their home provinces were still intact.

The political system in place made it so the empire was well-run and used their resources to the best of their abilities.

Works Cited

Bentley Text

Kingdom of Ghana https://www.bu.edu/africa/outreach/teachingresources/history/ancient-to-medieval-history/k_o_ghana/