Chapter 13 - Early African Civilizations

Question 1

Niger RIver

Answer 1

Major source of water, food, and transportation in West Africa.

Question 2

Ghana

Answer 2

Lays south of Sahara and north of forests. Main resources were GOLD and SALT. Empire got rich and then failed.

Question 3

Mali

Answer 3

Lays above Niger River. Resources included cotton. Everyone learned Arabic so that they could read the Qu’ran.

Question 4

Songhai

Answer 4

Rival of Mali. Lots of trade. All the people were Muslim. Built a University. Fell to Morocco

Question 5

Timbuktu

Answer 5

Important city in the Mali empire and the later Songhai empire.

Question 6

Silent Barter

Answer 6

People trade goods without ever seeing each other. Ghana traded salt with gold miners this way. You would leave the salt or gold at the trading spot. This helped keep the peace and keep the mine locations secret.

Question 7

Where were all of the Empires? Why?

Answer 7

The empires were all along the Niger river because it gave them food, water, travel.

Question 8

Why are they remembered?

Answer 8

Because they passed their traditions with an ORAL HISTORY of story telling, dance, and song.

Question 9

Why was salt so valuable?

Answer 9

Salt kept food from spoiling and people needed to eat it to survive in the hot weather. (Like we drink Gatorade).