Lesson 18 - Early Societies in West Africa

What is the best title for this list?

• Ghana

• Songhai

• Mali

• Trading Cities of the Sahara

• Tribes Who Ruled the Desert

• Animal Gods of the Niger Valley

• Early Kingdoms of West Africa

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

• a palm forest

• a farming tool

• a family legend

• a traditional dance

Few large settlements developed in the Sahara because it was too.....

• dry

• hilly

• large

• rocky

Compared to the West African savanna, the Sahel has

• better soil

• taller grass

• more cattle

• less rainfall

Suppose a West African community produces these goods:

• yams

• palm oil

• kola nuts

That community is most likely in which vegetation zone?

• forest

• desert

• savanna

• semidesert

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.