The Ghana Empire
The Mali Empire
Sundiata
Mansa Musa
Surprise me!
100
What was the capital city of the Ghana Empire?
Kumbi
100
What was the capital city of the Mali Empire?
Niani
100
Which empire do we associate Sundiata with?
Sundiata was the first ruler of the Mali Empire.
100
Which empire do we associate Mansa Musa with?
the Mali Empire
100
What was the most important good that came from Timbuktu during the Mali Empire?
salt
200
Who invaded the Ghana Empire in the 11th and 12th centuries?
The Almoravids invaded in the 11th century; the Susu invaded in the 12th century.
200
Name four important goods that were traded in the Mali Empire.
gold, salt, ivory, books
200
What city did Sundiata choose as the capital when he founded the Mali Empire?
Niani
200
Who was Mansa Musa's great-uncle?
Sundiata
200
What is the modern-day capital of Mali? (the country, not the empire)
Bamako
300
Why don't we know much about the first 500 years of the Ghana Empire?
Most of our information on the Ghana Empire comes from the writing of Arab traders, and they didn't travel to the Ghana Empire until the early 800s.
300
Which religions were predominantly practiced in the Mali Empire?
Islam and folk religions
300
What was the name of the Susu king Sundiata defeated in 1230? Why was this event so important to the Mali Empire?
Susu king = Sumanguru. This event marked the beginning of the Mali Empire.
300
Which city's economy did Mansa Musa accidentally crash by handing out too much gold?
Cairo
300
Who are griots? What do they do, and why are they important?
Griots are oral storytellers. They preserve stories and pass them down through generations. They are an important source of history and cultural knowledge.
400
Name the two rivers that bordered the Ghana Empire.
Niger and Senegal Rivers
400
How long did the Mali Empire last?
440 years (1230-1670)
400
Who was in power when Sundiata was born?
The Susu people were in power. They had invaded in the 12th century.
400
How did Mansa Musa feel about education? Name three things he did during his reign that prove this.
Education was incredibly important to Mansa Musa. During his reign, he built many schools, invited scholars to his court, and funded literature and libraries.
400
Who was the first European to make it to Timbuktu? When? What was his nationality?
René Caillié was a French explorer. He "found" Timbuktu in 1828, winning a contest from the French Geographical Society.
500
The Ghana Empire was in the same region as which two modern-day countries?
Mauritania and Mali
500
Who was Ibn Battuta, where did he come from, where did he go, and why is he so important to our understanding of the Mali Empire?
Ibn Battuta was a traveler from Morroco. He traveled all over the world and lived in the Mali Empire from 1350-1351. He was impressed with the Mali Empire and wrote extensively about his observations. A lot of our knowledge about the Mali Empire comes from his writing.
500
Name 6 things King Sundiata did during his reign.
created a new capital at the city of Niani; constructed many mosques; opened the border to Muslim traders; opened gold mines; maintained a strong army; expanded the empire
500
Name one mosque Mansa Musa built during his reign, and give one detail about why it is important.
The Great Mosque of Djenné (but he built MANY mosques). It is the largest mud brick building in the world, and it is still a center of Islamic learning today. Everyone in Djenné knows how to read.
500
Who is this?
This is Hobbes. He is cuddling a starfish.