Geography
Why did few settlements develop in the Sahara?
The Sahara is a desert which means it is very dry, hot, has sand storms, and extremely limited resources to support a civilization.
How did the Niger River support trade?
It was a fantastic source for transportation with key trading centers located on it.
How was West African History preserved prior to writing?
Memorization of stories which were then passed down orally.
What was the first West African kingdom? (that we studied)
Ghana.
Who was the Muslim ruler of Mali that made a pilgrimage to Mecca?
Mansa Musa.
What animal was used to help with crossing the Sahara desert?
Camels.
What two West African products were traded the MOST in the Saharan trade routes?
Salt and gold.
What does a griot do?
They are like a human library. A source of records and history for the people of a society.
How did Ghana raise money to pay officials?
By taxing trade goods as they came through their kingdom.
The Wangarans had a secret mine that produced vast amounts of what resource?
Gold.
Why did people in different vegetation zones trade with each other?
Which vegetation zone a society is located in dictates which goods they can or cannot produce.
What were two major advantages of the silent-barter system?
1. Language differences were not an issue
2. The Wangarans could keep their gold mine locations a secret
Give an example of oral tradition.
Answers will vary (ex: your father tells you a story which you remember and then tell to your son)
What is an advantage to joining an empire?
Answers will vary. (Ex: Protection along trade routes.)
Which kingdom did Sunni Ali lead?
Songhai.
If a trader is traveling from North Africa, massive geographic feature must be crossed prior to reaching the Sahara desert?
The Atlas Mountains.
Why was Kumbi a prime trading location?
It was located right at two trade crossroads.
Give an example of a proverb.
Answers will vary. (ex: a chatting bird builds no nests - this means that talking about action will get nothing done. The only way to achieve something is to take action)
What is the order (from first to last) of the 3 empires as they rose and fell in West Africa that we studied?
Ghana, Mali, Songhai.
Which Kingdom ended Ghana's reign and became the most powerful in West Africa?
Mali.
What geographic feature was very helpful to Jenne-Jeno in becoming a major trading center?
The Niger River.
Give an example of how religion could be spread across trade routes?
Answers will vary. (example: Through trade, people of different religions began living among each other and conversing, casually and through business. This eventual leads to the mix and adaptation of ideas and cultures, religious and nonreligious)
What does the proverb, "Every time an old man dies, it is as if a library has burned down" mean?
It means that when an old man dies, his stories and wisdom (that were not recorded) die along with him and are lost.
How long after Muhammad's death did a Muslim ruler come to power in Mali?
680 years.
In 1352, the most powerful West African kingdom, Mali, was visited by a famous scholar. Who was it?
Ibn Battuta.