West Africa

Question 1

Describe the Sahara

Answer 1

Contains sand dunes, rocky plains, and some mountains. Very dry with some oases.

Question 2

Describe the Sahel

Answer 2

Not as dry as the Sahara. Has just enough water for short grasses, bushes, and trees to survive.

Question 3

Describe the Savanna

Answer 3

Hot, dry winters and warm, wet summers. Wetter areas have trees and grasses. Drier areas have bushes.

Question 4

Describe the Deciduous forest

Answer 4

Has kola trees and grows yams, oil palms, and shrubs.

Question 5

Describe the Rainforest

Answer 5

Rains all year. Tall mahogany and teak trees grow above the swamps and lagoons.

Question 6

Describe the Niger River

Answer 6

The longest river in West Africa, and a kind of trading highway in early times.

Question 7

List the three major West African kingdoms

Answer 7

Ghana, Mali, and Songhai.

Question 8

What powers did the king of Ghana wield?

Answer 8

Were both the political and religious leaders of their kingdoms. Kings would collect luxury items from their subjects and distribute them fairly throughout the kingdom.

Question 9

What country is Joel Embid from?

Answer 9

Cameroon

Question 10

What is the capital city of Ghana?

Answer 10

Kumbi

Question 11

Why were blacksmiths highly respected?

Answer 11

West Africans prized iron more than gold. Thought to have had supernatural powers. Acted as judges, politicians, doctors, and psychics.

Question 12

How did kingdoms raise enormous amounts of money?

Answer 12

Charging fees for trading activity.

Question 13

What kind of work are the Nok people known for?

Answer 13

Made iron tools. An example is the iron-smelting furnace.

Question 14

Why is Kumbi important?

Answer 14

Had the busiest market in West Africa where people would buy and sell goods, including slaves.

Question 15

What trading items were found in Taghaza?

Answer 15

Salt

Question 16

How did West African people still preserve some of their old religious practices?

Answer 16

Worshiped the spirits of dead ancestors. They kept their beliefs in spirits and used amulets to protect themselves from harm.

Question 17

Explain how Islam reached Ghana.

Answer 17

Through Muslim traders and missionaries.

Question 18

How did Islam influence decorative arts?

Answer 18

West Africans adopted calligraphy, or decorative writing, and geometric patterns for their art and textiles.

Question 19

Explain the significance of Timbuktu.

Answer 19

Significant religious, cultural, and commercial centers whose residents traveled throughout Asia, Africa, and Europe. Timbuktu was famous for educating important scholars who were well-known throughout the Islamic world. Children were primarily taught the Qu’ran.

Question 20

How is matrilineal different from patrilineal? Provide an example.

Answer 20

Before the arrival of Islam, succession to the throne had been matrilineal or passed down from mother to daughter. After the arrival of Islam, succession became patrilineal or passed from father to son.

Question 21

Who was Mansa Musa?

Answer 21

Ninth Mansa of the Mali Empire, one of the most powerful West African states. He has sometimes been called one of the wealthiest people in history. He was best known for his pilgrimage to Mecca.