Kingdom of Ghana

How did the kings of Ghana grow their kingdom's economy?

• Through agriculture and livestock farming
• By conquering neighboring kingdoms
• They collected taxes from traders

• By relying solely on natural resources

Why was Kumbi Saleh the most important city in Ghana?

• It was a religious center for the region
• It was a military stronghold against neighboring empires
• It was known for its agricultural innovations
• It was the capital of the Ghana Empire and was at the center of several trade routes.

Why were camels ideal for the trans-Saharan trade?

• They were easy to ride

• They were friendly and calm

• They could travel several days without water

• They had broad feet for walking on hot sand

What was one effect of the trans-Subharan trade?

• Rise of feudalism
• Increase in literacy rates
• People in West Africa converted to Islam

• Decline of agriculture

What is a commodity?

• A commodity is a type of currency used in ancient civilizations.
• A commodity is a basic good used in commerce that is interchangeable with other goods of the same type.
• A commodity is a rare item with limited availability.
• A commodity is a digital asset used for online gaming.

Which commodity helped Ghana expand its empire through conquest?

• Cotton
• Salt
• Iron

• Spices

Gold was valued because of its rarity, durability, and beauty as well as its

• malleability

• easy access

• good luck

• diversity

The origins of the first powerful West African empire are unclear. Most of what is known about the Ghana Empire has been passed down through either

• Archaeological evidence
• Historical documents
• Written records
• oral tradition or texts written by Arab merchants

What are two reasons why the Ghana Empire fell?

• Alien invasion
• groups throughout North and West Africa began to challenge the Ghana Empire. Conflict with other groups weakened the empire

• Peaceful transition of power
• changes in climate and weather patterns also caused difficulties.

What were the original religious beliefs of the people living in the Ghana Empire?

• Polytheism- the belief in many gods

• Monotheism- the belief in one God

• Atheism- the belief in no God

• Animism- the belief that plants and animals are sacred