Mali was a large empire that flourished in West Africa during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. Like all great civilizations it had unique political, economic, and social characteristics. It is most noted for its impressive wealth. None of this could have come to pass if it had not been for its capable and effective leadership. There were many causes for its rise to power and its influence was felt worldwide. Throughout the 1300’s small malinke tribes began to grow dramatically, throughout history. The Mali Empire is otherwise known as the Manden Kurufaba. The Empire came into influence after 1235, when Sundiata made a malinke resistance against a branch of the southern Soninke. Soninke people, took up the center of the older kingdom of Ghana. Before Sundiata came into power he was referred to as weak until the collapse of Ghana. He became a great war general killing all of his enemies in his way. It originated near its capital in Niani, this was strategically place near the …show more content…
With all the people being very wealthy and having land the empire was soon to be the largest empire in West Africa. The Empire had a large influence on their region because of the spread of its language, laws, and customs along the lands of the Niger river. “Sundjata built the vast empire “singlehanded”, it extended throughout the savannah.” Because of their relying on leadership and government it was a monarchy. They spread the primary use of camel back or caravan. The creation of the Trans-Saharan trade systems developed near the Mali empire, it was one of their most important routes for the trade of gold. The niger river is the 3rd longest in Africa (2.6k miles). The climate varies on both the upper and lower areas of the river. On both of them there is commonly more than 50 in of rain per year. Some other materials that were traded along the river were the hides of animals, milk, grand and cotton cloth from