A Quick Look at the old
Ghana Empire
Here’s quick look at the old Ghana Empire (courtesy of MrDonn.org):
Time Period: The kingdom of Ghana began around 400 CE, grew to power by 800 CE, and was one of the most powerful empires in the world by 1070 CE. They lasted until around 1230 CE, when the Kingdom of Mali took over.
Nickname: The Gold Coast
Natural resource: Niger River
Industries: Farming, trading salt and gold, defense (army)
Agricultural crops: Yams (sweet potatoes), beans, rice, onions, sorghum, millet, papaya, gourds, cattle, sheep, goats, poultry, cotton, and peanuts.
Economic specialisation: Traders, farmers, blacksmiths, soldiers, griots – the storytellers
Famous Ghanaians: Anansi the Spider, Griots
All of the trading described above required a well oiled system of leadership, governance and willing workers. The Ancient Ghana government provided the necessary leadership and presided over the systems and the camels worked tirelessly!
