Lesson 15 Early Societies in West Africa

A savannah is

• a dry desert.
• a jungle.
• a flat grassland.
• a mountain range.

Which of the following is West Africa's longest and most important river?

• Senegal River
• Nile River
• Niger River
• Black Volta River

Villages in West Africa represent the homesteads of extended families.

• True
• False

Which of the following correctly lists the climate zones of West Africa from north to south?

• arid desert, semiarid Sahel, savanna, rain forest
• rain forest, savanna, semiarid Sahel, arid desert
• savanna, rain forest, semiarid Sahel, arid desert
• semiarid desert, rain forest, savanna, arid desert

Which of these clues about the African past describes an artifact?

• A palm forest

• A family dance

• A farming tool

• A family legend

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 provided water for baking

• Its annual floods provided rich soil

• It was a transportation route.

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

• Getting protection from raiders

• Having to serve in the army

• Trading with governor

• Paying tribute to the king

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

• A. to farm
• B. to trade
• C. to mine gold
• D. to fight enemies 

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

• A. They dug ditches around their communities
• B. They lived in isolated areas far from danger.
• C. They joined other communities to form villages. 
• D. They offered gifts to the leaders of hostile bands.