1. The Empire of Ghana
- West African Empire
- Absolute monarchy - meaning ruled by a king (kaya).
- The king had vassals - other lords and kings who accepted his rule.
- Very rich and powerful because of control over gold mines.
- Eventually adopted Islam as a religion originally were polytheist
Write in your notes
Patrilineal - Power passes through the men in the family
Matrilineal - Power passes through the women in the family.
2. Spread of Islam to West Africa
- Islam started in the middle east and first spread through the expansion of the caliphate.
- Then it spread again through trade routes.
- While the kingdom of Ghana officially had its own religion, the elite (most powerful people) were largely Muslim
- This led to West Africa becoming Muslim over time.
Write in your notes
Islam Spread in three phases:
- When Muhhamud was alive - Spread through the message
- During the Early Caliphate (Muslim Empire) - Spread through war
- During the Islamic Golden Age - Spread through trade
