WorksheetsWest African Kingdoms
Total questions: 24
Worksheet time: 11mins
In African history, the main purpose of a "griot" was to
Play instruments and entertain people.
preserve the history of the people.
teach math and science
Perform surgeries and keep people and alive.
Timbuktu and Djenne were centers for Islamic art, literature, and Science.
True
False
What West African river aided in the development of West African civilizations?
Nile River
Yangtze River
River Thames
Niger River
Although they were located in Africa, the Ghana and Mali Empires both adopted the main religion of Arab Traders, which was:
Judaism
Christianty
Buddhism
Islam
The savannah is
dry, hot desert.
a wet jungle, lots of rain.
scattered trees and grassland.
a mountain range.
How did early West Africans record their history?
orally
in books
on tape
with hyroglyphs
Which of the following factors a reason that Ghana became a powerful empire in West Africa?
It had extremely productive agriculture, grew lots of crops
It controlled the gold and salt trade in that region, placed taxes on goods.
It traded extensively with European countries through the Trans-Saharan Trade
It was the first African empire to manufacture salt into salt shakers.
World's largest desert in Northern Africa
Sahara
Sahel
Gobi
Rub Al Kahli
an area of tall grasses and scattered trees.
Sahara
Sahel
Savanna
Niger River
Trade across the Sahara Desert is known as
Mansa Musa
Savanna Trade
Trans-Saharan Trade
Bi-Coastal Trade
The first great trading kingdom in West Africa was
Ghana
Mali
Songhai
Griots
What is a griot?
the pilgrimage to Mecca
storytellers who preserved the history of the people
group of traders that travel together
exchanging of goods without direct contact
Sundiata founded which West African trading kingdoms?
Mali
Ghana
Songhai
How did Islam spread into Africa?
Through trade
Through wars
By Sultans converted
By force
Much of the wealth of the West African kingdoms of Ghana and Mali was gained from what?
Sale of slaves to Europeans and Americans
Creation of colonies along the Mediterranean Sea
Taxing people coming to visit Mecca
Control of the trans-Saharan trade in gold and salt
What animal was a necessary part of the development of trade in West African Kingdoms?
Camels
Elephants
Horses
Lions
Why was smelting iron important?
This allowed for iron to be extracted from rocks and the development of iron tools.
This allowed for sculptures to be made.
This was an important trade item across the Sahara desert.
This allowed people to smell iron much better.
This is an example of
Nok terra cotta sculpture
Nok iron tool
Mansa Musa
Ghana's art
How did the Berbers help Africa?
They preserved history by passing down stories orally.
They brought the Arabic language to Africa.
The began trade in North Africa.
They built a college in Timbuktu.
Why was salt a valuable resource?
It could preserve meat and be used in trade to obtain other commodities (goods).
Salt gave food flavor and helped to keep Camels alive.
It was needed as part of the human diet and was payment for slaves.
It was minted into coins and then used to built Islamic churches.
What geographical features are found in North Africa?
Atlas Mountains, Sahara Desert, Mediterranean Sea
Congo Rainforest, Red Sea, and Alps Mountains
Atlas Mountains, Niger River, Caspian Sea
Arabian Peninsula, Mediterranean Sea, and Alps Mountain Range
