wayground logo

Free Printable Worksheets

Font size

S
M
L
XL
Worksheets

State-building in Africa

Total questions: 16

Worksheet time: 17mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Which of the following best describes the rise of wealthy kingdoms in Africa?

a)

A. Civilizations arose and prospered along popular trading routes. 

b)

B. Kingdoms in Africa used military power to block transcontinental trade.

c)

C. Proximity to the Sahara made travel and trade convenient for merchants

d)

D. Many kingdoms were landlocked which led to prosperous developments in irrigation. 

2.

 “The Arab traders of this region wanted gold as much as the Wangara wanted salt, but both had to pass through Ghana to trade...Ghana controlled the land...it had the military forces…to maintain peace in the area, thereby assuring safe trade for the Arabs and the Wangara.” 

-Through African Eyes, ed. By Leon F. Clark

 

Based on the excerpt above, which of the following contributed to the success of Ghana?

a)

A. Military conquest 

b)

B. Geographic location 

c)

C. Superior skill of merchants 

d)

D. Natural resources of the land

3.

West African kingdoms like Mali gained immense wealth due to their large supply of what resources? 

 

a)

A. Gold and salt

b)

B. Cotton and silk 

c)

C. Silver and gems 

d)

D. Servants and wheat 

4.

Which of the following had the largest impact on the social and cultural development of kingdoms in West and South Africa? 

a)

A. the lack of military power 

b)

B. the lack of contact with Europe 

c)

C. the leadership of Islamic rulers 

d)

D. the ethical challenges of slavery

5.

Which of the following best completes the diagram above? 

a)

A. The Bantu migration occurs 

b)

B. Gold is discovered in the West 

c)

C. Islam spread throughout Africa 

d)

D. Civil War breaks out in Northern Africa

6.

Why do many people in Africa speak Arabic and practice the religion of Islam?

a)

They Kurds were given their own country in Africa after Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria refused to recognize them as an ethnic group.

b)

The Arabs expanded their empire from the Arabian Peninsula into Africa as they traded over land and on the sea.

c)

The Bantu brought their iron-working skills from West Africa to the rest of the continent.

d)

The majority of Persians believe that the leader of the religion must be a blood relative of Muhammad.

7.

Women living in rural areas of Africa are generally involved in the economic activity of —

a)

mining

b)

retail sales

c)

transportation

d)

subsistence farming

8.

What is a griot?

a)

Storyteller preserving African history

b)

Muslim temple found in East Africa

c)

Coin used as currency in Mali empire

d)

Ship used by Indian Ocean merchants

9.
Mansa Musa is most famous for..?
a)
converting to Christianity
b)
making a pilgrimage to Mecca
c)
ruling Songhai
d)
not being a good leader
10.

What were the major items traded along the Trans Sahara Trade route

a)

gold, slaves and porcelain

b)

silk, porcelain, paper and gunpowder

c)

gold, slaves and spices

d)

gold, salt, slaves and ivory

11.

This West African city was a great center of trade that had mosques, universities, and libraries.

a)

Mecca

b)

Rome

c)

Los Angeles

d)

Timbuktu

12.
What is one of the most important effects of the Bantu migrations.
a)
The diffusion of Islam
b)
The creation of linguistic similarities across sub-Saharan Africa
c)
The creation of a single sub-Saharan African culture
d)
The diffusion of the banana
13.

Which kingdoms were the major kingdoms in West Africa? (multiple answers)

a)

Mali

b)

Dahr

c)

Niani

d)

Songhai

e)

Ghana

14.

Where would you see this historical religious building in Africa?

a)

Ethiopia

b)

Mali

c)

Egypt

d)

Zimbabwe

15.

Select the answer that BEST describes this image:

a)

Mansa Musa travels the Silk Road Trade Network on his hajj (pilgrimage) to Mecca in Arabia, exposing those along the way to Mali’s wealth and power

b)

Mansa Musa travels the Trans-Saharan Trade Network on his hajj (pilgrimage) to Medina in Arabia, exposing those along the way to Ghana’s wealth and power

c)

Mansa Musa travels the Trans-Saharan Trade Network on his hajj (pilgrimage) to Mecca in Arabia, exposing those along the way to Mali’s wealth and power

d)

Mansa Musa travels the Indian Ocean Trade Network on his hajj (pilgrimage) to Medina in Arabia, exposing those along the way to Hausa’s wealth and power

16.

Identify 2 migration patterns that help define the cultural geography of the African continent.

a)

Bantus

b)

African slave trade

c)

Muslim missionaries

d)

Refugees