|
As the Europeans realized the great wealth that
could be gained by trading with China, they began
looking for a new route to get there. In the early 1400s
the Portuguese turned to the Atlantic Ocean and began
sailing along the west coast of Africa. They found the
well-developed kingdom of Mali. From 300 to 1600 A.D. West Africa was dominated in turn by the kingdoms of Ghana (300), Mali (1275), and Songhai (1493). The kingdoms becam powerful by controlling trade in West Africa. African people and African goods played an important role in arousing European interest in world resources. The Portuguese carried goods from Europe to West African empires, trading metals, cloth, and other manufactured goods for gold. Directions: Use the information from the reading to create a Ghana Mali Songhai Bubble Map. See example. |