Mali government was a very organized government. They had a monarchy system of government. This system worked for over 370 years. So it was pretty successful. The Mali Empire was a lawfulness nation. They weren’t really strict on laws but they weren’t loose on them either. It was a good middle between the two. The Empire was peaceful and didn’t have too many wars. Because they were peaceful, they had many famous scholars such as Abu Bakr II. The king gave people freedom and rights. The Mali Empire lasted for about 400 which show signs of stability in the way they ran their government. They had and strong government, laws, and was nice to the citizens.
While the Mali Empire did lots of things right they also did lots of things wrong also. They were fantastic in Government and Ecenomy but they were terrible at Technology. Thus is why I have them just an above average grade overall.
Religion C Jarod Rodgers
Religion for the Mali Empire had a moderate amount of quality. It united them but didn’t help them through difficulties. At the end of the Empire they were becoming weak. They were burning from the inside out. Their government was falling apart and an Empire came and attacked them. Then they fell apart. The major religion of the Mali Empire was Islamic. Once a year there is a Pilgrim to Mecca it’s where Islam goes to Mecca to ask for forgiveness. This unites tons a people a year and unites the Empire. Islam did both good and bad for the Empire
Economy A Lily
The Mali Empire was a trading empire. Many of the caravan routes (trading routes travelled by a train of people, often on camels) ended in the city of Niani, the capital of the Mali Empire. The empire controlled trade routes from the Sahara Desert in the North to forests in the South. Towards the end of the empire’s reign, the Dyula, or Wangara, (muslim traders of Mali) traded actively throughout West Africa (they were located in the Northern part of West Africa).
In terms of economy, the Mali Empire surpassed the Ghana Empire that had settled the region before. The Ghana Empire was a transit location for gold traders travelling across the Sahara. The Mali Empire controlled the mining of the gold and the trade. The Manding (people of the Mali Empire) had three large gold mines. The major product produced by the Manding was, in fact, gold. Mines were located in the cities of Bure and Bambuk.
The second most abundant product was salt. Mansa Musa, one of the Mali Empire’s most famous kings, expanded the empire to the North, where there were many salt deposits. Salt and copper mines were additionally located in the Sahara, which the empire encompassed. As one can see, the people of the Mali Empire were not manufacturers. They traded with their large quantity of natural resources. Gold was sought after for its value, not what products could be made from it. Salt, in its original form, was needed to feed animals.
Not to deemphasize it, agriculture was also a major asset to the empire, behind trade. The Niger River ran through Niani. That meant the surrounding soil was very fertile. Sorghum, millet, and rice were grown to trade and sell. Sorghum is a type of grain that was often used as feed. The many areas that couldn’t farm valued this crop to feed their animals, which aided them in Nomadic Herding. The surplus of these crops allowed the Manding to feed the entire population.
To conclude, I would give this empire an A in terms of economy. To start, its economy surpassed the empire that occupied the same region beforehand, the Ghana Empire. The Ghana Empire was a very successful empire. They were a stopping point for many trade routes; this allowed trade to flourish. The Mali Empire went above and beyond the standard that was set by the Ghana Empire, as mentioned above; this is noteworthy.
Also, the first king of the empire, Sundiata, restored trade with the surrounding areas very shortly after coming into power. Mansa Musa also made a difference when he expanded the empire to reach more areas rich in natural resources. The leaders of the Mali Empire made wise decisions regarding the economy.
In addition, the Manding didn’t just rely on trade. Their location by the Niger River allowed them to have another strong industry of agriculture. This explains why the Mali Empire was one of the wealthiest empires of the time. They always had something to fall back on if one industry was suffering. Lastly, the agriculture industry was very efficient and could feed the whole empire. This was beneficial because the Manding people did not have to trade for food. They could use their many natural resources to trade for other necessary/valuable things
Society-Grade B- Kyle
The Mali Empire did arrange people in classes. However, it is very easy to go from class to class. For example, Sakoura, a former court slave eventually ruled the whole empire. This shows that it is super easy to transition from class to class. Going from that, the above example also shows that the Mali Empire displays equality. They gave every man a chance to succeed in life, but women were not treated nearly as well as the men were treated. Although the Mali Empire did allow social movement and to give everyone a chance, they were very selfish with their posseions, and rarely shared them with the poor.
The Mali Empire also had slaves. Most slaves worked on the fields producing crops or looking over the animals. The slaves showed great loyalty to their masters, so they must have been treated well in return. However, they did participate in slave trade with Europe and West Europe. All slaves were treated very poorly in the slave trade. Some of the slaves even died from the harsh conditions from getting transported place to place.
I gave the Mali society a B- because it was clear there was social movement. Slaves were also treated well, but when they participated in the slave trade they were treated very poorly. The Mali society also showed equality somewhat.
Technology- D (Taylor Frank)
The Mali people focused a lot on trade. Their technology was not very advanced. The Empire had a lot of money to invest in technology, but they never took the chance. The technology that the Empire did have was a mud mixture that they built mosques out of. They also had a few weapons. They had mostly bows and arrows and shields that were made of animal hide.
I gave the Mali Empire an D in technology because they did not have technology that was advanced, and they did not invest in it when they had the money to.
Arts & Architecture C+ (Lily)
The art of the Mali Empire was practical. It had meaning and served a purpose. For example, the religion of the Mali Empire was dominantly Islam, but included Ancient African Ancestor Worship. Therefore, those who believed in that religion carved masks. These masks were used to impersonate ancestors or spirit. They were not made to simply admire. These religious peoples believed that the spirits of those who had died would live in the masks. Also, Griots were admired in the Mali Empire. Griots were storytellers who told stories through speech, music, dancing, and song. Furthermore, there was most often one Griot per village, and that was a very competitive position. The royal family possessed their own, paid Griots, along with weavers, iron-workers, and the like. A large number of Griot stories were based upon the history of the Empire. This was practical in how it preserved the history of the region. Just as each village had a Griot, they also had designated people to make ritualistic art, pottery, furniture, clothing, etc.
Traditional music of the Mali Empire had many melodies and rhythms going on at the same time. People gathered for rituals that usually included homemade percussion instruments and stringed instruments that produced a twang-like sound.
One of the most well known kings of the empire, Mansa Musa, was a devout Muslim. When he was returning from the Hajj in Mecca, he encountered the Spanish poet and architect, El-Saheli. El-Saheli returned home with the king and built him a palace in Timbuktu, along with several mosques, including the Djingareiber Mosque, made of mud brick, and costing two-hundred kilograms of gold. El-Saheli’s architectural methods were new to the Manding(people of the Mali empire). He introduced them to the concepts of the flat roof, pyramid minaret (steeple like object on a mosque), and burnt bricks. His ideas influenced the region, and they adopted them as their own.
Mud was the building material of that time. Mosques were made from specially-made blends of mud, and most huts were made from mud. The Manding were known for making elaborate posts for these structures.
I gave the Mali Empire a C+ in Arts and Architecture because they were not very creative. The architectural style of the empire was, in reality, borrowed from European civilizations. They did not come up with the concepts themselves. Also, the mud method was not very inventive, but rather practical and characteristic of most civilizations of that time enduring the same climate. The art work of the empire was more original, but served a practical purpose. The masks were used in religion, Griots were used for entertainment and history purposes, and music was used for entertainment and religious ceremonies. Although, Griots, weavers, and others, could use their form of art to receive payment by working for the King or trading their goods. This is beneficial to the empire's economy. In conclusion, the Mali Empire Art and Architecture was practical and beneficial, but not creative
Overall B-
