Timbuktu: The Influence Of Diversity In Africa

Words: 638
Pages: 3
Open Document
The majority of portrayals of Africa are grim and condescending: dry, infertile towns filled with starving children, tribal religions running the land, and war tearing apart the foundations of a lawless, primitive society. Nevertheless, Africa is actually a diverse, thriving, diplomatic continent full of contrasts and prospering ideas. Examples of Africa’s diversity are its economic prosperity, its diplomatic policy, and its religious diversity.
Although many depictions of the African continent include bleak poverty, in the Middle Ages Africa actually had a thriving economy. For example, one of Mali’s kings, Mansa Musa, was the richest man of all time, running an incredibly prosperous empire. He is one of several successful Africans who were richer than anyone could dream of today. Additionally, Timbuktu was a massive trade center, bringing North Africans and the Kingdom of Mali together. Thus, Timbuktu also aided to a flourishing wealth in Mali, which is a direct contrast from the single story of a poverty-stricken African economy. Yet …show more content…
The whole “pagans are godless” idea has a whole other essay’s worth of unpacking to do, but actually, Africa has a great diversity of religion, including Islam and Christianity. In fact, approximately 45% of Africans are Muslim and 45% are Christian; religions that are very familiar to the European cultivators of the single story. However, unlike other Muslim and Christian leaders, Mansa Musa did not force his subjects to convert to Islam, demonstrating exemplary ethics and economic strategy -- the economy suffers when the people aren’t happy. The tribal religions are just as valid as Christianity and Islam, and Mansa Musa understood that, as do many Africans today. Ergo, Africa has a great diversity of religions, including the ones that we consider “mainstream,” and had better ethics than a lot of more European
Show More

Related Documents: Timbuktu: The Influence Of Diversity In Africa

The rise of Islam Essay examples

allowed to carry weapons. (Muslim Spain, 2009) In Africa the effect of Islam differed greatly. Like other Islam conquests, Africa was taken over by military invasion however; securing trade routes in gold producing areas was how they were able to gain power. (The Story of Africa, n.d.) The political influences in African society are hard to determine, as the spread of Islam into the continent was sporadic and inconsistent. Yet, Islam impacted Africa by increasing trade and blending its culture with…

Words 704 - Pages 3

Ch 25 Notes Triangular Trade Essay

Chapter 25 Africa and the Atlantic World ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 1 African States, 1500-1650 ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 2 The States of West Africa and East Africa   Developed over eighth to sixteenth centuries Kingdom of Ghana     Not related to modern State of Ghana Major gold trader Mali empire, thirteenth century Songhay empire, fifteenth century   Sunni Ali (r. 1464-1493) created effective army, navy Musket-bearing…

Words 1480 - Pages 6

Trade Networks In The Post-Classical Era

advancements and growth of empires. The Silk Road was reintroduced with the expansion of the Mongol Empire and many Indian Ocean and African networks became introduced due to the expansion of Islamic power. Muslim trade networks began in Northern Africa to expand their religion and also to gain riches from the large amounts of gold there. They also created trade networks in the Indian Ocean. But major trade networks began to increase in the Middle East and into Eastern Asia as their empire began…

Words 1537 - Pages 7

Period 3 Outline Vocab And Questions Essay

biological diffusion within and between various societies. Pastoral or nomadic groups played a key role in creating and sustaining these networks. Expanding networks fostered greater interregional borrowing, while at the same time sustaining regional diversity. The prophet Muhammad promoted Islam, a new major monotheistic religion at the start of this period. It spread quickly through practices of trade, warfare, and diffusion characteristic of this period. I. Improved transportation technologies and…

Words 2430 - Pages 10

Essay about Thirteen Colonies and New England

labor in a. West Africa. b. the Atlantic sugar islands. c. the West Indies. d. Brazil. 3. T F 4. 5. 6. T T T F F F 7. 7. T F 9. T F 10. 11. 12. T T T F F F 13. T F 14. T F 10. Much of the impetus for Spanish exploration & pursuit of glory in the early 1500s came from Spain’s recent a. successful wars with England. b. national unification & expulsion of the Muslim Moors. c. voyages of discovery along the coast of Africa. d. conversion…

Words 7378 - Pages 30