Ch. 4 West Africa

How did location of cities in the West African empires of Ghana and Mali influence their growth? 

• Their location in river valleys allowed for coal and iron mining. 
• Their coastal location made the cities major ports for tobacco trade.
• Their mountainous location made the cities easily defensible.
• Their location on major trade routes allowed them to prosper economically

West-African ruler who was most responsible for spreading Islam was

• Mehmed II

• Mansa Musa

• Sunni Ali Mohamed

• Askia the Great

What was the importance of Mansa Musa’s hajj to Mecca?

• He became an important leader in the Islamic  leadership of Mecca.
• His followers built a large mosque in his honor.
• He became even wealthier through very shrewd trading deals.
• He became famous and introduced the Mali Empire to the world.

Which of the following best illustrates a similarity between the development of the Ghana and Mali empires?

• Both empires took advantage of large gold mines within their empires to create their armies

• Both empires lay along the upper Nile River, where fertile soil made food plentiful.

• Both empires were helped by outsiders.
• Both empires were formed as republics.

Great civilizations in West Africa arose

• in the Sahara desert.
• along the Nile river.
• along the Niger River.
• in the Atlas Mountains.

The grasslands of Africa are known as the

• Sahara

• Jungle

• Savanna

• Atlas

The strip of land that separates the Sahara Desert from the wetter areas is called the

• Sahara

• Jungle

• Sahel

• Savanna

Two of Africa’s most valuable commodities were

• Diamonds
• Salt and Gold
• Raiding villages
• Coal and Iron

What is the name of the largest desert in the world?

• Sahara

• Sahel

• Savanna

• Gobbi

How did Ghana become such a powerful state?

• Ghana owned more salt than other states.
• Leaders in Ghana formed alliances with other groups of people.
• It had the strongest leader in all of Africa.
• It gained control of the valuable trade routes.