Level 1
How did Ghana’s rulers make sure that gold remained an important trade good?
They controlled how much of it was available.
What is a stele?
a stone or wooden slab, generally taller than it is wide
Describe the African savanna.
a tropical grassland with warm temperatures year round and seasonal rainfall
Describe the savanna and explain why it is a valuable natural resource in Africa.
The savanna is a broad grassland with scattered trees. Its land supports large numbers of wild animals, as well as livestock such as cattle, sheep, and horses.
True or False: Nigeria has the highest number of twins in the world.
True
In West African cultures, who ranked just above traders in the social structure?
kings and nobles
How did trade help early Africans develop advanced societies?
It allowed them to trade natural resources for items they needed.
What made it possible for the growth of the Trans-Saharan trade in western and northern Africa?
camels
salt deposits
Summarize how and why Axum became an important trading kingdom.
When Axum conquered Kush, it replaced Kush as the commercial center of northeast Africa. Axum’s location on the Red Sea gave it control of trade routes to Egypt, southern Arabia, and other parts of Asia. Jewelry, textiles, and other products from these places were traded by Axum for gold and other goods from the interior of East Africa, as well as enslaved people.
True or False: The shortest war ever took place in Africa
True (38 min)
How was Axum different from Songhai?
Axum was in East Africa, while Songhai was in West Africa.
Axum was a Christian empire, while Songhai was a Muslim empire.
How did Mansa Musa establish Mali as a center of Muslim culture?
He brought Muslim scholars, artists, and teachers to work in Mali.
What is the raised but flat region in the interior of Africa?
a plateau.
True or False: There are 55 countries in Africa
False (54)
True or False: The Sahara Desert is smaller than the size of Australia
False (Larger than the US)
What culture developed in East Africa as a result of the region’s involvement in overseas trade?
Swahili
What event helped give Christianity a permanent place in Ethiopia?
the rise of the Zagwe dynasty
What factors helped the leaders of Ghana create a powerful empire?
iron tools
trade
What events brought West African civilizations to the world’s attention in the 1300s?
Mansa Musa led a caravan on a hajj to Mecca. His hajj brought world attention to Mali. Arabs and Europeans were impressed by Mali’s wealth and advancement. Later, Mansa Musa made Mali a center of Arabic learning and culture.
True or False: 20 miles separate Africa from Europe.
False (9)
Describe the journey Mansa Musa made.
Traveled from Western Africa to Eastern Africa, then Middle Eastern city of Mecca
Axum’s importance as a trading kingdom in East Africa was mainly the result of its what?
location
Describe Nok civilization artifacts. What can be inferred about the civilizations from the artifacts?
Art was an important part of Nok culture.
The Nok civilization had labor specialization.
Why did West Africa’s early civilizations form near rivers?
Rivers provided people with a reliable source of water. They let farmers grow crops even when there wasn’t much rain. Rivers also made travel and trade easier.
False (930)