During the early African kingdoms, people were capable of establishing lucrative trade routes with Europe and Asia, accumulating wealth through conquest and territorial expansion, and maintaining a robust centralized government. These achievements occurred prior to European arrival in Africa. Trade thrived along the East African coast, particularly after establishing connections with India and Arabia. The prosperity of African kingdoms stemmed from their adeptness in both trade and territorial acquisition.
African people were able to achieve a governmental structure, which is essential for any kingdom to thrive. Getting involved with major trading centers improved trade and allowed them to share ideas and items with other cultures. According to document 1, Aksum became an “international trading center” between 325-360 B.C. This led to the kingdom of Axum becoming culturally diverse due to the extensive trading. The Red Sea played a significant role in African trade as it provided a sea route for Northern Africa to trade with India instead of relying on land routes.
According to Document 8, the sea routes were more extensive compared to the land routes. Ghana, being aware of deceptive traders, took measures to safeguard their traders and commerce. Ghana was a advanced and formidable kingdom, possessing qualities found in significant and influential modern countries. As stated in Document 3, Ghana had control over land and military forces that ensured peace in the region, guaranteeing safe trade for both the Arabs and the Wangara.
The Ghana kingdom was involved in salt and gold trade, taking responsibility for all trades within its borders. Timbuktu became a prominent trading and learning center, with a renowned library. A Moroccan traveler observed books and manuscripts being purchased at the trade center, noting their high value. The kingdom of Benin introduced bronze castes to the world, now replaced by clay, wax, copper, zinc, lead, and fire. This art form gained popularity in Benin and spread to Northern Africa. African kingdoms were prosperous even before European arrival, with Ghana being particularly wealthy.
According to Document 2, Ghana’s government seemed prosperous and this aided them in regulating the trade of gold and salt. Al-Bakri, an Arab scholar, described the king’s court in glowing terms, stating that everything in the court was made of gold. The viewpoint expressed in the document was positive, which is not surprising considering that scholars tend to belong to the upper class, much like the members of the king’s court. Al-Bakri held the court in high regard, elaborating on how every individual carried gold and how their environment also featured gold.
Ghana possessed a formidable military and a shrewd political council, generating fear in other nations. These neighboring countries opted to maintain peaceful relations with Ghana, avoiding any trouble (Document 3). However, Ghana was not the sole prosperous kingdom. Mansa Musa, a prominent figure in Mali, contributed to the thriving and prosperous state of the Mali kingdom. Being particularly affluent, Mansa Musa distributed gold to every city he visited along his journey to Mecca.
According to Document 4, an Egyptian official was amazed by the extreme generosity of Mansa Musa. The official noted that every single person in Egypt, including themselves, was given a piece of gold by the generous leader. This account portrays Mansa Musa in a positive light, as even the official themselves received a sum of gold from him. The official stated that not a single person, whether they were an officer of the court or held any position in the Sultanate, was excluded from receiving gold from Mansa Musa. Therefore, it can be inferred that the official had no reason to speak negatively of Mansa Musa, as they too were gifted by this exceptionally generous leader.
In order for a kingdom to thrive, it requires a robust centralized government. This was a characteristic of most African kingdoms, which contributed to their overall prosperity. The government structure of Ghana, for instance, consisted of a supreme ruler, the king. Below him was the governor, followed by the ministers who sat around the king (Document 2). The king held the central role within the government council, making important decisions and resolving difficult matters. Additionally, the Ghana government was responsible for tax collection and ensuring justice when necessary (Document 3).
The government of Benin differs from that of Ghana. In Benin, the ruler known as the Oba is constantly accompanied by an entourage, similar to the President of the United States and the secret service. The Oba holds a sacred status, which explains why the people show great respect towards him. Ibn Battuta, a renowned traveler who extensively explored the world, arrived in Mali in 1352. During his time in Mali, he observed that their sultan exhibited no mercy towards anyone found guilty of even the slightest wrongdoing.
According to Document 6, there is absolute security in their country. Battuta was deeply impressed by the sultan’s profound hatred for injustice. The Mali people had no need to be concerned about robbers or thieves, as they were adequately protected by their sultan. The Africans’ sophistication can be inferred from their well-established trade routes, wealth, and government structure prior to the arrival of Europeans. The discovery of new land and sea routes greatly contributed to a significant increase in trade.
The wealth of the successful kingdoms in Africa depended on their strength and the extent of their land conquests. These kingdoms also had a strong central government that played a crucial role in fostering prosperity within their territories. Although the included documents provided sufficient information, additional ones, such as photographs showcasing ancient African art and architecture, would have enhanced my understanding of the advanced nature of African civilizations.
Providing a picture of the art or architecture can offer insights into the influence of other cultures on African culture and shed light on the process of creating artwork. In addition, a map illustrating the extent of African civilizations’ expansion would have provided details about the strength of their government and military. This map could also demonstrate the scale of kingdoms’ growth and the merging of different cultures and kingdoms.
