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-The Songhai Empire began when Mali went into decline in the 1400s.
-The Songhai were a tribe of people under Mali that lived in the east.
-The Songhai built up an army and extended their territory to the large bend in the Niger River, which lies right near Gao, a neighboring city.
-They were able to take control of all the important trade routes in the area which gave them easy access to trade with other empires.
-Of these trades, the slave trade was very important for the economic development of Songhai.
-Songhai kingdom also used slaves as soldiers. Gao was turned into the capital of the empire.
-Songhai had two great leaders who were both Muslim.
-The first was Sunni Ali who built a vast empire through military conquest.
-Sunni Ali’s rule began in 1464 and lasted 28 years.
-He had a riverboat fleet of war canoes and a mobile fighting force on horseback.
-In 1468 Sunni achieved his first major military triumph by taking the city of Timbuktu.
-Timbuktu had been a critical part of Mali’s empire.
-Five years later Sunni Ali had another significant military triumph taking over the city Djenne.
-Djenne was another trading city which had a university.
-To take over Djenne, Sunni surrounded the city for 7 years.
-During this time, the Sunni interrupted the flow of goods to the city.
-Due to the lack of available resources, the city fell.
-He completed the take over by marrying its queen.
-In 1492 Sunni Ali died and his son became the ruler.
-Muslims in Songhai revolted saying that Sunni Ali’s son did not practice Islam faithfully.
-The leader of the revolt was Askia Muhammad who drove Sunni Ali’s son from power and replaced him.
-Askia Muhammad became the second of the two great Muslim leaders.
-Askia Muhammad was an excellent administrator.
-He set up an efficient tax system and capable officials.
-The Songhai Empire was divided into five provinces each led by a governor.
-He also appointed officials to oversee the treasury, army, navy, and agriculture divisions.
- The Empire thrived under his rule but even with all of its wealth and knowledge, Songhai lacked modern weapons of the time.
China had invented gunpowder in the ninth century.
-Later, in 1304 the Arabs developed the first gun which shot arrows.
-Unfortunately, the Songhai did not have these military advantages.
-The beginning of the end of Askia Muhammad’s rule occurred when Songhai broke into a civil war.
-In 1591 the Moroccan fighting forces of several thousand men were equipped with gunpowder and cannons.
-They crossed the Sahara desert and invaded Songhai who was not prepared and was weakened from internal conflict
-Moroccan troops quickly defeated Songhai warriors who were only equipped with swords and spears.
-The collapse of the Songhai Empire ended a 1,000 year period in which powerful kingdoms and empires ruled the central region of West Africa.
-China had invented gunpowder in the ninth century
-1304 Arabs developed the first gun which shot arrows
-1591 Moroccan fighting force of several thousand men were equipped with gunpowder and cannons crossed the Sahara and invaded Songhai
-Moroccan troops quickly defeated Songhai warriors who only had swords and spears
-The collapse of the Songhai Empire ended a 1,000 year period in which powerful kingdoms and empires ruled the central region of West Africa
-Civil War weakened Songhai and allowed Morocco to easily take them
-The Songhai Empire was divided into five provinces each led by a governor
-Under Askia Muhammad, all the governors, judges, and town chiefs were Muslims
-The emperor had total power, but he also had ministers who ran different aspects of the empire for him
-They also counseled the emperor on important issues
Songhai sparked when Mali declines in the 1400s
-The Songhai were a type of people under Mali that lived in the east
-They built up an army and extended their territory to the large bend in the Niger River near Gao
-Gained control of all the important trade routes
-Gao was the capital of their empire
-Songhai had two great Muslim leaders
-Sunni Ali was one of them
-Built a vast empire by military conquest
-Sunni Ali began in 1464 and lasted 30 years
-Sunni had a riverboat fleet of war canoes and a mobile fighting force on horseback
-1468 Sunni achieved the first major military triumph of the city of Timbuktu which had been an important part of Mali’s empire
-Five years later he took Djenne
-Djenne was also a trade city that had a university
-Sunni surrounded the city for 7 years before it fell
-Completed take over of Djenne by marrying its queen
-Sunni Ali died in 1492 and his son became ruler
-There was a revolt from the Muslims who said he did not practice Islam faithfully
-The leader of the revolt was Askia Muhammad
-Drove Sunni Ali’s son from power and replaced
-Muhammad was an excellent administrator
-Set up an efficient tax system and chose able officials
-Added to the centralized government and appointed officials to as ministers of the treasury, army, navy, and agriculture
-Empire thrived under his rule
-Even with wealth and learning the Songhai lacked modern weapons
-The Songhai were a tribe of people under Mali that lived in the east.
-The Songhai built up an army and extended their territory to the large bend in the Niger River, which lies right near Gao, a neighboring city.
-They were able to take control of all the important trade routes in the area which gave them easy access to trade with other empires.
-Of these trades, the slave trade was very important for the economic development of Songhai.
-Songhai kingdom also used slaves as soldiers. Gao was turned into the capital of the empire.
-Songhai had two great leaders who were both Muslim.
-The first was Sunni Ali who built a vast empire through military conquest.
-Sunni Ali’s rule began in 1464 and lasted 28 years.
-He had a riverboat fleet of war canoes and a mobile fighting force on horseback.
-In 1468 Sunni achieved his first major military triumph by taking the city of Timbuktu.
-Timbuktu had been a critical part of Mali’s empire.
-Five years later Sunni Ali had another significant military triumph taking over the city Djenne.
-Djenne was another trading city which had a university.
-To take over Djenne, Sunni surrounded the city for 7 years.
-During this time, the Sunni interrupted the flow of goods to the city.
-Due to the lack of available resources, the city fell.
-He completed the take over by marrying its queen.
-In 1492 Sunni Ali died and his son became the ruler.
-Muslims in Songhai revolted saying that Sunni Ali’s son did not practice Islam faithfully.
-The leader of the revolt was Askia Muhammad who drove Sunni Ali’s son from power and replaced him.
-Askia Muhammad became the second of the two great Muslim leaders.
-Askia Muhammad was an excellent administrator.
-He set up an efficient tax system and capable officials.
-The Songhai Empire was divided into five provinces each led by a governor.
-He also appointed officials to oversee the treasury, army, navy, and agriculture divisions.
- The Empire thrived under his rule but even with all of its wealth and knowledge, Songhai lacked modern weapons of the time.
China had invented gunpowder in the ninth century.
-Later, in 1304 the Arabs developed the first gun which shot arrows.
-Unfortunately, the Songhai did not have these military advantages.
-The beginning of the end of Askia Muhammad’s rule occurred when Songhai broke into a civil war.
-In 1591 the Moroccan fighting forces of several thousand men were equipped with gunpowder and cannons.
-They crossed the Sahara desert and invaded Songhai who was not prepared and was weakened from internal conflict
-Moroccan troops quickly defeated Songhai warriors who were only equipped with swords and spears.
-The collapse of the Songhai Empire ended a 1,000 year period in which powerful kingdoms and empires ruled the central region of West Africa.
-China had invented gunpowder in the ninth century
-1304 Arabs developed the first gun which shot arrows
-1591 Moroccan fighting force of several thousand men were equipped with gunpowder and cannons crossed the Sahara and invaded Songhai
-Moroccan troops quickly defeated Songhai warriors who only had swords and spears
-The collapse of the Songhai Empire ended a 1,000 year period in which powerful kingdoms and empires ruled the central region of West Africa
-Civil War weakened Songhai and allowed Morocco to easily take them
-The Songhai Empire was divided into five provinces each led by a governor
-Under Askia Muhammad, all the governors, judges, and town chiefs were Muslims
-The emperor had total power, but he also had ministers who ran different aspects of the empire for him
-They also counseled the emperor on important issues
Songhai sparked when Mali declines in the 1400s
-The Songhai were a type of people under Mali that lived in the east
-They built up an army and extended their territory to the large bend in the Niger River near Gao
-Gained control of all the important trade routes
-Gao was the capital of their empire
-Songhai had two great Muslim leaders
-Sunni Ali was one of them
-Built a vast empire by military conquest
-Sunni Ali began in 1464 and lasted 30 years
-Sunni had a riverboat fleet of war canoes and a mobile fighting force on horseback
-1468 Sunni achieved the first major military triumph of the city of Timbuktu which had been an important part of Mali’s empire
-Five years later he took Djenne
-Djenne was also a trade city that had a university
-Sunni surrounded the city for 7 years before it fell
-Completed take over of Djenne by marrying its queen
-Sunni Ali died in 1492 and his son became ruler
-There was a revolt from the Muslims who said he did not practice Islam faithfully
-The leader of the revolt was Askia Muhammad
-Drove Sunni Ali’s son from power and replaced
-Muhammad was an excellent administrator
-Set up an efficient tax system and chose able officials
-Added to the centralized government and appointed officials to as ministers of the treasury, army, navy, and agriculture
-Empire thrived under his rule
-Even with wealth and learning the Songhai lacked modern weapons
bishopshistoryblog.blogspot.com
Works cited
“Ancient Africa.” Ducksters Educational Site, Technological Solutions, Inc., www.ducksters.com/history/africa/songhai_empire.php.
Beck, Roger B. World History: Patterns of Interaction. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Pub. Co., 2012.
Viana, Michael. “School History Blog.” The Songhai Empire in the 15TH and 16TH Centuries (1340-1591), 1 Jan. 1970, bishopshistoryblog.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-songhai-empire-in-15th-and-16th.html.
Beck, Roger B. World History: Patterns of Interaction. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Pub. Co., 2012.
Viana, Michael. “School History Blog.” The Songhai Empire in the 15TH and 16TH Centuries (1340-1591), 1 Jan. 1970, bishopshistoryblog.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-songhai-empire-in-15th-and-16th.html.