Landform Definitions
Desertification
Climate & Environment
Water Stuff
Culture & History
100
This steep slope marks the edge of a plateau and can make travel difficult
An escarpment
100
What is desertification?
The process where fertile land becomes desert.
100
What is a savanna?
A tropical grassland with scattered trees.
100
How is an estuary different from a delta?
Estuary - Where freshwater mixes with saltwater
Delta - Land built from sediment
100
What does it mean to be “indigenous”?
Originating from or native to a place.
200
What is a cataract?
A section of a river with rapids or waterfalls
200
What causes desertification?
Overgrazing, deforestation, drought, and poor farming practices.
- Human use
200
Why is the Sahel considered a fragile environment?
It has little rainfall and is easily damaged by overuse and drought.
200
Why do cataracts make transportation difficult?
Rapids and waterfalls make rivers unsafe for boats
200
Why did many new African nations struggle after independence?
- Colonial governments did not involve Africans much in government
- The governments in place were created for Europeans
300
What is this?
A delta!
A landform created by sediment deposited at the mouth of a river
300
How does desertification impact people?
- Reduces farmland
- Food shortages
- Forces people to migrate
300
What is leaching?
When heavy rainfall washes nutrients out of the soil.
300
What major river was mentioned on the first day of the unit?
Congo River
300
What was one major trade that made Mali and Songhai wealthy?
The gold-salt trade
400
What is a rift valley?
A valley formed when tectonic plates pull apart.
400
How have plants adapted to desert climates?
- Tuberous roots/deep roots
400
What is a harmattan?
A dry, dusty wind blowing from the Sahara Desert.
400
Why are rivers important in Sub-Saharan Africa? (Give 3 reasons)
- Water supply
- Transportation
- Farming/irrigation
(There are other options I would accept as well!)
400
How do religious practices in the Sahel defy typical Muslim classifications?
Although large populations in the Sahel are Muslim, many others follow traditional African religious practices as well.
Hundreds of distinct ethnic cultures have maintained varying degrees of indigenous cultural practices.
500
What is a fault?
A crack in the Earth’s crust where movement occurs.
500
How do native people of the Kalahari find water?
They locate and dig up water-storing roots underground.
500
How can a harmattan impact daily life?
It reduces visibility, dries out skin, damages crops, and affects health.
but also... a harmattan is welcome in the summer because it dries up moisture left by heavy summer rains.
500
Label a cataract, plateau, and an escarpment in a drawing.
500
When did African nations gain independence?
MOSTLY during the mid-1900s
(I will accept anything between 1950-1960)