Vocab
This religion believes in one God and spread across West Africa through trade and travel.
What is Islam?
This is the largest hot desert in the world and covers much of North Africa.
What is the Sahara Desert?
This famous ruler was the king of the Mali Empire in West Africa.
Who was Mansa Musa?
Islam is a monotheistic religion, meaning followers believe in this.
What is one God?
In CER writing, this part clearly answers the historical question or prompt.
What is the Claim?
This place is a fertile area in the desert where travelers could find water, food, and rest.
What is an oasis?
This major river flows through West Africa and was important for farming, trade, and transportation.
What is the Niger River?
Mansa Musa became well known around the world after making this religious journey to Mecca.
What is the Hajj (pilgrimage)?
Muslims worship in this type of building.
What is a mosque?
This part of a CER uses facts, dates, or quotes from historical sources to support the claim.
What is Evidence?
Groups of traders traveling together across the Sahara Desert for safety and trade were called these.
What are caravans?
This West African empire was located near the Niger River and became wealthy through trade in gold and salt.
What is Mali?
During his travels, Mansa Musa gave away so much of this valuable resource that it affected local economies.
What is gold?
This holy city in present-day Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of Islam and the destination of the Hajj.
What is Mecca?
This part explains how the evidence proves the claim and connects it back to the question.
What is Reasoning?
This wealthy ruler of West Africa made a famous pilgrimage, or Hajj, to Mecca, helping spread Islam and culture.
Who was Mansa Musa?
This sea lies north of Africa and separates the continent from Europe.
What is the Mediterranean Sea?
Mansa Musa helped spread this religion throughout West Africa by supporting mosques and scholars.
What is Islam?
This holy book of Islam contains the teachings revealed to the Prophet Muhammad.
What is the Qur’an?
Historians use CER writing to do this when answering questions about the past.
What is support an argument using historical evidence?
The movement of ideas, religion, and goods across the Sahara through Trans-Saharan trade led to this process in West Africa.
What is cultural diffusion?
Because of this river, large civilizations in West Africa were able to grow crops, trade goods, and build cities.
What is the Niger River?
By promoting education, trade, and religion, Mansa Musa helped make Mali a center of learning and trade, showing this impact of his rule.
What is cultural diffusion?
This holy month in Islam is a time of fasting, prayer, and reflection.
What is Ramadan?
This CER technique strengthens historical writing by using information from primary or secondary sources instead of opinions.
What is using reliable evidence from sources?