The empires of Ghana,
Mali,
and Songhai
controlled West Africa
between A.D. 1000 and 1500. Each empire thrived on the trade of
goods across the Sahara
and was affected by the exchange of culture and belief systems along the
trade routes. As each empire declined, the next empire took its place. Many great kings led these
empires—for example, Mali's Mansa Musa—and they helped spread West African culture and resources
around the world. One such resource was gold.