(Regents Questions 2000 – 2013)
The map illustrates the relationship between
1) Religion and government
2) Ironworking and trans-Saharan trade
3) HUMANS AND ENVIRONMENT
4) Monsoons and flooding
Which process is shown on this map?
1) Nationalization
2) CULTURAL DIFFUSION
3) Urbanization
4) Social stratification
Which statement is supported by the information provided on this map about the earliest Iron Age in Africa?
1) Before 300 B.C., iron sites existed only in river valleys
2) Iron technology spread from west to the east
3) Numerous iron sites were clustered in the Niger region
4) MOST OF THE IRON SITES IN AFRICA WERE LOCATED IN THE REGION SOUTH OF THE SAHARA
Which movement of African people was primarily caused by changes in climate and vegetation?
1) MIGRATION OF THE BANTU PEOPLE OUT OF WEST AFRICA IN 1000 BC
2) Journey of Mansa Musa’s followers to Mecca in 1324
3) Resettlement of the Zulus within South Africa in 1843
4) Flight of the Tutsis from Rwanda in 1994

The primary reason the Bantu-speaking people of West Africa migrated southward and eastward between 500 BC and AD
1500 was to
1) Flee warfare
2) Seek religious freedom
3) Establish a colonial empire
4) FIND LAND FOR FARMING AND GRAZING
This passage about the early history of Africa describes migrations associated with which group of people?
1) Phoenicians
2) BANTU
3) Moors
4) Babylonians
The routes shown on the map illustrate the
1) spread of Christianity
2) shift in European population
3) expansion of apartheid
4) PATTERN OF BANTU MIGRATIONS
Which statement explains a cause rather than an effect of the Bantu migration between 500 B.C. and A.D. 1500?
1) Techniques for herding and cultivating were spread to other peoples.
2) More than sixty million people now speak a Bantu language
3) Trading cities developed along the coast of east Africa
4) POPULATION INCREASES PUT PRESSURE ON AGRICULTURE
The Bantu migrations in Africa (500 BC – AD 1500) had the greatest impact on the development of modern African
1) LANGUAGES
2) Market systems
3) Transportation systems
4) Architecture
A similarity between Bantu migrations in Africa and migrations of the ancient Aryans into South Asia is that both moved
1) Across the Atlantic Ocean
2) From rural lands to urban areas
3) IN SEARCH OF ADDITIONAL FOOD SOURCES
4) For religious freedom
Between 500 B.C. and A.D. 1500, the migration of the Bantu people of Africa led to the diffusion of
1) LANGUAGES AND METALLURGICAL SKILLS
2) Porcelain and cannons
3) Camels and Islam
4) Cuneiform and galley ships

One way in which the Bantu people of West Africa (500 BC – AD 1500) and the people of Ireland (1840s) are similar is that both groups
1) Carried out successful conquests
2) Supported nationalist movements
3) EXPERIENCED LARGE MIGRATIONS
4) Represented early civilizations
Which agricultural technique is described in this passage?
1) Irrigation
2) Terrace farming
3) SLASH-AND-BURN
4) Crop rotation
Which process is illustrated by the arrows shown on this map?
1) Immigration
2) DIFFUSION
3) Globalization
4) Nationalization
This map illustrates the interaction between
1) RESOURCES AND TECHNOLOGY
2) Religion and culture
3) Record keeping and civilization
4) Climate and disease
Which statement about the Bantu migration is an opinion rather than a fact?
1) The migration occurred gradually over a long period of time
2) Language and knowledge spread from northwestern to southern and eastern Africa
3) The lack of primary documents makes it difficult to determine the exact cause of the migration
4) BANTU CIVILIZATION WAS SUPERIOR TO THOSE CIVILIZATIONS THAT IT DISPLACED
The kingdoms of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai prospered primarily due to their
1) Exchanges with Indian ports
2) Direct access to the Arabian Sea
3) CONTROL OF TRADE ROUTES
4) Abundance of diamonds
The rise of the West African Kingdoms of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai can be attributed to
1) Their emphasis on nationalism
2) Agricultural Revolution
3) Enlightenment
4) COMMERCIAL REVOLUTION

Which conclusion can be drawn from the information provided by the map?
1) Songhai was the only inhabited area of Africa
2) The Sahara Desert blocked Songhai's trade with other parts of Africa
3) Songhai traded exclusively with central and eastern Africa
4) RIVERS AND OVERLAND TRADE ROUTES HELPED SONGHAI BECOME POWERFUL
What is a valid conclusion that can be reached by studying this map?
1) AFRICANS HAD CENTRALIZED GOVERNMENTS DURING THE AGE OF EUROPEAN FEUDALISM
2) African kingdoms did not exist before the Europeans arrived in Africa
3) African civilizations existed only in southern Africa
4) Africa's civilizations established many trade routes to India
For years, the Sahara was an obstacle for Europeans while Africans used the desert as a highway. Which conclusion is supported by the this statement?
1) Trade between Africa and Europe decreased
2) African empires generally avoided contact with Europeans
3) Desertification reduced the amount of arable land available to Africans and Europeans
4) INITIALLY, EUROPEANS LACKED THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS NEEDED TO TRAVEL IN THE DESERT
Between A.D. 800 and 1600, the West African city of Timbuktu became prosperous with the trading of
1) spices and silk
2) iron ore and coal
3) GOLD AND SALT
4) rifles and diamonds

Which term best completes the partial outline above?
1) Use of gunpowder
2) TRADE OF GOLD AND SALT
3) Development of Hammurabi's Code
4) Distribution of the printing press
Which civilization was located at the mouth of the Niger River?
1) Ghana
2) Congo
3) BENIN
4) Ashanti
Which statement about the civilizations of Africa before 1901 can best be inferred by the information on the map?
1) Christianity and Islam played a minor role in the development of African civilizations
2) Most African civilizations existed for only a few years
3) Very little interaction occurred between these civilizations
4) AFRICAN CIVILIZATIONS WERE LOCATED IN A VARIETY OF PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENTS
The West African kingdoms of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai experienced economic prosperity because they all
1) controlled vast reserves of oil and gold
2) TRADED WITH MANY OTHER NATIONS
3) maintained high structured feudal systems
4) solved tribal conflicts within their empires
A similarity between the ancient western African kingdoms of Mali, Ghana, and Songhai is that these kingdoms
1) limited the power of their rulers
2) practiced Christianity
3) ESTABLISHED ECONOMIES BASED ON TRADE
4) isolated themselves from contact with other cultures
The spread of Islam into the kingdoms of Ghana and Mali resulted from
1) imperialism
2) ethnocentrism
3) CULTURAL DIFFUSION
4) self-determination

Which river was essential to the survival of the Western African kingdoms of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai?
1) Thames
2) NIGER
3) Indus
4) Euphrates
The rise of the West African kingdoms of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai can be attributed to
1) their emphasis on nationalism
2) the spread of Christianity
3) the rise of European Imperialism
4) THEIR LOCATIONS NEAR THE TRANS-SAHARA TRADE ROUTES
Which factor contributed to Mali becoming a wealthy kingdom?
1) Enforcement of mercantilist policies
2) Alliances with the Hanseatic League
3) Control of Mediterranean trade routes
4) DOMINANCE OF THE GOLD AND SALT TRADE
The trans-Saharan trade carried out by West African civilizations was primarily based on an exchange of
1) GOLD AND SALT
2) Ivory and silk
3) Silver and tea
4) Hardwoods and animal skins
Which statement is an opinion rather than a fact?
1) Mansa Musa made a pilgrimage to Mecca
2) MALI WOULD HAVE FLOURISHED WITHOUT MANSA MUSA’S INFLUENCE
3) Mali’s economy was based on the gold and salt trade
4) Timbuktu became a center for Islamic learning.
One way in which the African kingdoms of Ghana and Mali are similar is that they
1) ESTABLISHED THEIR WEALTH THROUGH TRADE
2) improved their military strength with the use of gunpowder
3) opened trade routes to the Americas
4) adopted Christianity as their major religion
Which statement about the Sahara is most closely associated with the West African civilizations of Ghana and Mali?
1) Irrigation systems made it possible to farm in the Sahara
2) SALT MINED IN THE SAHARA WAS EXCHANGED FOR GOLD
3) Oases in the Sahara served as their capital cities
4) The Sahara prevented the spread of Islam to the region.
1) Benin
2) Kush
3) MALI
4) Egyptian
Which empires gained wealth by controlling the trade of gold, ivory, and salt across the Sahara Desert?
1) Maya and Aztec
2) Greek and Roman
3) MALI AND SONGHAI
4) Mauryan and Mughal
One conclusion that can be reached from the evidence about Mansa Musa's rule of Mali is that
1) Christianity was a dominant religion in Africa in ancient times
2) COMPLEX CIVILIZATIONS EXISTED IN WEST AFRICA BEFORE THE ARRIVAL OF EUROPEANS
3) trade was not necessary for a civilization to survive
4) the slave trade originated in West Africa

Which point of view about the culture of Mali does Ibn Battuta express in this passage?
1) It was considered more primitive than those of the rest of the world
2) It was heavily influenced by European culture
3) IT WAS CENTERED AROUND PEACE AND JUSTICE
4) It was generally concerned with establishing democratic principles
 Conquered Ghana

Experienced a golden age under Mansa Musa
 Built mosques and schools in Timbuktu
Which civilizations is most directly associated with these descriptions
1) Axum
2) Benin
3) Kush
4) MALI
Much of the wealth of the West African kingdoms of Ghana and Mali was gained from the
1) Sale of slaves to Europeans
2) Creation of colonies on the Mediterranean coast
3) Taxation on goods brought by Indian merchants
4) CONTROL OF THE TRANS-SAHARAN TRADE IN GOLD AND SALT
Which achievement is most closely associated with Mansa Musa of Mali?
1) AN INCREASE IN THE INFLUENCE OF ISLAM AND ISLAMIC CULTURE
2) The discovery of diamonds in the Congo
3) The defeat and capture of Cairo
4) An exclusive trade agreement with European merchants
Which statement about the trip taken by Emperor Mansa Musa is accurate
1) THE TRIP EXTENDED BEYOND NORTH AFRICAN TRADE ROUTES
2) Mansa Musa used the Mediterranean Sea to reach Mecca
3) The route primarily followed rivers
4) Mansa Musa traveled to Fez on his way to Mecca
Which conclusion about trade is best supported by the information on this map?
1) TIMBUKTU WAS A CENTER OF TRADE IN WEST AFRICA
2) The Sahara Desert prevented trade
3) Cairo and Mecca were trading partners
4) West African gold and salt were traded along the Zaire River

Which generalizations is best supported by the data from this chart?
1) Bantu migration influenced the distribution of East African coins
2) CHINESE COINS WERE FOUND IN EAST AFRICAN CITY-STATES
3) East African city-state traded directly with Northern Europe
4) Romans controlled trade with East Africa
From this evidence, a social scientist could conclude that the tour visited sites that reflect the culture of the
1) Mughal Empire of South Asia
2) Ottoman Empire
3) AFRICAN CIVILIZATIONS OF WEST AFRICA
4) Frankish Empire
Which description best fits the kingdoms of Ghana and Songhai?
1) Vassal states of Egypt
2) TRADING STATES OF WEST AFRICA
3) Micro-states of Southeast Asia
4) Tributary states of China
The wealth and power of Mali's ruler, Mansa Musa, were significant because they contributed to the
1) start of the Crusades
2) SPREAD OF ISLAM
3) growth of European Imperialism
4) rise of Arab nationalism
 Timbuktu is known as a great center of learning and trade

Walls of Great Zimbabwe reveal a powerful and rich society
 Complex culture produces brass sculptures in Benin
Which generalization can be made on the basis of these statements?
1) Religious beliefs were the most important element in many African societies
2) SOME AFRICAN SOCIETIES ACHIEVED A HIGH LEVEL OF ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT
3) North African societies were more advanced than South African societies
4) Most African societies were hundreds of years behind Asian societies in using technology
Which phrase best describes Mali under the rule of Mansa Musa?
1) A GOLDEN AGE
2) a poverty-stricken era
3) a decade of colonial unrest
4) a period of political chaos

What was a significant effect of Mansa Musa’s pilgrimage to Mecca?
1) The African written language spread to southwest Asia
2) Military leaders eventually controlled Mali
3) Islamic learning and culture expanded in Mali
4) The trading of gold for salt ended
The economies of the western African civilizations of Ghana, Mali and Songhai relied on
1) Industrial growth
2) Shipbuilding
3) Textile production
4) TRANS-SAHARAN TRADE ROUTES
Which economic activity was the basis for most of the wealth and power of the West African empires of Ghana and Mali?
1) Hunting and gathering
2) Farming and cattle ranching
3) TRADING IN SALT AND GOLD
4) Working bronze and brass
This passage suggests Timbuktu was a city that
1) Participated frequently in war
2) EMPHASIZED LITERACY AND TRADE
3) Protected the human rights of all citizens
4) Selected political leaders through democratic elections
Which description best characterizes the city of Timbuktu?
1) Port on the water route to East Asia
2) Major urban and industrial center on the Silk Road
3) COMMERCIAL AND CULTURAL CENTER OF WEST AFRICA
4) Inland city of the Hanseatic League
Based on the map, which conclusion can best be drawn about this region?
1) The Sahara Desert acted as a barrier to trade
2) Rivers served as the primary trade routes for the entire region
3) THE ECONOMY OF THE REGION WAS INFLUENCED BY EXTENSIVE TRADE CONNECTIONS
4) Goods from the Gulf of Guinea were exchanged directly with English cities