West African Kingdoms

Which geographical feature was MOST important to the survival of the people living in West Africa?

• Atlas Mountains

• Niger River

• Sahara Desert

• Savannah

Men and women in traditional West African society were loyal to their

• work groups and parents.

• religious and military leaders.

• extended families and age-sets.

• nobility and elders.

The traditional religious practice of West Africans was centered on the belief that

• the spirits of ancestors stayed nearby.

• rituals were very important.

• there was only one god.

• each person lived several lives.

People south of the Sahara traded their gold for

• slaves.

• food.

• diamonds.

• salt.

Why was salt so valuable?

• Salt was used as a fertilizer for crops.

• Salt was used in many religious ceremonies.

• Salt was used to preserve food.

• Salt was used as a medicine.

Which of the following did NOT lead to the fall of Ghana?

• Muslim invaders from North Africa cut off trade routes

• Overgrazing the land caused the soil to erode

• Conquered tribes began to rebel against Ghana control

• Disease and famine reduced the population

Which city that was once the center of the Mali Empire became the center of the Songhai Empire?

• Djenné

• Gao

• Timbuktu

• Mecca

In 1324, Mansa Musa left his empire on a pilgrimage to

• Timbuktu

• Mecca

• Rome

• Cairo

How did the empire of Ghana become wealthy and powerful in the 1000s?

• Ghana controlled the valuable diamond mines of West Africa

• Ghana controlled the valuable salt mines of West Africa

• Ghana leaders taxed the traders as they entered and left the kingdom

• Ghana leaders only taxed the owners of the gold and salt mines of West Africa

Why did the king of Ghana establish the trading system of silent barter?

• The traders of Ghana did not speak the language of many of the foreign traders

• Islamic law forbid Muslims from trading directly with non-Muslims

• The king would need to personally approve every trade that took place

• The gold traders felt they were more important and refused to meet any other traders directly