Africa & The Americas Review Questions

Rainforests in Africa are primarily found in the

• southern part of the continent

• mountainous regions

• central part of the continent

• northern part of the continent

Which factor contributed most to the development of the ancient African kingdoms of Ghana and Mali?

• extensive trade

• geographic isolation

• European imperialism

• Democratic government

The existence of the civilizations of Ghana, Axum, and Mali demonstrates that

• advanced societies developed in Africa before any European contact

• African civilizations were extremely isolated from each other

• The African Continent was unified under a single political system

• Industrial technology was needed for early African civilizations to develop

One reason the ancient kingdoms in Western Africa prospered was that they

• had no contact with the rest of the world

• were located along the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers

• followed the Hindu beliefs of their rulers

• developed extensive trade in gold, ivory, and salt

Which is the best title for the partial outline below? I. a. Central Asian Silk Road b. Trans-Saharan Trade c. East African coastal trading system

• Areas in the Hanseatic League

• Regions Under Mongol Rule

• Routes of European Crusades

• Movement of People and Goods

One conclusion that can be reached from the evidence about Mansa Musa’s rule of Mali is that

• the slave trade originated in West Africa

• trade was not necessary for a civilization to survive

• Christianity was a dominant religion in Africa in ancient times

• Complex civilizations existed in West Africa before the arrival of Europeans

One reason the cultures of North Africa developed differently than the cultures of the rest of Africa was that these areas were separated by the

• Arabian Sea

• Congo River

• Sahara Desert

• Great Rift Valley

The term "Trans-Saharan" refers to _______.

• Trade across the Saharan Desert

• Trade that avoided the Sahara desert

• Trade that only occurred between West Africa kingdoms

• Movement of people to Mecca

Which activity is NOT an example of cultural diffusion in Africa?

• discovering Byzantine coins in Axum

• uncovering porcelain plates in Songhai

• the influence of Islam in Mali

• mapping a gold mine in Ghana

One similarity between the ancient African kingdoms of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai is that all of these kingdoms were located

• on major trading routes

• in mountainous terrain

• in coastal areas

• in rainforest areas