West Africa Study Guide

The kingdoms of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai are located in:

• West Africa

• East Africa

• North Africa

• Central Africa

What are the geographic features in Western Africa?

• Deserts and savannas

• Mountains and glaciers

• Rainforests and tundras

• Volcanoes and fjords

What were the benefits and/or negatives of where the kingdoms of West Africa were located?

• The location provided access to trade routes and resources.

• The location was isolated and lacked resources.

• The location was prone to natural disasters.

• The location had no impact on the kingdoms.

What resources helped Ghana create stronger weapons and tools?

• Gold

• Iron

• Copper

• Silver

Camels were used for trade in West Africa because:

• they could carry heavy loads across the desert.

• they were faster than horses.

• they were cheaper to maintain than donkeys.

• they were immune to desert diseases.

The three kingdoms of Africa became wealthy by:

• trading gold and salt

• conquering neighboring lands

• developing advanced technology

• establishing democratic governments

What were the two main resources that they used in all three kingdoms?

• Gold and Salt

• Iron and Corn

• Wood and Stone

• Water and Grain

Trade impacted the kingdoms of West Africa by:

• increasing wealth and cultural exchange

• causing frequent wars and conflicts

• isolating them from other regions

• leading to the decline of agriculture

The resources in West Africa made them wealthy because:

• They had abundant gold and salt mines.

• They had a large population.

• They had advanced technology.

• They had strong military forces.

What were the major religious beliefs in Western Africa?

• Islam and Christianity

• Judaism

• Both Islam and Animism

• Hinduism and Buddhism