Imperialism In West Africa Essay

Early History
Mali is a country located in West Africa. Before Europeans arrived, there were 3 major civilizations in Mali. These Great African civilizations grew and prospered while most of the European continent was still in the dark ages. The Kingdom of Ghana was the first, the Mali Empire was the second, and the Songhai Empire was the third.
The capital of the Ghana Empire was Koumbi Saleh. It existed from c. 300 until c. 1236. This Empire grew rich from the Trans-Saharan trade in gold and salt. It was ruled by a monarchy. There are over 40 recorded kings which led the Ghana Empire.
The capital of the Mali Empire was Naini, which was later changed to Ka-Ba. It was ruled by an Emperor. This Empire made money by taxing the imports of gold, salt, and copper. At its height in 1350, the Mali Empire consisted of three major states,
It had a great market at which the empire made its money. It existed from c. 1000 to c. 1592. The economy was mostly dependent on gold trade. A king ruled this empire. Before imperialism, there were often conflicts between these empires, and between other smaller towns and tribes. To the east of the Ghana Kingdom, the Mali Empire was growing and this caused conflicts. After fights and disputes between these neighboring territories, the Mali Empire took over the Ghana Kingdom. Fights over who should take over the throne and the rebellion by the Fulani people in the Mali Empire led to the rise of the Songhai Empire. This great empire was led by the Royal Family Sonni, from the 13th century all the way through the 15th century. All three of these great empires had large armies. The leaders of these empires were often hungry for more land, and this caused wars and conflicts. The Songhai Empire had a great army. There were foot soldiers, a large fleet of ships, an elite cavalry, and musicians. They conquered the cities of Timbuktu, and Djenne, which were great intellectual and economic