Why was Timbuktu important to the Mali and Songhai Empires?

 

Research Question: Why was Timbuktu important to the Mali and Songhai Empires?

Thesis: Timbuktu was important to the Mali and Songhai Empires because it was a prominent trading post, it was an important center for religious thought and scholarly learning, and it featured extensive libraries, both public and private.

• Topic Sentence #1: Timbuktu was located on many trans-Saharan trading routes, served as a cultural midpoint, and was located near the Niger Inner Delta.

• Topic Sentence #2: Timbuktu was the location of a number of mosques and universities, the subjects taught in the universities were diverse, and a large number of students attended those universities.

• Topic Sentence #3: Timbuktu had a number of public libraries, in addition to the private libraries owned by many scholars, and Timbuktu was also involved in the trade of manuscripts.

Works Cited

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“The following figure shows a map of the inland delta with Lake Faguibine being the long narrow triangular shaped lake near the top of the dotted oval.” Global Warming Science. Web. 8 Apr. 2015.

Hammer, Joshua. “The Treasures of Timbuktu.” Smithsonian Magazine Dec. 2006. Web. 31 Mar. 2015.

Jarus, Owen. “Timbuktu: History of Fabled Center of Learning.” LiveScience. 21 Jan. 2013. Web. 31 Mar. 2015.

Kane, Ousmane. “Timbuktu.” Encyclopedia of Islam and the Muslim World. Ed. Richard  C. Martin. Vol. 2. New York: Macmillian Reference USA, 2004. 694. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 25 Mar. 2015.

Mann, Kenny. Ghana, Mali, Songhay: The Western Sudan. Parsippany: Dillon, 1996. Print.

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“Timbuktu.” Africa: An Encyclopedia for Students. Ed. John Middleton. Vol. 4. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 2002. 90. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 25 Mar. 2015.

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Zahid, Arslan. “Sankore-Mosque-5.” Flickr. Web. 12 Apr. 2015.

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Zahid, Arslan. “Sankore-Mosque-7.” Flickr. Web. 9 Apr. 2015.