African American Empires - Assignment Example

The resulting culture was both wealthy and open to trade with other nations. Wise rulers maintained a steady growth and this gave the people stability. A key resource in medieval times was gold. When the tribe known as the Soninke took over an area between the Upper Niger and Senegal Rivers they found that it was rich in gold. This was then used for trade along with trans-Sahara trade network. (Ancient Civilizations Website). Anything that the Wagadugu society required could be traded for gold, and this meant that the society soon became well established and very wealthy.

The introduction of the camel increased the range of trading groups. (The Ghana Guide Website) Resources alone do not make a great nation. The second key success factor was the ability of the people to govern themselves wisely. They also made profits and distributed them widely. Taxes were levied from passing traders. An effective legal system based on tribal chief authority kept order and peace within the territory.