Gebah Kamara
Published: 2021-07-22
Total Pages: 69
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The people of West Africa were among the earlier makers of a great civilization and cultures educations and institutions long before the arrival of western slavery, colonization and long before they appeared as slave on white's plantations in Jamestown, Virginia. Additionally, the rich and colorful history, art, and folklore of West Africa- the ancestral home of most African Americans- present evidence of this, and more. Contrary to a misconception that still prevails, Africans were familiar with medicine, science, craftsmanship, religion, literature, and art for many years before their contact with the western world. Before the disintegration of the political structures of the West African Kingdoms of Ghana, Mali, and Songhay and the eventual internal fights and struggled that created the condition for Western slavery and colonization of West Africa and the African continent. Most of the western African societies were the incubators of greatness such as universities, scholars, economic and industrial treading posts. The kings and military leaders were held in reverence by many in the earlier days. Far across Europe and Asia, traders encountered wealth and enlightenment from the African kingdoms that were striving for greatness. In ancient West Africa, some rulers expanded their kingdoms into empires and built great magnificent armies whose numbers coerced entire nations into submission. In the three great kingdoms, some military generals crafted techniques of military science that were adopted into modern-day military battles that have been used by western military leaders. There were scholars whose vision of life showed foresight and wisdom, and their priests and other religious personalities spoke of gods that were kind to humans and the universe. The kingdom or empire of Ghana was the first of the great Kingdoms of Western Sudan to become known to European explorers. According to some historical accounts, the kingdom of Ghana begins in the second century A.D. and has a known recorded history of one thousand years. However, some historians believe that Ghana was founded as early as 700 B.C. It is believed that an impressive list of 44 kings had ruled in that land before 1000 A.D. A dynasty of indigenous African kings came to power near the end of the eighth century (770 A.D.), some of the kings were believed to have come from Wagudugu. These were Mossi people who came from an area formerly called Upper Volta and now called Burkina Faso. These indigenous kings were called Sarakoles or Sonukes. The period from the beginning of this dynasty to the invasion of Ghana by Abu Bekr of the Sosso in 1076 A.D. was the Golden Age of ancient Ghana.