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 Climate and Geographical factors Events and leaders Transportation and Weaponry Agriculture and Economy  Socio-Political Structure Art, Literature, and music
 * Located in desert/grasslands
 * Approximately 400km east of Atlantic Ocean
 * Stretched from Niger to Senegal in the south, and Baule in the west
 * Controlled gold and salt between the south and north
 * Average yearly rainfall-400mm
 * 300 – Discovery of iron
 * Approx. eighth century – becomes organized state
 * 992 – Ghana captures Awdaghast (city along the trans-Saharan trade route)
 * 1054 – Ibn Yasin marches south and captures Aoudaghast (one of Ghana’s cities)
 * 1062 – Tunka Manin takes the throne
 * <span style="font-size: 130%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">1076 – Abu Bakr Captures Ghana’s capital
 * <span style="font-size: 130%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Fell by end of eleventh century
 * <span style="font-size: 130%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Use of camels and donkeys to transport goods
 * <span style="font-size: 130%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Camels were the best and most important form of transport because:
 * <span style="font-size: 130%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Because they could keep steady under heavy loads even in sand and rough conditions
 * <span style="font-size: 130%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">They don’t need much food or water and go for many days without them
 * <span style="font-size: 130%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Transportation of goods was a huge income for Ancient Ghana
 * <span style="font-size: 130%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">People wishing to transport through Ancient Ghana were charged by the donkey or camel load
 * <span style="font-size: 130%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Ghana was more advanced in weaponry than most of its neighbours in that they had discovered iron and now had swords and spears while their enemies had blocks of ebony
 * <span style="font-size: 130%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Economy was based mostly on control of the trade route
 * <span style="font-size: 130%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Capital city was split into two; one half for the king and his court; the other for Muslim traders
 * <span style="font-size: 130%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Slave trade existed but was not too predominate
 * <span style="font-size: 130%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Farmed yams, rice, onions, etc.
 * <span style="font-size: 130%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Taxes were charged on all incoming and out going goods
 * <span style="font-size: 130%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Raising cattle and livestock was common
 * <span style="font-size: 130%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Original religion of the state was pagan
 * <span style="font-size: 130%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Became Islam when invaded and taken over by Almoravids
 * <span style="font-size: 130%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">The king was considered to possess divine powers
 * <span style="font-size: 130%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">The king controlled the religious rituals in the state
 * <span style="font-size: 130%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">The state was divided into districts with a representative residing over each district
 * <span style="font-size: 130%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">The king ruled the stated with a court of elders advising him
 * <span style="font-size: 130%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Government was a monarchy
 * <span style="font-size: 130%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Thatched or straw roofs accompanied by round, mud walls
 * <span style="font-size: 130%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Fire pottery was made mostly for practical purposes
 * <span style="font-size: 130%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Spoke Mande
 * <span style="font-size: 130%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Several pages from the Koran were found in an archaeological dig carved into stone
 * <span style="font-size: 130%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Made cotton fabric