Religions of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai
12th Grade · Social Studies · 45 min
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Learning Objective
I can evaluate the influence of indigenous beliefs, Islam, and Christianity on the societies of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai.
- 1
The spread of Islam in West Africa was significantly influenced by the trans-Saharan trade, which connected North Africa with the kingdoms of the Western Sudan, such as Ghana, Mali, and Songhai.
- 2
The Almoravids, a zealous Muslim group, played a crucial role in spreading Islam through military conquest and conversion, notably attacking Ghana in 1076 and contributing to the dissolution of the empire.
- 3
Key figures like Mansa Musa of Mali and Askia the Great of Songhai promoted Islam by constructing mosques, importing Muslim intellectuals, and establishing centers of Muslim education, such as Timbuktu.
