West African Kingdoms Vocabulary

Sahara

• semi-desert in Africa

• desert in North Africa

• desert in South Africa

trans-Sahara trade

• trade between Europe and Africa

• trade between North Africa and Asia

• trade between North and West Africa

sahel

• semi-desert, short grass, few shrubs and trees

• long grass, rainy season

• forest, rain year round

matrilineal

• family line traced through land region

• family line traced through father

• family line traced through mother

Songhai

• kingdom broke off from Ghana

• kingdom broke off from Mali

• first kingdom of West Africa

smelting

• melting of gold to create artifacts

• melting of ore to produce bronze

• melting of ore to produce iron

Jenne-jeno

• West African city built near Niger River

• capital city of West African kingdom

• African city built along NIle River

Ghana

• 2nd West African Kingdom

• 3rd West African Kingdom

• 1st West African kingdom

Mali

• 1st West African Kingdom

• 2nd West African Kingdom

• 3rd West African Kingdom

Savanna

• long grassland with rainy season and scattered tress

• short grassland, dry and hot

• long grassland with low rain and no trees