What region of Africa did these empires live in
Western Africa
What is it called when a cultures religion only believes in one god
Monotheistic
Describe colonization as it relates to Africa
Europeans came to the continent to take goods, spread their religion, and display military power
What were the main trade goods in the region
Salt, gold, iron
Name the desert that covers North Africa and the three major empire lived
The Sahara Desert
What religion did the West African empires practice
Islam
What three reasons played a major role in the colonization of Africa (we watched a movie on this in class)
Guns, Germs, and Steel
Who was Mansa Musa and what is he best remembered for
He was a king of Mali and he is known for his incredible wealth
What is the Sahel
The area south of the Sahara Desert that transitions the climate to one that is more livable
How did trade help spread Islam across Africa
Merchants and traders who practiced the religion would spread it to others in the continent
What was the Berlin Conference
The goal of the Berlin Conference was to draw up boundary lines and create defined territory for the European nations involved in Africa
Trade routes of the African Empires
What is the main river of Western Africa that helped with trade
The Niger river
How did Islam increase the spread of knowledge throughout Western Africa
Islam also brought the rise of scholars in the region of Western Africa. Writing, numbers, math, measurements, and weights were introduced
Name four countries that had colonial influence in Africa
Great Britain
France
Portugal
Spain
Italy
Holland
Germany
Belgium
Why was salt so valuable as a trade good
It provided the ability to store food for longer periods of time than possible before refrigeration.
When did Ghana, the first major empire of Western Africa, develop into a civilization
Approximately 500 CE
What major African city held a large collection of religious scripts an housed many religious scholars
Timbuktu
How has colonialism affected Africa into modern times
The taking of valuable resources left the continent without goods that had value in the modern world
How did rule of Ghana pass down after a king had passed away
It was matrilineal, and the throne would go to the kings sisters child AKA his nephew