SONGHAI EMPIRE

Songhai
The Songhai empire is the last of the three major west African medieval empires the first Songhay king, Sonni Ali Ber established the boundaries of the songhai state creating roots for a growing empire. His successor Askia Mohammed Touré created an empire by conquering much of west Africa, his sons however were corrupt and weakened the empire after there rule the Northern Territory was controlled by morocco and the southern eventually splintered into independent territory's until the 1600's when the European colonization period began.

RELIGION

• The Songhai are a polytheistic islamic religion.
• The Songhai empire is one the largest islamic empire in history.
• The religious beliefs dont come between traditional beliefs.
• They attend mosque.

Clothing
The traditional clothing worn by the Songhai are three piece cotton outfits consisting of drawstring trousers, a long sleeve loose fitting shirt, and bou bou (long full robe).

Food
The food of the Songhai consisted of what is called millet. It's consumed in 3 ways. A pancake (Haiti maasa) as porridge (duonu), and as a paste (howeu) the paste/the others is usually topped with a meatless sauce made from okra, baobab leaf, or peanuts. Millet is a small seeded crop.

Education
Education was taught in two ways formal and informal. Informally is when mothers, and fathers would teach their children how to survive fishing, hunting, building huts, cooking, weaving, and sewing. Parents opted out of sending their kids to traditional school because it usually led to them moving to the city leaving the rest of family without support.

Entertainment
The Songhai had many forms of entertainment including a form of soccer. During secular holidays villages would sponsor horse racing and fights. And as a hobby blankets and matts were made.

Technology
Songhai homes were built out of clay bricks and large branches, other forms of architecture consisted of holding mud huts tougher with sticks. Warriors used mainly three pointed spears made from sharpened sticks and iron. The fall of the songhai empire was mainly to advanced technology such as muskets.

Language
Near the beginning of the empire Songhai was the main language. Near the fall of there empire different groups different sectors of the empire many different languages were spoken including Italian, Greek, and Mali.

Economy
There was no main currency in the Songhai empire. The principal activity of most Songhay men has been millet and rice farming. Since farming is seasonal, many Songhay men have developed secondary occupations: trading, transport, or tailoring. Many spend the nonplanting season working for wages in distant cities. Most Songhay women remain wedded to domestic activities. In some cases, divorced women sell cooked foods or trade in cloth to support themselves.

Roles of women
The roles of very most married women keep to the house by teaching children, cleaning, cooking, or helping a husband on a farm. Divorced would take jobs trading, tailoring, or any other income source they could find.

Government
The Songhai government Is a monarchy the leaders of the country are Sonni Ali Ber, Askia Mohammed Touré, and his two sons. Sonni set the boundaries for the empire. Asika conquered neighboring empires and separated them into zones. Asika's sons were corrupt tyrants who ultimately destroyed the Songhai empire.

Geography
The Songhay peoples live near the Niger River in eastern Mali, western Niger, and northern Benin. Songhay country is situated in the semi-arid Sahel region. It consists of flat rocky plains, rocky mesas (land formations) in the south, and sandy dunes in the north. The vast majority of Songhay people live in Mali and Niger.

Architecture
Songhai's architecture is very islamic and african. They used alot of Islamic designs and one of the most famous buildings that have the best Muslim designs is the Friday Mosque. The mosque had flat roofed walls supported by plaster-like butresses topped with finnials. The huge towers reflected of Islamic designs and the two horns sticking out of the towers was a local feature for the Songhai empire's buildings.

WORKS CITED

• http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songhai_Empire
• http://www.timemaps.com/civilization/African-kingdoms
• https://ancientafricae.wikispaces.com/Songhai's+People