The Songhay Empire

The Songhay empire represented much of the growth and importance of West African ______ during the precolonial period.

Songhay was the last of the great Sahelian ______ that rose initially in the 10th century in the region of what is now Mauritania.

Great and famous cities arose along the Niger river, such as Djenné, Mopti, Timbuktu and Gao, prospering along with the heavy ______ trade and the commerce that linked West Africa to North Africa and the Islamic world.

The Ghāna empire rose in the region of what is now ______ in the 10th century, flourishing until it collapsed c. 1076-77 under the weight of invasions from Almo.

Touching regions as distinct as the Gold Coast in the South, and Cairo, Mecca and Spain in the North, the influences and connections of Songhay show how early parts of West Africa were placed within global links through trade and cultural ______.