Early Societies in West Africa

What is the main reason why people in different vegetation zones traded with each other?

• Large empires ruled over different zones.

• Different resources were found in each zone.

• The Niger River passed through different zones.

• The zones were home to different cultural groups.

How did the Niger River encourage trade?

• It was a source of food.

• It was a transportation route.

• Its annual floods provided rich soil.

• It provided water for baking.

Why did extended-family groups first settle south of the Sahara?

• to farm

• to trade

• to mine gold

• to fight enemies

What did extended-family groups do for defense against dangerous floods or enemies?

• They dug ditches around their communities.

• They lived in isolated areas far from danger.

• They joined other communities to form villages.

• They offered gifts to the leaders of hostile bands.

Archeologists have found remains of high walls around one ancient West African community. What does this suggest about it?

• The inhabitants made metal tools.

• The inhabitants had too little water.

• The inhabitants faced a threat of attacks.

• The inhabitants did not need to grow crops.

Which technology did the Nok people adopt as early as 500 B.C.E.?

• the wheel

• the aqueduct

• iron smelting

• paper making

Archeologists found copper at Jenne-jeno. The nearest copper mines are 600 miles away. What does this indicate about the people of Jenne-jeno?

• They often engaged in war.

• They understood how to mine.

• They built hot fires with charcoal.

• They carried on long-distance trade.

Which of these was an advantage of becoming part of an empire?

• paying tribute to the king

• trading with the governor

• having to serve in the army

• getting protection from raiders

Which product of West Africa was most important in the trade across the Sahara?

• oil

• gold

• timber

• clothing

From the discovery of Jenne-jeno, what did historians learn about the history of West Africa?

• It was a vast area with four zones.

• It became organized into kingdoms.

• It depended on several kinds of crops.

• It had cities two thousand years ago.