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The Songhai Empire
The ancient empires phase of West African history came first
Songhai Empire
Only one country (namely Portugal) had any dealings with West African coast countries at the time. Portugal hoped to find gold there, and wanted to find the mystical Kingdom of Priest John, which turned out not to exist. Calling Portugal a "major trading partner of West African empires" would be a vast overstatement. They got out some gold in exchange for iron tools, cloth etcetra but that was about it. Further travels along the West African coast by the Portuguese all had the purpose of finding a route to Asia.
Orisa.
The "Great Three" West African empires were Ghana, Mali, and Songhai.
Songhai
The people that carried goods from Europe to west African empires were Portuguese people.
salt and gold
The West African trade empires made their money mainly by trading slaves, salt and gold.
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The Songhai Empire
The ancient empires phase of West African history came first
The main sources of wealth and power of all the West African empires was the armies they built whose superior iron weapons let them take control of the trade in salt and gold.
Portugal
Niger River
Arab and Berber Muslims from the Northern coast of Africa came to trade with West African Tribes and Empires like Ghana.