WorksheetsUnit 1: Ancient West African Empires
Total questions: 57
Worksheet time: 29mins
What is the term for several different territories and peoples that are under the rule of a single authority?
Empire
Republic
Colony
Confederation
What is the term for a government led by a spiritual or religious leader?
Theocracy
Democracy
Monarchy
Oligarchy
What is the largest city in Mali, known as a center of culture and wealth?
Timbuktu
Bamako
Gao
Sikasso
What is the ancient belief that spirits exist in all natural things, including plants, animals, rocks, and water?
Animism
Polytheism
Atheism
Materialism
What is the term for a follower of Islam, which means 'one who submits' (to the will of God)?
Muslim
Rabbi
Buddhist
Hindu
What is the term for the storytellers and entertainers in West African villages who provided a record of history?
Griot
Shaman
Scribe
Oracle
What is the name of an Islamic place of worship and learning?
Mosque
Temple
Church
Synagogue
According to the timeline, which West African kingdom existed from the year 300 to 1235 C.E.?
Ghana
Mali
Songhai
Fill in the blank: The Kingdom of Mali existed from ______ until the 1600s C.E.
1230
1100
1400
1500
Which West African kingdom began in 1464 and ended in 1591 C.E.?
Ghana
Mali
Songhai
What is a civilization?
A) A group of people who live in the same place
B) A group of people with a shared culture who develop advanced ways of thinking and organizing themselves
C) A group of people who speak the same language
D) A group of people who live near a river
Fill in the blank: The largest desert in the world, which covers the northern part of West Africa, is the ________ Desert.
Sahara
Gobi
Kalahari
Atacama
Which geographical feature is located to the north of the Sahara Desert?
Guinean Forests
Atlas Mountains
The Sahel
Niger River
Consult the labeled map of West Africa. Which feature acts as a transition between the Sahara Desert and the tropical savanna lands in central Africa?
The Sahel
Atlas Mountains
Guinean Forests
Mediterranean Sea
According to the passage, which West African kingdom existed from approximately 300 A.D. to 1235 A.D.?
Mali
Songhai
Ghana
Egypt
Fill in the blank: The Mali Empire lasted from 1230 CE until its collapse in the mid-______.
1600s
1400s
1700s
1500s
Which kingdom took much of the lands of Mali and created a huge, though short-lived, empire from 1464 A.D. to 1591 A.D.?
Ghana
Songhai
Egypt
Mali
Before expanding, West Africans depended on agriculture along major rivers such as the Niger River.
True
False
Which mineral resources did West Africans begin to extract and trade once their value was understood?
Gold, silver, and copper
Iron, tin, and lead
Coal, salt, and limestone
Diamonds, uranium, and zinc
Why did most of the early inhabitants of West Africa stay near rivers, plains, and forests?
Because the Sahara Desert made it difficult to travel and settle.
Because these areas were too cold for agriculture.
Because there were no animals in the forests.
Because the rivers were dangerous to cross.
What is an empire, according to the passage?
Several different territories and peoples that are under the rule of a single authority.
A small village governed by a local chief.
A single city with no external influence.
A group of friends living together.
The king ________________________________ was the first to build an empire by uniting tribes under his authority.
Dinga Cisse
Sundiata Keita
Mansa Musa
Askia Muhammad
The kings of Ghana were ________________________________ monarchs, which meant that their word was final.
absolute
constitutional
ceremonial
elected
Complete each of the following sentences using the information you have learned about Ghana. 3. The king surrounded himself with ________________________________ to make decisions about laws, war, city planning, and the economy.
advisors
farmers
soldiers
merchants
The Mali Empire was founded by ______________________________ Kieta.
Sundiata
Mansa Musa
Askia Muhammad
Sunni Ali
The assembly agreed that the future kings of Mali would be chosen through a ______________________________ by the Kieta tribe.
vote
battle
inheritance
tournament
A rule about contact with the Mansa included: ______________________________ (choose one).
No one could see the Mansa eat; all visitors had to be barefoot, bow before the Mansa, and throw dust on their heads.
All visitors had to bring gold as a gift for the Mansa.
Visitors were required to sing a song before meeting with the Mansa.
Only family members could speak directly to the Mansa.
The most famous king of Mali was Mansa ______________________________.
Musa
Sundiata
Askia
Sunni Ali
Complete each of the following statements using the information you have learned about Songhai. 1. King Sunni Ali rose up and conquered most of the declining ____________________ Empire.
Mali
Ghana
Benin
Kongo
The Songhai Empire reached its greatest size and power under King ____________________ I.
Mohammed
Askia
Sundiata
Mansa
Complete each of the following statements using the information you have learned about Songhai. 3. One of the things taxes were used for was ____________________________________________________________ (choose one).
to pay the army, develop the cities, or help the poor
to build pyramids for the pharaohs
to finance trips abroad to Europe
to support the Roman Senate
to build the Great Wall of China
Because the kings of West Africa were seen as spiritual leaders or even gods, their governments could be considered ________________________________.
theocracies
democracies
oligarchies
republics
The three most powerful kingdoms of West Africa were ____________________, ____________________, and ____________________.
Ghana, Mali, Songhai
Egypt, Kush, Axum
Benin, Oyo, Ife
Carthage, Numidia, Mauretania
In Ghana, the king surrounded himself with ____________________________ who helped make decisions about laws, war, city planning, and the economy.
advisors or ministers
farmers
soldiers
merchants
In Mali, the kings were called ____________________________ and were selected by vote within the ____________________________ tribe.
Mansas, Keita
Obas, Yoruba
Pharaohs, Songhai
Sultans, Hausa
In Songhai, the king's ministers were called his '__________________________ council', and they helped the king govern the vast Songhai Empire.
council of
circle of
ring of
court of
An important West African king to know about was ____________________________ of ____________________ because _____________________________.
Mansa Musa of Mali because he was one of the richest and most powerful kings in history.
Shaka Zulu of South Africa because he was known for his military tactics.
Haile Selassie of Ethiopia because he was a symbol of African independence.
King Tutankhamun of Egypt because he was famous for his tomb.
Which of the following characteristics was the government of the Kingdom of Mali in West Africa known for?
A powerful emperor called the Mansa ruled the kingdom.
The kingdom was governed by a council of elders without a single leader.
Mali was a democracy with elected officials.
The government was based on a system of city-states with independent rulers.
What was gold used for in ancient West Africa?
To build houses
To make jewelry, as money, and as a symbol of wealth
To write books
To grow crops
Why was salt important in West African trade?
It was used to build roads
It was used to improve the taste of food and to preserve dried meats
It was used as currency
It was used to make clothing
Ivory comes from the tusks of which animal?
Lions
Elephants
Giraffes
Zebras
____________________________ played a fundamental role in the development of each West African Kingdom.
Trade
Agriculture
Religion
Art
________________________ was the most valuable good traded in West Africa, and it was used as money, for jewelry, and to display wealth.
Gold
Salt
Ivory
Copper
____________________________ was a traded good that was obtained from elephant tusks.
Ivory
Gold
Salt
Copper
__________________ ____________________ ____________________ was a king of Mali who greatly expanded Mali's global trade and wealth.
Mansa Musa
Sundiata Keita
Askia Muhammad
Sunni Ali
The center of culture and learning in Mali was the famous city __________________________________________ .
Timbuktu
Gao
Kano
Kumasi
According to the social class pyramid of the kingdoms of West Africa, which group had the most power and wealth?
Farmers and workers
Chiefs/Ministers, Nobles, Army Leaders
King
Slaves
Fill in the blank: In the kingdoms of West Africa, ________ were usually captured during conquests and were at the base of the social class pyramid.
slaves
merchants
nobles
farmers
What is animism?
The belief in a single god
The belief that spirits exist in all natural things
The belief in social classes
The belief in wealth and power
Fill in the blank: Islam is a religion that practices the belief in one god, whose name is ________.
Allah
Brahma
Zeus
Vishnu
According to the passage, who helped the King govern in West African Kingdoms?
Farmers
Chiefs and Ministers
Artisans
Slaves
What role did griots play in West African villages?
Griots were storytellers and entertainers who told about kings, wars, heroic tales, marriages, and bad luck. They allowed history to be recorded through stories and music and were a source of entertainment for the people.
Griots were the main farmers responsible for growing crops in the villages.
Griots were the village chiefs who made all important decisions.
Griots were the warriors who protected the villages from invaders.
Which of the following materials were used to create pottery and sculpture in West Africa?
Bronze and dried-mud clay
Wood and plastic
Glass and metal
Paper and stone
The Great Mosque of Djenné is nicknamed the 'mud mosque' because it was constructed entirely of mud.
True
False
What was Timbuktu best known for in the Great Kingdoms of West Africa?
Timbuktu was best known for its focus on education and as a center of Islamic intellectual learning.
Timbuktu was best known for its military conquests and powerful army.
Timbuktu was best known for its vast gold mines and wealth from natural resources.
Timbuktu was best known for its advanced shipbuilding and maritime trade.
Who were two Arab travelers that documented their experiences in West Africa to help us understand its culture?
Al-Bakri and Ibn Battuta
Marco Polo and Zheng He
Ibn Sina and Al-Khwarizmi
Leo Africanus and Vasco da Gama
What is a mosque?
A mosque is an Islamic place of worship and learning.
A mosque is a type of ancient Roman temple.
A mosque is a traditional Japanese house.
A mosque is a medieval European castle.
