Origin and Fate of the Empire of Mali
Introduction
In its peak, the people of Mali occupied land as far west as the
Atlantic Ocean. They also traveled as far east as Gao, the capital of the
Songhai, as far south as the Niger bend, and as far north as the Sahara
desert. They built a great empire between 1240 and 1337 that underwent a
course of slow decline until the seventeenth century.
History
The empire of Mali originated from a small country known as Kangaba.
Its people where known as the Mandingo (they have also been called the
Malinke and the Mandinka). After the breakup of Ghana, the Sosso, who had
caused the breakup, were still in power. Apparently Sundiata, an heir to
the Mandingo throne raised an army and defeated the Sosso in the battle of
Kirina.
Afterward, Sundiata established the empire of Mali. He converted to
Islam for support of the Muslim peoples. When Mansa Musa came into power,
in the early 1300s, the empire reached its height. Mansa Musa traveled
through Cairo on his pilgrimage to Mecca. It is said that he gave away so
much gold that it dropped in value in Cairo for 12 years.
Afterward the empire slowly declined, until, in the 1600s it was no
more than it had been originally when it originated: the small kingdom of
Kangaba.
Government
The government of Mali was a dictatorship. The dictator, who had the
title of Mansa, was the sole secular and religious leader of his people,
though not he did not enjoy the same power as Egyptian Pharaohs did. The
base of government was located in the capital, known as Niani. It was once
written by a traveler that a person could travel safely without fear of
harm, and that the people of Mali hated injustice and the Mansa did not
tolerate injustice at all.
The military branch of government was constant. There was a standing
army of professional soldiers, so that Mali was ready for a battle without
having to raise an army every time.
Religion
The religion in Mali was divided between two groups. The merchants,
traders, and government officials, including the Mansa, were Islam, though,
apparently, they did not adhere to it very well. Women were allowed freedom
and even the Mansa still believed in the "spirit of the land." The basic
peasant farmer believed in a "spirit of the land" to whom he prayed so that
When we hears the term Viking an immediate image of bloodthirsty men with long beards and horned helmets is conjured up in our minds. This is the image the historical sources have given us, and it is partly true. Vikings were merciless when raiding, but they were peaceful when they traded. Their navigational technology was exceptional, and the ones who settled in foreign lands contributed greatly to the lands’ culture.
The beginning of the ninth century AD to the eleventh was known as the “Viking age”; during this time Iceland was settled by Scandinavians and CeltsCeltics. Some of the settlers were Christian while most were Pagan; together they created a culture
Devolution is the transfer of powers from a central body to subordinate regional bodies. In Scotland, Devolution was set up to restore legitimacy to a system of government that reflected Scottish preferences. The reason behind the demand for Scottish self-government is that Scotland had the historic status of nationhood before the Union of 1707 and within the Union, has a different set of legal, educational and religious institutions that reinforce a Scottish identity.
Both the glorious empires, the Mali established in 1230 by the founder Sundiata and Mongol founded by Genghis Khan in 1206 contain much more differences than similarities. When the rise of the Mali and Mongol Empires began to arise they had significant effects towards the areas in which they were located. Some similarities include religious tolerance and cultural growth by trade. Some differences include violence methods and religion. Even though both of these superlative empires arose in difference regions they shared some common views as well.
The great Machiavelli once said, "Whoever wishes to foresee the future must consult the past; for human events ever resemble those of preceding times." Indeed, the study of history is important as history does seem to repeat itself. Many people in today's society learn about the past from textbooks and other books, as these are of easy access. Is this really the best way to learn about the past? The people of ancient Africa did not think so, as they had special people called "griots"who passed the people's traditions and history down orally from generation to generation. One such griot, Mamadou Kouyate, recalls the story of the most famous ruler in African history, Sundiata, in D.T. Niane's book Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali. This book has become an entertaining, yet scrutinized, source about the history of Mali and it's surrounding areas. Much scrutiny of this tale comes from those who question the validity of the griots, though Mamadou Kouyate is quick to point out that "[His] word is pure and free of all untruth; it is the word of [his] father...griots do not know what lying is" (Niane 1). If the context of the epic is true, then there are many valuable things to be learned from it including the traditions and customs of ancient Africa, and how Sundiata came to rule over such a large area. Based upon a reading of the text, it is easy to see that Sundiata's political power was not based soley on religion, as he used many conventional methods to gain and remain in power.
In the earliest years of the Vikings, there was little history recorded due to the polytheistic views that they followed. After the Vikings converted to Christianity, there were eventually written documents created pertaining to their existence. In Viking Warfare, I.P. Stephenson states that the Vikings “first described attack took place in AD 789”(11). The Vikings were also known as Norsemen. They were great storytellers, and that is perhaps how society knows so much about them today. The stories that the Norsemen told were called Sagas. Today, Vikings are often depicted as murderous savages, but while they were not pillaging villages they were actually quite a peaceful civilization. There were three countries that Vikings evolved from; Norway, Denmark, and Sweden. Although it may seem that all Vikings were on the same side, they quarreled with each other as well. Despite the fact that Viking battles were bloody and gruesome they were also known to be the most hygienic out of many of the earlier civilizations. There was not a huge percentage of Vikings that went out and raided but when they did they made a huge impact on what Vikings are now known for. The success of Viking warfare and raids relied primarily on the uses of armor, weapons, long ships, and battle tactics.
West African Kingdoms It is generally accepted by scholars and scientists today that Africa is the original home of man. One of the most tragic misconceptions of historical thought has been the belief that Black Africa had no history before European colonization. Whites foster the image of Africa as a barbarous and savage continent torn by tribal warfare for centuries. It was a common assumption of nineteenth-century European and American Whites - promoted by the deliberate cultivation of pseudoscientific racism - that Africans were inferior to Whites and were devoid of any trace of civilization or culture.
Liehr, P, Marcus, M, Carroll, D, Granmayeh, K L, Cron, S, Pennebaker, J ;( Apr-Jun 2010). Substance Abuse; Vol. 31 (2); 79-85. Doi: 10.1080/08897071003641271
Currently I am studying for my psychology degree and planning on finishing with my bachelors’ degree in 2014, I have faced few challenges with my plans so far because I feel as though I have prepared myself well for the future. I am a in the psychology club and I participate in psychology experiments at school. I want to utilize all that I can while I am in school to become the best at what I do. Where I work I call alumni of my college and ask them for donations, before I ask them I have to gain their trust and that is also the basis for any counselor patient relationship.
In Africa, there were achievements in the empires or kingdoms and their cities before the Europeans arrived and took control. In the Kingdom (Empire) of Axum they developed a trade route. In the Kingdom of Ghana they had characteristics of powerful nations today. In the city of Timbuktu they had great morals and developed the center of Islamic Art. There are many other things that Africa achieved in.
Typically, the image of a Viking is a barbaric, bearded man plundering and destroying a neighboring village. This is actually the stereotypical viewpoint. In actuality, Vikings, have a very different image. For example, Vikings did not wear furry boots or furry armor, they did not have horned helmets, they invaded Britain, and they also were the first to discover America! They were also experts in nautical technology, crafts, trading, warfare and many other skills (Jonsson 1). With all of these traits, the Vikings seem like an unstoppable force in the European continent. But, who were the Vikings? The Vikings were actually venturesome seafarers. This means that they were travelers who were constantly exploring and looking for new areas of land. There roots can be traced all the way back to 6000 B.C. were nomadic men traveled in primitive crafts up the Denmark coast. Fast forward two millennia and these nomadic people have established permanent homes, but still using the boat for food and travel. As stated before, they were not just raiders, although they did do this frequently, but they were actually expert traders, trading all around the world. It wasn’t until around 793 A.D. that a Viking explosion took place in northern Europe (Jonsson 2). Raids began to take place on neighboring villages and their places of worship. To some this is the only type of knowledge they have about Vikings. However, their culture was something to be admired. Trading, religion, and everyday life are all important parts of a Viking culture.
"What Is Substance Abuse?" ENotAlone: Relationship, Personal Growth, Health Advice and Articles. Web. 14 Dec. 2010.
The title "Viking" includes a wide range of Nordic people; Danes, Swedes, and Norwegians, who lived during a period of Scandinavian expansion from 800 to 1100 AD. This word originated from Old Norse “víkingr,” or “vik” which means bay or creek and is generally associated with Scandinavian words for bays and fjords. It also corresponds with the name Wick, which is a Norwegian region. The name “Viking” which can be translated as “man of the fjord” and was used to identify the larceners, who hid in the confined bays and coves. The Saxon word “wîk” and Old High German “wîch” are considered similar to the Norse word and they both mean home. Another option for Viking is from old Norwegian word “Vike” which means leave, move away. It was to describe the people leaving their homelands in order to plunder or trade. Viking was not always used to describe a person as it was used to describe a social phenomenon, when freemen were forced to seek a better life outside the country.
...onditions that ensure an adequate counterbalance increasing consumption in some cases, end up having a negative effect on children. Children learn best through demonstration followed by imitation, with rewards for doing things the right way. While not all are affected the same way, it can be said that, in general, violence in the media affects attitudes, values and behaviors of users. You run the risk that children end up understanding that it is reasonably practicable to resort to violence. The fear is that the models of aggressive behavior can be considered suitable. Thus, in an investigation, a good proportion of children (third) defined as normal acts of violence they had seen him mightily little. It is not; here is a risk of direct imitation, but rather a change in terms of reference: where extreme violence appears to be normal any more light may seem harmless.
First off, we will start with how and why Scotland joined with the English to form the United Kingdom, and the Darien Venture and why it put Scotland in near-collapse and total economic devastation. Second, we will discuss why both sides agreed to the Acts of Union 1706-1707. Third, we will go over the English and Scottish perspectives of this Union, and finally, the modern controversy surrounding a sudden increase in a desire for independence from the English by the Scottish.