West Africa Flashcards
Describe the Sahara
Contains sand dunes, rocky plains, and some mountains. Very dry with some oases.
Describe the Sahel
Not as dry as the Sahara. Has just enough water for short grasses, bushes, and trees to survive.
Describe the Savanna
Hot, dry winters and warm, wet summers. Wetter areas have trees and grasses. Drier areas have bushes.
Describe the Deciduous forest
Has kola trees and grows yams, oil palms, and shrubs.
Describe the Rainforest
Rains all year. Tall mahogany and teak trees grow above the swamps and lagoons.
Describe the Niger River
The longest river in West Africa, and a kind of trading highway in early times.
List the three major West African kingdoms
Ghana, Mali, and Songhai.
What powers did the king of Ghana wield?
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.
What country is Joel Embid from?
Cameroon
What is the capital city of Ghana?
Kumbi
Why were blacksmiths highly respected?
West Africans prized iron more than gold. Thought to have had supernatural powers. Acted as judges, politicians, doctors, and psychics.
How did kingdoms raise enormous amounts of money?
Charging fees for trading activity.
What kind of work are the Nok people known for?
Made iron tools. An example is the iron-smelting furnace.
Why is Kumbi important?
Had the busiest market in West Africa where people would buy and sell goods, including slaves.
What trading items were found in Taghaza?
Salt
How did West African people still preserve some of their old religious practices?
Worshiped the spirits of dead ancestors. They kept their beliefs in spirits and used amulets to protect themselves from harm.
Explain how Islam reached Ghana.
Through Muslim traders and missionaries.
How did Islam influence decorative arts?
West Africans adopted calligraphy, or decorative writing, and geometric patterns for their art and textiles.
Explain the significance of Timbuktu.
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.
How is matrilineal different from patrilineal? Provide an example.
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.
Who was Mansa Musa?
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.
