With the introduction of camels, Ghana’s trade greatly increased. The Soninke were in contact with the nomads of North Africa. From the nomads, the Soninke got horse in addition to the iron weapons. This allowed the people of Ghana to make a powerful kingdom.

Politics:

Eventually, Ghana started dominating neighboring kingdoms and expanding their land. By the tenth century, the kingdom became an influenctial empire. This constant expansion gradually started to increase their wealth. This led to Ghana becoming a mystery to foreigners.

Society:

Additionally, Ghana’s society was based upon a strict hierarchy. These social classes were based on birth, wealth, and labor. At the top was the king then followed by wealthy merchants. Each social group had set professions that only they could do. This rigid hierarchy shows how stratified the society was.

Mali's economy relies on farming, mining, and services. It became one of the richest and most powerful empires in West Africa. The economy thrives due to gold and salt trade. After Mansa Musa's pilgrimage where he shared his wealth, this attracted trade and scholars which boosted the economy even more.

Politics:

Mansa Musa not only contributed to Mali's wealth but also the country's political view. Due to his wealth and how he would give it out while on his Hajj, it was so well known that it was put on the Catalan Atlas. Also while on Hajj, Mansa Musa brought a bunch of camels and slaves that showed off Mali's and Mansa Musa's power and wealth.

Culture:

Mansa Musa and Mali wouldn't be as known if he wasn't a devout Muslim. Due to Mansa Musa's beliefs, he went on a Hajj. This was the same Hajj where he spread his wealth and became known. Not only was Mansa Musa a Muslim, the country of Mali was too. Islam was already introduced to the region when it was still Ghana, so when Ghana became Mali, Islam grew more populated.

Located in the Sahel region of Africa, the Songhai empire thrived in economics. Around 1464, Emperor Sonni Ali Ber went on multiple military campaigns in which he gained control of key trading routes along the Niger river. The Niger river helped connect the Songhai empire to various trans Saharan trade routes. The Songhai Empire traded goods like salt, gold, ivory, and slaves. Not only this, but the City of Timbuktu helped the economy by attracting traders.

Politics:

After the fall of the Mali empire, Soni Alibar expanded Songhai power from regional to na empire. Soni Alibar embarked on military campaigns to expand Songhai’s land and to take over trade routes. Under Askia Muhammad I, Songhai expanded to the Atlantic coast. These great expansions show how powerful Songhai was.

Aksum:

Aksum set its nation as a trading empire in the first to second century C.E. They gain control of many trade routes and had a connection to the Red Sea They traded items like ebony, ivory, and exotic animals with powerful nations like the Egyptians and Greek. The Aksum empire was the first empire to mint gold, copper, and silver coins. This empire made a lot of commercial networks with other regions spanning across the Red Sea.

Ghana:

Ghana was known for its great trade. The empire traded salt and ivory in addition to the immense amounts of gold they had. As a result, Ghana earned enormous amounts of wealth.

Mali:

Mali was known for it's wealth, specifically their king, Mansa Musa's wealth. They attained such wealth by trade as they were a trading empire. Mali eventually had so much wealth that they would trade it away like it was nothing. Mali would trade gold with the Berbers for salt. From trades like these, Mali would get more and more resources.

Songhai:

The Songhai empire's political party was more unified. Ruled by a monarch, the Songhai empire were sperated into five sections with each having a ruling official, court, and military. Songhai's warriors were the Jagun. Moreover, the Songhai Empire's main religion was Islam. The empire expanded to be larger than Mali and Ghana.

Ghana:

Ghana came into existence in around 500 CE and lasted until the twelveth century. During its rule, the empire expanded to neighboring empire. Ghana took control over the sub-Saharan trade routes and most of west Africa. During this process, the empire gained land, wealth, and power.