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Questions and Answers
How did the emperors of Ghana strengthen their middleman position?
How did the emperors of Ghana strengthen their middleman position?
They brought lesser states like Takrur under their control and pushed their borders southeastward towards the land of the gold producers and northward into the Sahara.
What was the significance of the city of Audoghast in the Ghana Empire?
What was the significance of the city of Audoghast in the Ghana Empire?
Audoghast was a famous market and a south-Saharan city under the control of the Ghana Empire.
How did the system of government in Ghana expand as the empire grew?
How did the system of government in Ghana expand as the empire grew?
The system of government expanded to include lesser kings and governors who ruled over distant provinces, giving loyalty and paying taxes to a single central government.
What was the primary challenge in governing a large empire like Ghana?
What was the primary challenge in governing a large empire like Ghana?
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What were the benefits of the growth of the Ghana Empire for its people?
What were the benefits of the growth of the Ghana Empire for its people?
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How did the emperors of Ghana maintain their public services and meet the expenses of keeping law and order?
How did the emperors of Ghana maintain their public services and meet the expenses of keeping law and order?
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What was the significance of the Ghana Empire in African history?
What was the significance of the Ghana Empire in African history?
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What can be inferred about the social development of the Ghana Empire?
What can be inferred about the social development of the Ghana Empire?
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What was the driving factor behind the growth of the Ghana Empire?
What was the driving factor behind the growth of the Ghana Empire?
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What was the significance of ironworking skills to the Ghana Empire?
What was the significance of ironworking skills to the Ghana Empire?
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What was the title given to the important kings who ruled over lesser kings in states like Ancient Ghana?
What was the title given to the important kings who ruled over lesser kings in states like Ancient Ghana?
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What was the primary reason behind the need for a strong government in the Ghana Empire?
What was the primary reason behind the need for a strong government in the Ghana Empire?
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What was the main role of the towns and trading settlements in the Ghana Empire?
What was the main role of the towns and trading settlements in the Ghana Empire?
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What was the significance of the Niger River to the Ghana Empire?
What was the significance of the Niger River to the Ghana Empire?
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What was the impact of the Ghana Empire's growth on its civilisation?
What was the impact of the Ghana Empire's growth on its civilisation?
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What was the primary factor that gave the rulers of Ghana gold and glory?
What was the primary factor that gave the rulers of Ghana gold and glory?
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What was the Ghana empire characterized by?
What was the Ghana empire characterized by?
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What was the language spoken by the founders of Ghana?
What was the language spoken by the founders of Ghana?
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What was the name of the history book that recorded the tradition of Ghana's kings?
What was the name of the history book that recorded the tradition of Ghana's kings?
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What was the title of the king that controlled the export of gold?
What was the title of the king that controlled the export of gold?
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Before what date was the Soninke state built?
Before what date was the Soninke state built?
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What was the name given to the Ghana kingdom by its rulers?
What was the name given to the Ghana kingdom by its rulers?
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What was the significance of the Ghana empire's trade across the desert?
What was the significance of the Ghana empire's trade across the desert?
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How many kings of Ghana were recorded before the beginning of the Muslim Era?
How many kings of Ghana were recorded before the beginning of the Muslim Era?
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What was the primary role of the Berber chiefs and traders in the Ghana Empire?
What was the primary role of the Berber chiefs and traders in the Ghana Empire?
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What was the significance of the title 'ghana' in the Ghana Empire?
What was the significance of the title 'ghana' in the Ghana Empire?
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What was the name of the history book that recorded the tradition of Ghana's kings?
What was the name of the history book that recorded the tradition of Ghana's kings?
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What was the approximate date of the first North African reference to the Ghana Empire?
What was the approximate date of the first North African reference to the Ghana Empire?
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What was the name given to the Ghana kingdom by its rulers?
What was the name given to the Ghana kingdom by its rulers?
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What was the language spoken by the founders of the Ghana Empire?
What was the language spoken by the founders of the Ghana Empire?
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What was the title given to the king who controlled the export of gold?
What was the title given to the king who controlled the export of gold?
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Before what date was the Soninke state built?
Before what date was the Soninke state built?
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What was the primary reason for the Ghana Empire's expansion into the Sahara?
What was the primary reason for the Ghana Empire's expansion into the Sahara?
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What was the significance of the Ghana Empire's growth into a large empire?
What was the significance of the Ghana Empire's growth into a large empire?
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How did the emperors of Ghana maintain their public services and meet the expenses of keeping law and order?
How did the emperors of Ghana maintain their public services and meet the expenses of keeping law and order?
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What was the primary challenge in governing a large empire like Ghana?
What was the primary challenge in governing a large empire like Ghana?
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What was the significance of the Ghana Empire's control of south-Saharan cities like Audoghast?
What was the significance of the Ghana Empire's control of south-Saharan cities like Audoghast?
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What was the driving factor behind the growth of the Ghana Empire?
What was the driving factor behind the growth of the Ghana Empire?
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What was the significance of the Ghana Empire's system of government?
What was the significance of the Ghana Empire's system of government?
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What was the impact of the Ghana Empire's growth on its people?
What was the impact of the Ghana Empire's growth on its people?
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What was the primary reason behind the diamond companies' decision to sell their diamonds in small quantities?
What was the primary reason behind the diamond companies' decision to sell their diamonds in small quantities?
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Why was West African gold important to Europe and North Africa?
Why was West African gold important to Europe and North Africa?
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What was the significance of the trade in gold for the states and empires of the Western Sudan?
What was the significance of the trade in gold for the states and empires of the Western Sudan?
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What happened to the Ghana Empire in the thirteenth century?
What happened to the Ghana Empire in the thirteenth century?
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What was the role of the emperors of Ghana in the gold trade?
What was the role of the emperors of Ghana in the gold trade?
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What was the significance of the demand for gold from North Africa and Europe?
What was the significance of the demand for gold from North Africa and Europe?
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What happened after the fall of the Ghana Empire?
What happened after the fall of the Ghana Empire?
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Who eventually took over the place of the Ghana Empire?
Who eventually took over the place of the Ghana Empire?
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What was the primary factor that contributed to the growth of Ghana and other states in West Africa?
What was the primary factor that contributed to the growth of Ghana and other states in West Africa?
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What was the role of the towns and trading settlements in the Ghana Empire?
What was the role of the towns and trading settlements in the Ghana Empire?
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What was the significance of the Ghana Empire's position in the Western Sudan?
What was the significance of the Ghana Empire's position in the Western Sudan?
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What was the consequence of the Ghana Empire's growth on its civilisation?
What was the consequence of the Ghana Empire's growth on its civilisation?
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What was the role of the ruling men of Ghana in the expansion of their political power?
What was the role of the ruling men of Ghana in the expansion of their political power?
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What was the relationship between the Ghana rulers and their neighbours?
What was the relationship between the Ghana rulers and their neighbours?
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What was the driving factor behind the need for a strong government in the Ghana Empire?
What was the driving factor behind the need for a strong government in the Ghana Empire?
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What was the significance of the Ghana Empire's middleman position?
What was the significance of the Ghana Empire's middleman position?
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What was the result of the king's increased wealth in the Ghana Empire?
What was the result of the king's increased wealth in the Ghana Empire?
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Who wrote a book that offered a clear picture of the court of the emperor of Ghana in about AD 1065?
Who wrote a book that offered a clear picture of the court of the emperor of Ghana in about AD 1065?
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Why did the Muslim traders build their houses in stone?
Why did the Muslim traders build their houses in stone?
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What was the relationship between the emperor of Ghana and the Muslim traders?
What was the relationship between the emperor of Ghana and the Muslim traders?
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What was the main difference between the traditional Ghana settlements and the Muslim traders' town?
What was the main difference between the traditional Ghana settlements and the Muslim traders' town?
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What was the location of the Muslim traders' town in relation to the emperor's capital?
What was the location of the Muslim traders' town in relation to the emperor's capital?
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What can be inferred about the capital of the Ghana Empire during its long history?
What can be inferred about the capital of the Ghana Empire during its long history?
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What was the result of the Arab conquest of the eighth century for the North African and Berber traders of the Sahara?
What was the result of the Arab conquest of the eighth century for the North African and Berber traders of the Sahara?
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Study Notes
The Ghana Empire
- The Ghana state became an empire, commanding a large region of trade, security, and strong government, lasting for several hundred years.
- The founders of Ghana were the Soninke people, who spoke a language of the Mande group, still spoken today in the Western Sudan region.
Founding of Ghana
- The exact date of Ghana's founding is unknown, but it was before AD 773, with a possible origin in AD 300.
- The kingdom was known as Wagadu, with the name Ghana coming from one of the king's titles, "ghana" or war chief.
Growth and Power of Ghana
- By 800 AD, Ghana was a powerful trading state, controlling the export of gold and other precious metals.
- The kings of Ghana strengthened their middleman position by bringing lesser states under their control and pushing their borders southeastward towards the gold producers and northward into the Sahara.
- They took control of south-Saharan cities like Audoghast, a famous market.
Government and Economy
- The system of government expanded with the success of trade, becoming more complicated and requiring lesser kings and governors to rule over distant provinces.
- The king needed governors to rule over distant provinces, and the government collected taxes and loyalty from lesser governments.
- The growth of Ghana marked an important stage in social development, providing peace and security over a wide region.
Revenue and Wealth
- The emperors of Ghana established ways of government that reappeared in the Sudan, including methods of raising money to pay for government and producing wealth.
- The power of government increased, and important kings became kings over lesser kings, or emperors.
- The growth of international trade and Ghana's middleman position between the Berber and Arab traders of the north and the gold and ivory producers of the south made Ghana strong and prosperous.
Ancient Ghana
- The state of Ghana became an empire, commanding a large region of trade, security, and strong government, and lasted for several hundred years.
- It was respected by travelers and others who heard of it or read about it, and was deeply respected by those who lived within its borders.
- The founders of Ghana were Soninke, speaking one of the languages of the Mande group, and had good trading relations with Berber chiefs and traders in oasis towns in the Sahara.
Growth of Ghana
- The Soninke built their state before AD 773, but the exact time is unknown.
- A tradition recorded in the Tarikh as-Sudan says there were 22 kings of Ghana before the Muslim Era (AD 622) and 22 kings after, placing the origins of the Ghana kingdom in about AD 300.
- By 800, Ghana had become a powerful trading state, with the king controlling the export of gold and known as the "lord of the gold".
- The emperors of Ghana strengthened their middleman position by bringing lesser states under their control and pushing their borders southeastward towards the gold producers.
Government and Economy
- The king of Ghana needed governors to rule over distant provinces, and a system of government expanded with their success in trade.
- The growth of Ghana marked an important stage in social development, with a big political and economic achievement.
- The emperors ruled, maintained public services, and met expenses through taxation and revenue from trade.
- The power of government increased with the growth of international trade, making Ghana strong and prosperous.
Revenue and Wealth
- The growth of Ghana and other states like Ghana led to the invention of new methods of living together, governing, and producing wealth.
- The emperors of Ghana established ways of government that appeared again in the Sudan, with a single strong authority ruling over many lesser authorities.
- Ghana's strong trading position allowed them to control the flow of gold and maintain its value.
Decline and Legacy
- The Ghana empire fell in the 13th century, but its place was eventually taken by another great empire, Mali, built on the same foundations and methods.
- The Almoravids' invasion led to a long period of confusion between the fall of Ghana and the triumph of Mali.
- The legacy of Ghana continued, with its success in gold trade being copied by other peoples, and its methods of government and trade being adopted by subsequent empires.
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Description
This quiz is about the ancient Ghana Empire, its power, trade, security, and government, and how it was respected by travelers and others.