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Worksheets

Ghana, Mali, Songhai

Total questions: 49

Worksheet time: 39mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Which of the following pillars of Islam was Mansa Musa practicing when he visited Cairo, Egypt?

a)

Sawn (Fasting)

b)

Zakat (Almsgiving)

c)

Salat (Prayer)

d)

Hajj (Pilgrimage)

2.

Which of the following pillars of Islam was Mansa Musa practicing when he visited Mecca, Saudi Arabia?

a)

Zakat (Almsgiving)

b)

Hajj (Pilgrimage)

c)

Shahaadah (Faith)

d)

Sawn (Fasting)

3.

The Ghana Empire was known as the Land of...

a)

Salt

b)

Gold

c)

Silver

d)

Diamonds

4.

The trading network in Ghana also spread ____________ south of the Sahara.

a)

Salt

b)

Christianity

c)

Islam

d)

Iron

5.

The Mali Empire replaced the ___________ Empire.

a)

Songhai

b)

Ghana

c)

Aksum

d)

Benin

6.

The Songhai Empire replaced the ___________ Empire.

a)

Ghana

b)

Mali

c)

Benin

d)

Great Zimbabwe

7.

Which characteristic of the Mali Empire is most closely associated with this image?

a)

trade with North Africa

b)

training wild animals for celebrations

c)

a powerful military

d)

wealth obtained from gold mines

8.

Which kingdoms were the major kingdoms in West Africa?

a)

Mali

b)

Dahr

c)

Niani

d)

Songhai

e)

Ghana

9.

What was an important trading city in Mali?

a)

Cairo

b)

Gao

c)

Timbuktu

d)

Alexandria

10.

What trade did Ghana control that allowed them to become a powerful kingdom?

a)

ivory and wool

b)

leather and porcelain

c)

rugs and silk

d)

gold and salt

11.
The river that was considered life to West Africa was 
a)
Nile
b)
Niger
c)
Congo
d)
Tigris
12.
Mansa Musa, even today, is the richest man in the world valued at $400 billion dollars.  But his greatest impact was that he...
a)
He spread Islam and the Islamic culture throughout West Africa
b)
He controlled the gold and salt trade
c)
He made a pilgrimage to Mecca to show off all of his wealth
d)
He was a model of behavior as a Muslim King who is charitable.
13.
What is the best definition of Trans Saharan trade?
a)
Trade through the Saharan Desert
b)
Trade below the Saharan Desert
c)
Trade around the Saharan Desert
d)
Trade above the Saharan Desert
14.

World's largest desert in Northern Africa

a)

Sahara

b)

Sahel

c)

Gobi

d)

Rub Al Kahli

15.
What was the main religion of the Empire of Songhai?
a)
Christianity
b)
Buddhism 
c)
Hinduism
d)
Islam
16.

Which of these where not a part of Ghana's trade?

a)

Gold

b)

Slaves

c)

Paper

d)

Salt

17.
In Mali, the government was ran by 
a)
A ruler
b)
A President
c)
The people
d)
A King
18.

What gave the early people of the Kingdom of Ghana an advantage?

a)

Salt

b)

Iron tools

c)

Steel tools

d)

Gunpowder

19.

What two key products did the kings of Ghana build their power on?

a)

Salt and Gold

b)

Iron and Salt

c)

Gold and Ivory

d)

Gold and Silver

20.

In what way were Camels used in the Kingdom of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai?

a)

For Sport

b)

Transportation of Goods

c)

As Entertainment

d)

For Religion

21.

The Northern desert in Africa is the...

a)

Sahara

b)

Kalahari

c)

Senegalese

d)

Nambia

22.

What was the name of the kingdom directly after Ghana?

a)

Mali

b)

Songhai

23.

What type of trade route did the people of the Empire of Ghana have (same as Mali and Songhai)?

a)

Trans-Saharan

b)

Trans-Kalaharian

c)

Trans-Mediterranean

d)

Trans-Eastward

24.

Which of the following is a reason that rivers were important to the people of Ghana? Select the best answer.

a)

Provided good soil and irrigation for farming

b)

Provided a place to wash and create crafts

c)

Expanded the borders of the Kingdom by providing a highway for the army

d)

Was used to flood enemies and clear the way for the army

25.

What new religion did the traders bring into the Kingdom of Ghana?

a)

Islam

b)

Buddhism

c)

Hinduism

d)

Christianity

26.

What was the name of the last Kingdom of Western Africa?

a)

Ghana

b)

Mali

c)

Songhai

27.

Name the West African Kingdoms in order.

a)

Mali-Ghana-Songhai

b)

Ghana-Mali-Songhai

c)

Songhai-Mali-Ghana

d)

Mali-Songhai-Ghana

28.

What religion was the Kingdom of Mali?

a)

Islam

b)

Buddhism

c)

Hinduism

d)

Christianity

29.

What religion was the Kingdom of Songhai?

a)

Islam

b)

Buddhism

c)

Hinduism

d)

Christianity

30.

Which Kingdom would Mansa Musa be associated with?

a)

Ghana

b)

Mali

c)

Songhai

31.

In which Kingdom was the Slave Trade important?

a)

Ghana

b)

Mali

c)

Songhai

32.

Who led a great caravan to Mecca that brought his West African empire to the attention of the Arab and European world?

a)

Askia Muhammad

b)

As-Saheli

c)

Mansa Musa

d)

Mansa Sundiata

33.

What made Mansa Musa’s hajj special?

a)

Egypt refused his caravan

b)

He refused to spend any money

c)

He upset Egypt's economy

d)

It brought world attention to Mali

34.

What geographic feature in northern Africa limited Western African civilizations contact with Europe and Asia?

a)

Niger River

b)

Nile River

c)

Sahara Desert

d)

Senegal River

35.

What is the name of the area between the Sahara Desert and the African savana?

a)

Niger River

b)

Sahel

c)

Nile River

d)

Drakensberg Mountains

36.

Which of the following was not an empire in West Africa?

a)

Songhai

b)

Mali

c)

Ghana

d)

Koumbi Saleh

37.

What natural resource in West Africa was valued as much as gold?

a)

Salt

b)

Iron

c)

Ivory

d)

Kola nuts

38.

How were the Berbers able to reach and trade with West Africa?

a)

They sailed around the horn of Africa

b)

They navigated up the Niger River

c)

Through a series of catapult delivery systems

d)

They traveled in caravans of camels

39.

What were the two most prominent religions within West Africa?

a)

Animism and Judaism

b)

Christianity and Islam

c)

Islam and animism

d)

Hinduism and Christianity

40.

How did Muslim rulers in West Africa treat non-Muslims inside of their empire?

a)

They tolerated them

b)

They banned or exiled them

c)

They arrested them and forcefully converted them to Islam

d)

They killed them

41.

Timbuktu, Djenne, and Gao all became major centers of what in West Africa?

a)

Trade

b)

Education

c)

Culture

d)

All are correct

42.

How did Islam first reach and spread in West Africa?

a)

The angel Gabriel brought the Qu'ran to the Mali Empire

b)

The Berbers and missionaries traveling with them spread Islam as they traded with West Africa

c)

The Umayyads conquered West Africa

d)

The Abbasids conquered West Africa

43.

What is a griot?

a)

A warlord

b)

A story-teller, historian, and/or musician

c)

The title of a West African emperor

d)

All are correct

44.

Why was none of West Africa's history written down before the introduction of the Arabic language?

a)

West Africa had no writing system

b)

The Umayyads ordered all writings be destroyed

c)

All records were lost in a great fire

d)

None are correct

45.

How did African culture and traditions spread to the Americas?

a)

Africans immigrated there after Christopher Columbus colonized the New World

b)

African slaves were brought to the New World

c)

Muslim traders rode caravans there and brought their culture with them

d)

Europeans copied their traditions and brought them to the colonies their countries established

46.

The clothing worn by the people in this picture is made from what cloth?

a)

Anansi

b)

Kora

c)

Djembe

d)

Kente

47.

The traditional religion of Animism believes...

a)

Objects in nature have souls or spirits

b)

In worship of of Mohammad

c)

All animals go to heaven

d)

In the Eight-fold Path of Islam

48.

The West African ruler who was most responsible for spreading Islam was

a)

Mehmed II

b)

Mansa Musa

c)

Sunni Ali

d)

Askia the Great

49.

How did the people use salt?

a)

To preserve food

b)

Trade it for gold

c)

For their health

d)

All are correct