The West African Empires

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

The ruler who was most responsible for spreading Islam was

• Mehmed II

• Mansa Musa

• Sunni Ali Mohamed

• Askia the Great

Which of the following was NOT a way Mansa Musa spread Islam and education throughout Mali?

• He outlawed all religions except Islam.

• He stressed the importance of reading and writing in Arabic, the language of the Qur´an.

• He sent scholars to study in Morocco and then to set up schools in Mali.

• He hired artists and architects from other empires to build mosques in Mali.

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 fund their armies
• Both empires lay along the upper Niger 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 wealth of Ghana and Mali was based on

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

The entire region south of a large North African desert is called

• Drakensberg
• Sub-Savannah
• Atlas Range Mountains
• Sub-Sahara

Which letter on the map indicates the Sahara Desert?

• W
• X
• Y
• Z

What city is North of the Atlas Mountains

• Fez

• Ghat

• Djenne

• Alexandria