FREE ESSAY ON THE FALL OF SHONGHAY, ADN ALANTIC SLAVE TRADE

THE FALL OF SHONGHAY, ADN ALANTIC SLAVE TRADE

The Fall of Songhay and Atlantic Slave
Trade
Africa has had great nations such as Ghana, and Mali. In keeping
up with their tradition of great civiliztions, out emerges Songhay. The
Songhay Empire was a black trading state that reached its peak during the
1400's and 1500's.
Songhay extended from the central area of what is now Nigeria to the
Atlantic coast and included parts of what are now Burkina Faso, Gambia,
Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and Senegal. Gao, the capital, stood on the Niger
river.
Songhai became powerful chiefly by controlling trade across the
Sahara. Most of Songhay's people were farmers, fishers, or traders. The
traders exchanged gold and other West African products for goods from
Europe and the Middle East.
The Songhay Empire was based on the strength of the important
trading city of Gao. This city won its independence from Mali as early as
1375, and, within a century, it had developed into an empire. Songhay
carried on a vigorous trade with the outside world particularly with the
Arabic countries. The ruling class, in particular, continued to follow the
religion of Islam, but it is generally believed that the masses of the
population remained faithful to the more traditional West African
religions based on fetishism, and ancestor worship. 
Two of the more powerful rulers were Sunni Ali, who began his
28-year reign in 1464, and Askia Mohammed, who began his 36-year
reign in 1493. Akia Mohammed was also known as Askia the Great.
Songhay reached its peak during his rule. Askia expanded trade, and
encouraged people to practice Islam, the religion of the Muslims. His
three sons disposed him in 1591.
The security of Songhay was undermined when the Arabs from
Morocco invaded and captured the key trading city of Timbuktu in 1591. 
Thus ended the last of the three great empires of West Africa.