Vocabulary - African Empires Flashcards
Animism
Belief system that water, plants, rocks, objects, animals, and the weather are living things with spirits
Caravan
A group of people who travel distances together to increase their defenses against thieves and bandits
Ethnic Group
People who share the same language, traditions, values, and culture
Griots
Professional storytellers from West Africa who teach history and entertain their communities
Kente
Handwoven cloth, often worn by royalty, with unique colors and patterns that signify different meanings
Kinship System
A social structure centered around families in which individuals have certain roles and responsibilities based on their place within the family tree, and related families form communities
Oral Tradition
The verbal transfer of knowledge through telling stories, reciting poems, singing songs, and performing reenactments about significant people and events
Rainforest
A region with heavy rainfall and a huge diversity of plant and animal life
Sahara
The largest hot desert in the world, which has an extremely dry climate and little rainfall
Sahel
A region with a somewhat dry climate located between the drier climate and little rainfall
Savannah
A region with decent rainfall that contains grasslands and trees spread out across an open area
Silent Barter
A trading method in which merchants negotiate and exchange goods without directly interacting with each other
Sub-Saharan Africa
Regions of Africa located south of the Sahara
Trans-Saharan Trade
A network of routes used to exchange gold from West Africa and salt from North Africa that was very profitable for several civilizations
