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Ghana set up many trade routes in West Africa. They were in a good position to trade gold and salt. They used a method called silent barter, where they traded without communicating directly. This helped Ghana become wealthy, as they taxed traders who entered and exited Ghana.
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The empire of Ghana expanded because of their powerful army, with which they conquered many lands. The peak of Ghana was under Tunka Manin. He was a luxurious king, and made Ghana rich and powerful.
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The fall of Ghana happened for 3 reasons. One was that a group called the Almoravids invaded and greatly weakened Ghana. Also, these invaders brought many animals with them, and the animals overgrazed the lands, forcing a lot of land to be destroyed. The third reason was because of a rebellion that rose within the country, which overthrew the empire.
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The rise of Mali was under the emperor Sundiata. He conquered many kingdoms including Ghana. Also, he took control of the trades, had new farmland cleared for crops, and introduced cotton to the people of Mali.
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Mansa Musa was considered the greatest emperor of Mali. Under his rule, Mali was at the peak of its fame, power, and wealth. He added important trade cities to Mali, which increased the imports. He also brought many scholars from Morocco, and opened many schools and universities in Mali. He also hired architects to build mosques around Mali.
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The Songhai people gained independence when Mali fell. The Songhai people set up trade with the Berbers, and they grew richer. So, they expanded their land and built an empire.
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The decline of Mali started when Mansa Musa's son Maghan took over the rule. However, he wasn't a strong ruler like his father. He let raiders from the southeast invade Mali. The foreigners set fire to schools and mosques. The empire began to slowly weaken.
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Sunni Ali was a powerful ruler, and the first ruler, of Songhai. Before his rule the Songhai emperor was scattered and disorganized. Sunni Ali strengthened and unified his empire. He participated in both Islam and other local religions to bring religious harmony.
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Sunni Ali's son, Sunni Baru took the throne when his father died. But he was not a Muslim. The people feared he wouldn't support Islam, so they rebelled against him. The leader of the rebels, after overthrowing Sunni Baru, was given the title Askia the Great. He was an amazing ruler who supported education and made Timbuktu and center of knowledge. He also divided Songhai into 5 provinces and appointed a governor in each. He established a strong army and departments for special tasks.
