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Chapter 13, Section 1: Geography and Early Africa
Landforms, Climate, and Resources (p. 380-382)-· _______________ is the earth’s second largest continent.
· An immense desert, the Sahara, stretches across most of North Africa. What impact might the vast
Sahara have on the people of this continent? ________________________________________________
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· What does sub-Saharan Africa mean? _____________________________________________________
· Many mighty rivers are located in sub-Saharan Africa: the Congo, the Zambezi, and the Nile. Which of
these is the world’s longest river? _________________________
· What did the Niger River provide people living in the region? __________________________________
· Identify the four regions that make up the area surrounding the Niger River, and give a brief
description of each. ____________________________________________________________________
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· What are some of Africa’s major resources? ________________________________________________
· Why was salt important to West Africans? _________________________________________________
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Early Peoples’ Way of Life (p. 382-383)-· Who made up extended family? _________________________________________________________
· What is animism, and what role did it play in West African culture? _____________________________
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· How did the use of iron change farming? __________________________________________________
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Name________________________
Date____________
Period____________
Chapter 13,Section 2: The Empire of Ghana
Ghana Controls Trade (p. 386-387)-· How did Ghana begin? _________________________________________________________________
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· Where was Ghana located? _____________________________________________________________
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· How did the silent barter system work? ___________________________________________________
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· How did trade help Ghana develop? ______________________________________________________
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Ghana Builds an Empire (p. 387-388)-· Through its control of trade, Ghana built an empire. How did Ghana’s rulers raise money and acquire
huge amounts of gold? _________________________________________________________________
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· Who was Tunka Manin? ________________________________________________________________
Ghana’s Decline (p. 388-389)-· What three factors contributed to Ghana’s decline? _________________________________________
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· What group attacked Ghana in the 1060s, greatly weakening their trade empire and hurting their
economy and society? _______________________
Name________________________
Date____________
Period____________
Chapter 13, Section 3: Later Empires
Mali (p. 390-392) -· What major river was important to the people of Mali and why? ______________________________
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· Under which ruler did Mali’s rise to power begin? _____________________________
· Why do you think it was important for the ruler of Mali to take away power from local leaders?
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· Under which ruler did Mali reach its height of wealth, power, and fame? _________________________
· How were Sundiata and Mansa Musa similar? How were they different? _________________________
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· What are two reasons for the decline of Mali? ______________________________________________
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Songhai (p. 392-393)-· Was the leader of the Songhai, Sunni Ali, a strong or weak leader? Why? ________________________
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· How did Askia the Great’s support of education affect Timbuktu? ______________________________
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· What led to Songhai’s decline? __________________________________________________________
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Great Zimbabwe (p.394)
· Great Zimbabwe was a powerful kingdom that began as a trading and herding center. What led to its
fall and decline? ______________________________________________________________________
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Name________________________
Date____________
Period____________
Chapter 13, Section 4: Historical and Artistic Traditions
·The storytellers of early West Africa were called griots. Why do you think griots were so valued in West
African society? ________________________________________________________________________
·How do we know the history of early West Africa if the people of West Africa left no written histories?
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·Why might an oral history provide a different account than a written account of the same event?
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· How did West Africans creatively express themselves? _______________________________________
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·Why were singing and dancing so important in West Africa? ___________________________________
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