CLASS OVERVIEW

It explores Mali’s wealth under rulers like Mansa Musa, its control of gold and salt trade, and the role of merchants, scholars, and clerics in shaping West Africa’s prosperity. Also examines colonial and postcolonial economic legacies, including France’s impact on former African colonies and modern geopolitical dynamics in the region.

BEFORE YOU GET STARTED:

• Please check the materials that go with this lesson and print relevant materials.

• Also, check out the books and products the teachers use for further learning.

• Reach out to support@urbanintellectuals.com if you have any questions or issues.

• Some links may be affiliate links where we may earn a small commission from purchases.

World Changer/Teacher: Dr. John Aden

Sources: 

Sources information and links cited for this class can be found within the Google Slides Presentation below.

Quizzes are not applicable in this class.

Dr. John’s Class #24 Google Slide Presentation Deck: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ck1WFiEjHImNjwAr1mWzSuwV5Lsf2ABj/edit?slide=id.p13#slide=id.p13

CLASS OVERVIEW

Discussing the economic foundations of the Mali Empire in West African history. It covers trade networks, gold and salt commerce, camel caravans, and agricultural systems that supported Mali’s prosperity.

BEFORE YOU GET STARTED:

• Please check the materials that go with this lesson and print relevant materials.

• Also, check out the books and products the teachers use for further learning.

• Reach out to support@urbanintellectuals.com if you have any questions or issues.

• Some links may be affiliate links where we may earn a small commission from purchases.

World Changer/Teacher: Dr. John Aden

Sources: 

Sources information and links cited for this class can be found within the Google Slides Presentation below.

Quizzes are not applicable in this class.

Dr. John’s Class #23 Google Slide Presentation Deck:

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1VApXFdbh0DXiqHwufgwbawMnpDVPqVcK_pty02TJLkk/edit#slide=id.g3576926989d_0_5

CLASS OVERVIEW

It explores the trade of gold, salt, and agricultural goods, the spread of Islam, and the intellectual growth of cities like Timbuktu. It highlights how Mansa Musa’s leadership and Mali’s wealth influenced regional power, global trade, and cultural exchange during the medieval period.

BEFORE YOU GET STARTED:

• Please check the materials that go with this lesson and print relevant materials.

• Also, check out the books and products the teachers use for further learning.

• Reach out to support@urbanintellectuals.com if you have any questions or issues.

• Some links may be affiliate links where we may earn a small commission from purchases.

World Changer/Teacher: Dr. John Aden

Sources: 

Sources information and links cited for this class can be found within the Google Slides Presentation below.

Quizzes are not applicable in this class.

Dr. John’s Class #22 Google Slide Presentation Deck: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Mny01m_P2J_M2u7HwIw1t9rKGF7thq-wpq20ddyphp8/edit?usp=drivesdk

CLASS OVERVIEW

It discusses Mansa Musa’s reign, the trade of gold, salt, and other goods, and the influence of Islam on governance and education. It also highlights Timbuktu’s rise as a center of scholarship and the lasting legacy of Mali’s wealth and power in African and global history.

BEFORE YOU GET STARTED:

• Please check the materials that go with this lesson and print relevant materials.

• Also, check out the books and products the teachers use for further learning.

• Reach out to support@urbanintellectuals.com if you have any questions or issues.

• Some links may be affiliate links where we may earn a small commission from purchases.

World Changer/Teacher: Dr. John Aden

Sources: 

Sources information and links cited for this class can be found within the Google Slides Presentation below.

Quizzes are not applicable in this class.

Dr. John’s Class #21 Google Slide Presentation Deck: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1otEN7bDKINzjoOFNZZeBpc58lJf2rwHiOskNbKViNYs/edit?usp=drivesdk

CLASS OVERVIEW

Ghana didn’t fall—it transformed, and its legacy still runs through our veins today.

Class 20: Ghana Empire – Power, Culture & The Fall They Don’t Want You to Understand

If you thought Part 1 was heavy, wait ‘til you feel the weight of truth in this one. Dr. Aden takes us deeper into the brilliance of the Ghana Empire—where Muslim traders, traditional spirituality, and African diplomacy coexisted and thrived. We learn how Ghana’s kings managed power, how griots shaped legacy, and how women held real influence in royal succession.

And yes—we confront the fall too. Not with shame, but with clarity. Climate change, shifting trade routes, outside invasions—it wasn’t weakness, it was the world changing around them. This class is a masterclass in legacy, reminding us that even when empires fall, our greatness echoes through time. Ghana walked so Mali, Songhai, and Wakanda could run.

BEFORE YOU GET STARTED:

• Please check the materials that go with this lesson and print relevant materials.

• Also, check out the books and products the teachers use for further learning.

• Reach out to support@urbanintellectuals.com if you have any questions or issues.

• Some links may be affiliate links where we may earn a small commission from purchases.

World Changer/Teacher: Dr. John Aden

Sources: 

Sources information and links cited for this class can be found within the Google Slides Presentation below.

Quizzes are not applicable in this class.

Dr. John’s Class #20 Google Slide Presentation Deck: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1UxIMhc02aEtxZZ04bAlMlDc0q4UFCBgDNh5y3KKMMXQ/edit?slide=id.g349286b23de_0_5#slide=id.g349286b23de_0_5

These Google Slides contain the slide for two classes, Class 19: History of the Ghana Empire (Part 1) – Dr. Aden and Class 20: History of the Ghana Empire (Part 2) – Dr. Aden.

CLASS OVERVIEW

Before Europe had castles, Ghana had kings, gold, and game-changing greatness—learn the truth they never taught us in school.

Class 19: Ghana Empire – The Original Gold Standard

Before the world even knew what “rich” looked like, the Ghana Empire was already making it happen. In this eye-opening class, we peel back the lies of the miseducation system and dive into how Africans built wealth, power, and purpose—centuries before Europe could catch up. Dr. Aden breaks it down—how gold and salt made Ghana the envy of the world, how Black leadership ran sophisticated governments, and how our stories were passed down not in books—but in rhythm, in song, and in truth.

This ain’t just history—it’s a reminder of who we already were before they tried to tell us who we’re not.

BEFORE YOU GET STARTED:

• Please check the materials that go with this lesson and print relevant materials.

• Also, check out the books and products the teachers use for further learning.

• Reach out to support@urbanintellectuals.com if you have any questions or issues.

• Some links may be affiliate links where we may earn a small commission from purchases.

World Changer/Teacher: Dr. John Aden

Sources: 

Sources information and links cited for this class can be found within the Google Slides Presentation below.

Quizzes are not applicable in this class.

Dr. John’s Class #19 Google Slide Presentation Deck: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1UxIMhc02aEtxZZ04bAlMlDc0q4UFCBgDNh5y3KKMMXQ/edit?slide=id.g349286b23de_0_5#slide=id.g349286b23de_0_5

These Google Slides contain the slide for two classes, Class 19: History of the Ghana Empire (Part 1) – Dr. Aden and Class 20: History of the Ghana Empire (Part 2) – Dr. Aden.