The Kingdom of Ghana

This is in answer to a request that I talk on the Three Kingdoms Of West Africa. This is the first.

Ghana was the earliest West African state to develop. It was first mentioned in 833 AD by the Arab historian Kwarizmi, and described in great detail about two hundred years later when the Almoravids of North Africa captured Aoudaghast, a minor city. Ghana was known for its metallurgy, especially of iron and gold. The basis of their empire was the trade across the Sahara, of plentiful gold for scare salt. The empire was also possible because of the introduction of the camel, which made the long trek across the Sahara economically feasible. There were numerous reasons Ghana declined, including losing control of trade routes and a drought in the 12th century. By 1300, it had been mostly supplanted by its successor, Mali.