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Factors that led to the rise and growth of the Asante Empire.

Answer Text:
The Asante People
-The Asante are one of the Akan-speaking peoples who occupy the southern part of Ghana, west Africa.
-By the middle 18th c, the Asante/Ashanti had established the most dominant state in modern Ghana.
Factors that led to the rise and growth of the Asante Empire.
a) The Asante had a strong economy based on agriculture. Both food and cash crops like Kola nuts were cultivated.
b) The Asante had capable political leaders they included Obiri Yeboa (1670-1678), Osei Tutu (1680-1717) who unified the people through the Golden stool that he created and Opuku Ware (1720- 1750).
c) The several city-states that emerged around Kumasi supported each other. Most of them were related by the fact that they originated from the same Oyoko clan.
d) The growth of the Trans- Atlantic slave trade brought a lot of wealth to the Asante people. The wealth was instrumental in the prosperity of the Kingdom.
e) The centralized political system under the Asantehene provided stability.
f) The Odwira festival that was held annually helped to make the state more cohesive.
g) The Asante were brave and proud people, and the need to free themselves from the oppressive rule of Denkyira, their former masters, motivated them to create a strong state.