African Kingdoms

Front

World's largest desert in Northern Africa

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Sahara

Front

longest river in West Africa; a trading highway in early times.

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Niger River

Front

trade across the Sahara Desert

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Trans-Saharan Trade

Front

first West African Empire that became wealthy through controlling the salt and gold trade.

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Ghana

Front

second West African empire that prospered from gold-salt trade. After converting to Islam, became a center of Muslim culture.

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Mali

Front

first West African ruler who converted to Islam and took a famous pilgrimage to Mecca.

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Mansa Musa

Front

largest of the West African trading empires, known for spreading Islam and the Arabic language in West Africa.

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Songhai

Front

Professional story-tellers or oral historians; record keepers of their culture

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Griots

Front

a story usually passed down orally that becomes part of a community's tradition

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Folk Tale

Front

wise sayings that are quick ways of sharing wisdom

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Proverbs