Lesson 15 - Early Societies in West Africa

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In West Africa between about 500 and 1600 C.E., Ghana, Songhai, and Mali were three _____ that arose.

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kingdoms

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Why are historians unable to study written sources from early West African societies?

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Most of the period has no written records.

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The area of semidesert that is both south of the Sahara and has mild vegetation is called the

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Sahel

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The Sahara was not a good place for large settlements because it

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is extremely dry.

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The savanna is a vegetation zone of tall grasses and trees. This is due to its

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long rainy season

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Which of the following is true about the Niger River? It is the longest river in all of West Africa. It has the largest fish variety in West Africa. It is the only source of water in West Africa. It no longer exists in any part of West Africa.

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It is the longest river in all of West Africa.

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West Africa's geography influenced the__________ that developed there.

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patterns of trade

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Why did people of West Africa trade with people from different areas?

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Each vegetation zone had different resources.

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In early West Africa, major rivers, such as the Niger River, functioned as

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trading routes.

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By around 4000 B.C.E., some people in West Africa formed farming communities made up of

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extended families.