Geography
Large desert in north Africa.
Sahara Desert
The storytellers/ history keepers/ musicians in West Africa are known as?
Griots
What religious journey did Mansa Musa go on that spread the wealth of Mali?
Hajj to Mecca
What two important items for trade were controlled by West African kingdoms?
Salt and Gold
How did Islam spread to West Africa?
Trade
*remember it mixed with traditional animism
What ocean is east of the African Kingdoms?
The Atlantic
Who do West African Masks traditionally depict?
Animals, gods or ancestors
What was the largest kingdom?
Songhai
Name the three main cities for trade.
Jenne, Gao, Timbuktu
With no written language how was knowledge preserved in early West Africa?
oral history
What river did the West African Kingdoms base themselves around?
Niger River
What is the traditional West African Religion?
Animism
What ruler founded the Mali Empire, practiced Islam and showed off the wealth of Mali?
Mansa Musa
Why was salt so valuable?
Needed for survival
Could not get it in other places
Food preservation
What resource allowed West Africans to make better weapons, tools and farm equipment?
Iron
A grassy plain in tropical and subtropical regions, with few trees.
Savannah
Who was the religious leader who provided spells, charms and led ceremonies for the village?
Shaman
What was the first and smallest kingdom?
Ghana
What does the name Timbuktu mean? Explain the meaning.
Where the camel meets the canoe, because the Trans Sharan trade route meets the Niger river.
Which city was a center for Islam and learning?
Timbuktu
What is the major gulf in West Africa?
Gulf of Guinea
What is it called when a culture does things to honor, speak to and ask for help from their ancestors?
Ancestor Worship
Who was Sundiata Kieta and what Disney movie is a version of his story?
The founder of Mali and The Lion King
Why were camels so important for trade?
Can travel long distances without food or water
Pack animals
Walk at a steady pace
Giots recited what to help others remember wisdom?
Proverbs