Africa Civilizations
Terms and People Review
rifts
a long, deep valley formed by the
movement of the earth’s crust
sub-Saharan Africa
Africa south of the Sahara
Sahel
a semi-arid region in Africa south of
the Sahara that separates the desert
from wetter areas
Savannah
an open grassland with scattered trees
rain forests
a moist, densely wooded area that
contains many different plants and
animals
extended family
a family group that includes the father,
mother, children, and close relatives
animism
the belief that bodies of water,
animals, trees, and other natural
objects have spirits
Tunka Manin
King of the Ghana Empire; his kingdom
was visited by Muslim writers
silent barter
a process in which people exchange
goods without contacting each other
directly
Sundiata
Founder of the Mali Empire
Mansa Musa
Mali’s greatest and most famous
mansa, or ruler. A devout Muslim.
Made a pilgrimage to Mecca.
proverbs
short sayings of wisdom or truth
oral history
a spoken record of past events
griots
a West African storyteller
Sunni Ali
Emperor of Songhai. (Sunni means
emperor) Conquered Mali and
made Songhai into a powerful
state.
kente
a hand-woven, brightly colored
West African fabric
Askia the Great
Songhai ruler. High point of
Songhai culture.