The Fall Of Shonghay, Adn Alantic Slave Trade Essays -

The Fall Of Shonghay, Adn Alantic Slave Trade The Fall of Songhay and Atlantic Slave Trade Africa has had great nations such as Ghana, and Mali. In keeping up with their tradition of great civiliztions, out emerges Songhay. The Songhay Empire was a black trading state that reached its peak during the 1400s and 1500s. Songhay extended from the central area of what is now Nigeria to the Atlantic coast and included parts of what are now Burkina Faso, Gambia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and Senegal. Gao, the capital, stood on the Niger river. Songhai became powerful chiefly by controlling trade across the Sahara. Most of Songhays people were farmers, fishers, or traders. The traders exchanged gold and other West African products for goods from Europe and the Middle East. The Songhay Empire was based on the strength of the important trading city of Gao. This city won its independence from Mali as early as 1375, and, within a century, it had developed into an empire. Songhay carried on a vigorous trade with the outside world particularly with the Arabic countries. The ruling class, in particular, continued to follow the religion of Islam, but it is generally believed that the masses of the population remained faithful to the more traditional West African religions based on fetishism, and ancestor worship. Two of the more powerful rulers were Sunni Ali, who began his 28-year reign in 1464, and Askia Mohammed, who began his 36-year reign in 1493. Akia Mohammed was also known as Askia the Great. Songhay reached its peak during his rule. Askia expanded trade, and encouraged people to practice Islam, the religion of the Muslims. His three sons disposed him in 1591. The security of Songhay was undermined when the Arabs from Morocco invaded and captured the key trading city of Timbuktu in 1591. Thus ended the last of the three great empires of West Africa. History Essays