Final answer:
Ghana Empire became wealthy and powerful through control of gold and captivity trade, political consolidation of smaller kingdoms and chiefdoms, and military expansion. These elements allowed Ghana to dominate over a vast region, establish vital commercial networks, and exert significant influence over its vassal states.
Step-by-step explanation:
Ghana became one of the most powerful empires of its time through its domination and control over trade, political consolidation of smaller kingdoms, and military expansion. Gold trade played a significant role in Ghana's wealth as described by Arab scholars like Al-Hamdani and al-Bakri, who depicted Ghana as having the richest gold mines on earth. Trade routes established by the Ghana Empire not only moved gold, but other commodities like salt, ivory, silk and captives, connecting West Africa to the Mediterranean world, Europe, and beyond.
The power of the Ghana Empire also lay in its political structure. The early growth was marked by conquering independent chiefdoms and absorbing them into the empire. It was a centralized kingdom with control over many vassal states. The military expansion of Ghana also contributed to its power enormously; by the eleventh-century, its king commanded a formidable force of around 200,000 soldiers.
Furthermore, the captivity trade was another source of wealth for the Ghana Empire. Thousands of captives were transported across the Sahara to slave markets in North Africa annually. All these factors allowed Ghana to rise to preeminence among African kingdoms before the Age of Discovery.
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