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WorksheetsEarly Societies in West Africa
Total questions: 20
Worksheet time: 10mins
In West Africa between about 500 and 1600 C.E., Ghana, Songhai, and Mali were three _____ that arose.
states
kingdoms
countries
religions
Why are historians unable to study written sources from early West African societies?
No one can translate the documents' language.
All of the documents were burned in a fire.
Most of the period has no written records.
The government owns all of the documents.
The area of semidesert that is both south of the Sahara and has mild vegetations is called the
Jenné.
Sahel.
Savanna.
Niger.
The Sahara was not a good place for large settlements because it
is extremely dry.
rains too much.
has no mountains.
is mostly forest.
The savanna is a vegetation zone of tall grasses and trees. This is due to its
very dry climate
very rocky plains
long rainy season
mountainous land
Which of the following is true about the Niger River?
It is the longest river in all of West Africa.
It has the largest fish variety in West Africa.
It is the only source of water in West Africa.
It no longer exists in any part of West Africa.
West Africa's geography influenced the__________ that developed there.
forms of authority
extended families
religious beliefs
patterns of trade
Why did people of West Africa trade with people from different areas?
It symbolized trust toward their neighbors.
Each vegetation zone had different resources.
It helped establish marketplaces in each zone.
It is unknown why trade developed there.
In early West Africa, major rivers, such as the Niger River, functioned as
battlegrounds.
refugees' homes.
trading routes.
all of the above
By around 4000 B.C.E., some people in West Africa formed farming communities made up of
village neighbors.
religious officials.
different tribes.
extended families.
How did villages form in early West Africa?
A controlling leader forcefully took over many groups.
Family-based communities joined together for help.
Communities often went to war over trade disputes.
Groups developed closely together due to gold resources.
What are the Nok, a people from West Africa during 500 B.C.E., known for?
mastering ironworking
fishing with a thin wire
building with concrete
forming the first cities
What changes did the development of iron tools bring?
Farmers could clear land and grow crops more efficiently.
Villages could produce surpluses to trade for other goods.
People could freely engage in weaving and metalworking.
all of the above
Early West African inhabitants that controlled trade routes became wealthy by
robbing passersby along the river.
raising prices of goods frequently.
charging fees for trading activity.
making farmers pay high taxes.
What theory did the discovery of Jenne-Jeno prove wrong?
Trade between villages only occurred in the Sahara desert.
Cities did not exist in West Africa until outsiders came in.
The Hittites were the first to use the process of smelting.
No civilization or people existed in early West Africa.
Jenne-Jeno's location made it a great place for
building, weaving, and smelting.
farming, fishing, and trading.
ironworking, plowing and carving.
pottery making, eating, and beading.
The most respected people in Jenne-Jeno were ______, who also acted as political leaders, judges, and doctors.
blacksmiths
farmers
weavers
traders
Which of the following is a way rulers of the West African kingdom became wealthy?
They collected taxes from their bought and sold goods.
They raised armies and conquered other trading areas.
They collected tributes from other rulers or countries.
all of the above
What was one benefit of becoming part of an empire in Early West Africa?
Men were required to serve in the king's army.
Conquered people were required to give tribute.
Kings provided protection for conquered territory.
Kings sometimes sent governors to rule the land.
Kingdoms in West Africa relied both on local trade and
exporting to Europe.
trans-Saharan trade.
mobile flea markets.
traveling farmers.
