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Worksheets

African KIngdoms

Total questions: 57

Worksheet time: 33mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Which geographic factors MOST influenced the kingdoms of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai?

a)

Plentiful salt deposits

b)

Location near the mountains

c)

Inland port cities on rivers

d)

Nearness to the Silk Road

e)

Abundance of gold

2.

Which of the following statements are TRUE about the development of West African Kingdoms?

a)

People specialized in different jobs as a result of the growth in trading cities.

b)

People had leisure time to develop arts.

c)

The kingdoms had rich and powerful leaders.

d)

The kingdoms were dependent on trade with one another to power their economies.

3.

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

4.

Which kingdoms were the major kingdoms in West Africa?

a)

Mali

b)

Dahr

c)

Niani

d)

Songhai

e)

Ghana

5.

What was an important trading city in Mali?

a)

Cairo

b)

Gao

c)

Timbuktu

d)

Alexandria

6.

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

7.

How did the kings of Ghana become rich?

a)

selling their gold mines

b)

borrowing money

c)

taxing merchants from foreign countries

d)

selling iron weapons

8.

a low triangular area where a river divides before entering a larger body of water

a)

Delta

b)

Middle Kingdom

c)

Old Kingdom

d)

Kush

9.
Africa is a 
a)
large country
b)
small country
c)
large continent
d)
small continent
10.
The West African kingdom that became wealthy through taxing passersby was 
a)
Ghana
b)
Mali
c)
Songhai
d)
Benin
11.
Which statement is true about West Africa?
a)
most were polytheistic 
b)
most were Buddhists
c)
most were monotheistic
d)
religion was not important to them
12.
Who is known for spreading Islam into Mali?
a)
Muhammad
b)
Jesus
c)
Mansa Musa
d)
Sundiata Kieta
13.
The most important West African city, for trade and education, was
a)
Timbuktu
b)
Cairo
c)
Gao
d)
Rome
14.
Gold was traded equally for salt in West Africa.
a)
True 
b)
False
15.

I am going on a trip to Africa. Which kingdom could I not visit today?

a)

Ghana

b)

Mali

c)

Songhai

d)

They are all in Africa today

16.

This kingdom was protected by an army

a)

Ghana

b)

Mali

c)

Songhay

d)

Benin

17.
This kingdom existed from 400 - 1100 in western Africa. 
a)
Ghana
b)
Mali
c)
Songhai
d)
Zimbabwe
18.
Which two natural resources led to the rise of all the western African kingdoms?
a)
Salt and Gold
b)
Salt and Diamonds
c)
Silver and Gold
d)
Platinum and DIamonds
19.
The following was the first Islamic civilization in Africa. 
a)
Ghana
b)
Mali
c)
Songhai
d)
Axum
20.
What was one Ghana profited from the trade industry?
a)
They charged traders taxes to pass through. 
b)
They charged sales tax on the goods being traded. 
c)
They controlled the trade and made all the profits. 
d)
They did not permit trade.
21.
This country seized power from Ghana around 1200. 
a)
Mali
b)
Songhai
c)
Zimbabwe
d)
Axum
22.
This leader was the person who led Songhai to take control of the west African gold and salt trade. 
a)
Sunni Ali
b)
Mansu Musa
c)
Sundiata Keita
d)
Ibn Battuta
23.
Mansa Musa, the monarch of 14th century Mali, is MOST remembered for
a)
defending his African kingdom from slave traders.
b)
his conversion to Islam and his pilgrimage to Mecca.
c)
his expansion of the gold trade into central and Southern Africa.
d)
lending his massive military forces to the Arabs during the Crusades.
24.
What is the Sahara?
a)
A beach in Europe.
b)
An ocean in the pacific.
c)
A lake in Michigan.
d)
A vast desert in northern Africa. 
25.
What events made it possible to cross the Sahara?
a)
The merchants' use of boats.
b)
The merchants' use of camel.
c)
The merchants' use of horses.
26.
What is the name of the huge desert that covers northern Africa?
a)
Sahara
b)
Arabian
c)
Gobi
d)
Kalahari
27.
Where did Mansa Musa make a pilgrimage to with 80,000 people?
a)
The Holy Land
b)
Jerusalem
c)
Medina
d)
Mecca
28.
What was NOT an obstacle to exploration of the New World?
a)
poor tools and maps
b)
disease and starvation
c)
lack of adequate supplies
d)
unavailability of natural resources
29.

Caliph

a)

Islamic or muslim ruler/leader

b)

Christian ruler/leader

c)

Jewish ruler/leader

d)

Buddhist ulerleader

30.

Timbuktu

a)

Capital of the Ghana Empire

b)

A thriving center for trade and Islamic learning

c)

A West African Empire that took over after the Mali Empire ended

d)

none of the above

31.

Why did Mali fall apart?

a)

It was weakened by attacks from outside borders.

b)

It lacked safe trade routes for merchants.

c)

It failed to hide the location of its gold mines.

d)

It was split up into smaller provinces ruled by governors.

32.
The main river that the Ghana empire started around:
a)
Nile
b)
Niger
c)
Volta
d)
Tigris
33.
How did Ghana's rulers make sure that gold remained an important trade good?
a)
They made beautiful jewelry out of it
b)
The traded it for salt
c)
They controlled how much was mined
d)
The required that all coins be made from it
34.
How did Mansa Musa establish West Africa as a center of Muslim culture?
a)
He spent so much gold on his hajj that it upset Egypt's economy
b)
He extended Mali's territory through conquest
c)
He imported Muslim scholars, artists and teachers
d)
He established trade links with Muslim traders in North Africa
35.

What region is Northern Africa?

a)

Yellow

b)

Red

c)

Purple

d)

Green

36.

What region is Southern Africa?

a)

Yellow

b)

Blue

c)

Purple

d)

Red

37.
The following was the first Islamic civilization in Africa. 
a)
Ghana
b)
Mali
c)
Songhai
d)
Axum
38.
These people told the history and folktales of Africa before they began writing it down. 
a)
Griots
b)
Prophets
c)
Diviners
d)
Savages
39.
What events made it possible to cross the Sahara?
a)
The merchants' use of boats.
b)
The merchants' use of camel.
c)
The merchants' use of horses.
40.
Why is salt very short in supply in Timbuktu?
a)
It costs a lot.
b)
It is not made often.
c)
The season has passed.
d)
It is carried there from Tegaza, 500 miles from Timbuktu.
41.
Europeans traded their goods for______
a)
salt, spices, ivory & gold.
b)
shoes & shirts.
c)
cars and boats.
d)
vacations in the Bahamas.
42.
What African river- so vital to west African states of past and present- is being shown on the map?
a)
Nile River
b)
Niger River
c)
Congo River
d)
Zambezi River
43.
Which kingdom broke free from Mali, created an Islamic empire, and then conquered Mali?
a)
Songhai
b)
Ghana
c)
Egypt
d)
Mali
44.

A griot...

a)

Travels nomadically and hunts animals

b)

Is the person who sets up clans

c)

Tells the history of their clan orally

d)

All of the above

45.

Which of the following was not an import of Africa?

a)

Glass beads

b)

Slaves

c)

Mirrors

d)

Salt

46.

Although they were located in Africa, the Songhai and Mali Empires both adopted the main religion of the Middle East at the time, which was:

a)

Judaism

b)

Christianty

c)

Buddhism

d)

Islam

47.

Like Judaism and Christianity that came before it, Islam is what type of religion?

a)

Polytheistic

b)

Atheistic

c)

Monotheistic

d)

Philosophical

48.

The principles of the religion of Islam were revealed to what prophet?

a)

Lao Tsu

b)

Abraham

c)

David

d)

Muhammad

49.
Which continent is ancient Mali located on?
a)
Asia
b)
Africa
c)
North America
d)
South America
50.
How were the traditions of ancient Mali passed down?
a)
books
b)
iPads
c)
storytellers
d)
television
51.

The empire of Mali had-

a)

peninsulas and fishermen

b)

grasslands and miners

c)

oceans and shipbuilders

d)

woodlands and bronze

52.

Which describes the government of Mali?

a)

It was a dynasty

b)

It was ruled by kings

c)

It was a direct democracy

d)

It was a representative government

53.

Preserve means to

a)

give others goods in exchange for other goods.

b)

keep food fresh.

c)

destroy items.

d)

hunt for fish in the water.

54.

a trade route from northern Africa to sub Saharan Africa

a)

textile

b)

oral tradition

c)

trans-saharan trade route

d)

gold-state trade

55.

a country's historical and cultural traditions passed down by word of mouth

a)

textile

b)

gold-salt trade

c)

trans-saharan trade route

d)

oral tradition

56.

exchange of gold & salt btwn. North and West

a)

gold-salt trade

b)

oral tradition

c)

trans-saharan trade route

d)

textile

57.

a grassy, plain in tropical & subtropical regions, with few trees

a)

timbuktu

b)

succession

c)

savanah

d)

extended family