West African Empires

Gold was traded equally for salt in West Africa.

• True 

• False

Mansa Musa, even today, is the richest man in the world valued at $400 billion dollars.  But his greatest impact was that he...

• He spread Islam and the Islamic culture throughout West Africa

• He controlled the gold and salt trade

• He made a pilgrimage to Mecca to show off all of his wealth

• He was a model of behavior as a Muslim King who is charitable.

Mansa Musa was a model Muslim King.  When he returned to Mali he...

• brought Muslim artisans, teachers and architects to Mali

• forced all of his people to convert to Islam

• gave away all of his gold to the poor

• started a war with the Muslims of Mecca

How was Islam first introduced to West Africa?

• Political Revolts

• Mansa Musa

• Muslim Merchants

• Muslim traders

Timbuktu is known as a center for

• trade

• commerce

• learning

• religion

The image above illustrates Trans-Saharan trade.  What made this trade so important?

• Required merchants to cross the Saharan Desert

• Trade of gold and salt made Arabs and Africans wealthy

• Without this trade, merchants would have nothing to sell

• Trans Saharan trade began the Slave trade

The buildings pictured in the Catalan Atlas may represent "mosques".  What is a mosque?

• Christian place of worship

• Muslim place of worship

• Jewish place of worship

• Buddhist place of worship

Prior to the introduction of Islam, West Africa had no ...

• Oral communication

• Written language

• Stable government

Which geographic factors MOST influenced the kingdoms of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai?

• Plentiful salt deposits

• Location near the mountains

• Inland port cities on rivers

• Nearness to the Silk Road

• Abundance of gold

Which geographic factor MOST influenced the kingdoms of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai?

• Location near the mountains

• Taxes collected from merchants

• Nearness to the Silk Road

• Nearness to trans-Saharan caravan routes