A
Becoming King of Mali in 1307, this man introduced Mali to the world, enlarging the empire and controlling trans-Saharan trade.
Mansa Musa
Nok people settled in what is now known as ________.
Nigeria
What new power arose after the decline of Ghana?
Mali
Who controlled West Africa's gold mines?
Ghana
First people to make tools using iron?
Nok
Ghana and Mali did not develop a writing system until Muslim traders brought the __________ language and writing system.
Arabic
Africans passed down histories and stories orally; a method that historians call _______ ____________.
Oral Tradition
What is the name of the fire-baked clay that the Nok would use to create their unusual sculptures?
Terra cotta
Under Mansa Musa, Mali's population grew to about ____________________.
40 million
Name the capital of Ghana
Koumbi-Saleh
Name the special class of West African storytellers who spent years memorizing family trees & learning stories:
griots
In 1050, the _________________ attacked Ghana.
Almoravids
Describe the iron age:
a period where the use of superior iron tools and weapons began and spread.
This leader founded Mali, bringing peace, tolerance, law, and order to the land. He became very rich by taxing trade.
Sundiata Keita
Ghana's leaders were forced to become ____________ by the Almoravids.
Muslims
Name the 3 instruments played by the Griots.
Balafon, Kora, Koni
Name the various roles that Griots played: (name at least 2)
historians, educators, advisors, genealogists, musicians, and performers.
Name one of Mali's geographic advantages.
fertile farm land around Niger River, the river also made transport easy, and the region got plenty of rain which allowed farmers to grow surpluses.
How did Ghana's rulers strictly control the flow of gold?
Gold nuggets automatically belong to the king. Only gold dust can be traded. This kept gold scarce with high prices.
Why did the kingdom of Ghana come to an end?
Almoravids attacked Ghana & captured the capitsl (Koumbi-Saleh). Also, the soil was worn out and could no longer support the population, so Ghana's people started migrating to other lands.
What 3 tools did the Nok people use to clear huge areas of land for farming?
axes, picks, hoes
What were the reasons for the decline of Nok culture around AD 200? (2 things)
Deforestation and overuse of soil making it infertile.
Why were Ghana traders the ideal middlemen for trans-Saharan trade? *Middlemen buy goods from one person and sell them to another.
The capital of Ghana stood midway between Africa's salt sources and the gold mines (which Ghana coltrolled). This control plus the good location made Ghana's traders the ideal middlemen for trade.
Which Arabic historian wrote a historical account of Mansa Musa's visit to Cairo in 1324?
Al-Umari
This mapmaker created the Catalan Atlas in Majorca, Spain.
Abraham Cresques