North, West, Central, East and Southern Africa

1. Mansa Musa’s journey to Mecca in the 1300’s is evidence that

• The Crusades had a great influence on western Africa

• Most African leaders were educated in the Middle East

• European culture was superior to the cultures of western Africa

• Islam had a major influence on the Mali Empire

2. What effects did the rule of Mansa Musa have on Mali and West Africa?

• Established trade routes for salt and gold in West Africa which put Mali on the map

• Conquered most of northern Africa during his travel to Mecca and spread Islamic ideas

• Supported education, introduced his empire to the Islamic world, added trade cities including Timbuktu

• Conquered Ghana and started schools which encouraged reading the Arabic language

3. Towns and villages grew and the population of Ghana increased mostly because

• Ghana’s farmers and herders could produce plenty of food.

• The people of Ghana believed in having very large families.

• Families needed many members to work the trade caravans.

• By law, families in Ghana were required to have many members.

4. What was significant about the location of Ghana’s Empire?

• It had access to the Atlantic Ocean and therefore valuable shipping routes.

• It was located between the gold mines in the south and valuable salt resources in the north.

• People needed salt in their diets and they used it to preserve and season foods.

• Most of the empire was located in the mountains overlooking other empires.

5. Which answer is the best option as to why salt was so valuable in Ancient Africa?5.

• Salt was important for religious ceremonies.

• Salt was used as a fertilizer for crops.

• Salt, used to preserve  and season food, was an important trade item.

• Salt was used as a medicine against disease.

6. 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 army in all of Africa.

• It gained control of the valuable trade routes.

7. What led to Ghana’s decline?

• A Muslim group called the Almoravids from Spain and Morocco began to invade to spread the Islamic religion.

• Overgrazing of the land by herds of animals brought in by invaders.

• Internal rebellion by the people living in Ghana.

• All of the above

“Well placed for the caravan trade, it was badly situated to defend itself from the Tuareg raiders of the Sahara.  These restless nomads were repeatedly hammering at the gates of Timbuktu, and often they burst them open with disastrous results for the inhabitants.  Life here was never quite safe enough to recommend it as the center of a big state.”

                                                                     Basil Davidson, from A History of West Africa

8. In this quote, the author is discussing why Timbuktu was

•  A good place for universities.

• Not a good place for a capital city.

• A good location for trade.

• Not a good location for the center of the Tuareg state.

Living in Mali during the reign of Mansa Musa allowed the people of Mali

• To prosper from the trade of salt, gold, metals, shells, and other desirable resources.

• To be educated and learn to read the Arabic Language.

• Both a and b.

• To travel to all parts of Northern Africa and spread the Islamic religion.

 A similarity between the ancient western African kingdoms of Mali, Ghana, and Songhai is that these kingdoms

• Limited the power of their rulers.

• Practiced Christianity.

• Established economies based on trade.

• Isolated themselves from contact with other cultures.