Ghana Empire
Definition
The Ghana Empire was a powerful West African state that existed between 700-1240 AD. It was known for its wealth derived from trade in gold and salt.
Analogy
Consider the Ghana Empire as Amazon.com of its time. Just like Amazon dominates e-commerce today by selling various products (books to electronics), Ghana dominated trade in West Africa by controlling key commodities like gold and salt.
Related terms
Mali Empire: A historical West African empire famous for its wealth and size which succeeded the Ghana Empire after its fall.
Sundiata Keita: The founder of Mali Empire who is often associated with expanding control over trans-Saharan trade after Ghana's decline.
Silk Road Trade Network: An ancient network of trade routes connecting East Asia with Europe; it's similar to trans-Saharan trade but located in a different region.
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