Geography
This river helped cities like Timbuktu, Gao, and Djenné grow because people could farm and trade using it.
The Niger River.
What two very valuable resources were traded and controlled by Ghana, Mali, and Songhai?
Gold and salt.
What title did the rulers of Mali use (a word meaning ruler)?
Mansa
What religion became the controlling influence in Ghana, Mali, and Songhai?
Islam
Which city became famous as a center of learning and libraries in Mali and Songhai?
Timbuktu or Djenné
The Ghana Empire was located between these two rivers (name either one).
The Senegal River or the Niger River.
Traders from North Africa who travelled across the desert with camels were called what?
Berbers
To help rule large empires, leaders divided their land into smaller regions. What are these regions called?
Provinces.
What is the name for the belief that plants, objects, or places have spiritual power?
Animism
Name one subject taught at the universities in Timbuktu or Djenné (from the Songhai reading).
Mathematics, grammar, law, science, medicine
Name the capital city of Songhai that was an important trading city on the Niger River.
Gao.
Name one product, besides gold and salt, that was traded in West African markets (from the readings).
kola nuts, ivory, slaves, spices, palm oil, precious woods, cloth, copper.
Songhai organized itself into how many provinces to make governing easier? (Answer using a number.)
Five provinces.
What was the pilgrimage that Mansa Musa made that helped connect Mali to the wider Muslim world?
What did Askia the Great establish that helped make Songhai stronger and more organized?
He established a professional army and divided the empire into provinces (either answer).
Mali and Songhai controlled large areas of West Africa. Which region (type of land) was most important to farming and trade for these empires: desert, rainforest, or savanna?
Savanna.
How did rulers make money from traders who passed through their empires? (Use one word from the texts.)
Taxes (or tribute).
Name one way rulers kept the kingdom safe and made trade possible.
They maintained a professional army, protected trade routes, and taxed traders.
How did Arabic help learning and trade across West Africa?
Arabic allowed books and knowledge to be shared across regions, so scholars and traders could communicate.
Mansa Musa is famous for a journey where he gave away lots of something valuable. What did he give?
Gold.
Explain why the Trans‑Saharan trade routes mattered to West African empires.
The routes connected West Africa to North Africa and beyond, allowing gold, salt, and ideas to be traded.
Mansa Sundiata and later rulers encouraged farming and introduced new crops. Name one crop mentioned that helped Mali’s economy.
Cotton (also beans, onions, rice were introduced).
Describe one reason Askia the Great and Sunni Ali used religious tolerance in their rule (one or two sentences).
To keep peace and unity; allowing local religions to continue reduced resistance and kept stability in diverse communities.
Explain how rulers combined Islam with local beliefs to keep peace in their empires (two or three sentences).
Rulers like Sunni Ali practiced both local religions and Islam or allowed them to coexist so people from different beliefs could live together peacefully.
Explain one long‑term effect of Mansa Musa’s pilgrimage on Mali.
His pilgrimage increased Mali’s reputation, attracted scholars and traders, and helped Timbuktu become a center of learning.