Mansa Musa and the Trans-Sahara Trade

The podcast discusses the significance of trade and the movement of people and goods, focusing on the West African trading kingdoms. It highlights the trans-Sahara trade route, known for the gold-salt trade, and the cultural diffusion resulting from these exchanges. The podcast emphasizes the prosperity of the Mali kingdom during the Dark Ages, led by Mansa Musa, whose wealth and pilgrimage to Mecca spread Islam and attracted global interest. Timbuktu became a cultural center due to this influence.

What sparked the movement of people and goods in West Africa?

• The arrival of European explorers

• The invention of the wheel

• The discovery of oil

• The interest of Muslim traders

Which two resources were central to the trans-Sahara trade?

• Gold and silver

• Salt and spices

• Gold and salt

• Copper and iron

Which of the following was NOT a feature common to the Ghana, Mali, and Songhai kingdoms?

• Adoption of Christianity

• Control of the gold-salt trade

• Wealth from trade

• Location along river valleys

What was a significant effect of the trans-Sahara trade route?

• Decrease in trade activity

• Decline of Islam

• Cultural diffusion

• Isolation of African kingdoms

What was Mansa Musa's religion, and how did he spread it?

• Buddhism, through cultural exchange

• Hinduism, through conquest

• Islam, through trade and pilgrimage

• Christianity, through missionary work

Why did Timbuktu become a center of learning?

• It was a major port city

• It was enriched by Mansa Musa's wealth and influence

• It was the birthplace of Mansa Musa

• It was the capital of the Songhai Empire

What was the primary reason for Mansa Musa's wealth?

• Inheritance from his ancestors

• Taxation of European traders

• Control over the gold and salt trade

• Conquest of neighboring kingdoms

How did Mansa Musa's pilgrimage to Mecca impact the Mali Empire?

• It led to the decline of the empire

• It caused a civil war within the empire

• It isolated the empire from the rest of the world

• It increased international recognition and support

Which city became a cultural center due to Mansa Musa's influence?

• Timbuktu

• Lagos

• Cairo

• Accra

What was the main outcome of the gold-salt trade for West African kingdoms?

• Economic decline

• Cultural isolation

• Increased wealth and international recognition

• Loss of cultural identity