Geography Test 9: Ancient Africa Mr. Dowling S Class

Name Date: Geography test 9: Ancient Africa Mr. Dowling’s class Multiple Choice Please circle the letter that best completes the statement. Each response is worth four points. 1. European explorers called Africa “the Dark 7. Which statement about ancient Ghana is false? Continent” because A. Ancient Ghana’s economy was based on trade. A. they believed it was a vast and dangerous place. B. Ancient Ghana was rich in natural resources. B. Africa did not have electricity. C. The people of ancient Ghana were skilled iron workers. C. the thick forests kept sunlight from reaching the ground D. Ancient Ghana became wealthy by collecting taxes in many places. from traders who passed through their kingdom. D. most Africans have dark skin. 8. The Almoravids were ______warriors whose E. none of the above. attacks weakened ancient Ghana. 2. A(n) _____ is a learned storyteller, entertainer and A. Christian historian in West Africa. B. Muslim A. minstrel C. Jewish B. ayatollah D. animist C. oba E. Hindu D. mansa 9. Which statement about Timbuktu is false? E. griot A. Timbuktu was a great trading city for more than four 3. Why do we refer to an ancient West African hundred years. civilization as the Nok culture? B. Timbuktu was located on a bend in the Niger River. A. They called themselves the Nok. C. Mansa Musa built a great mosque in Timbuktu. B. Other cultures of their time used the term. D. Timbuktu still exists today. C. The culture was discovered by Alfred R. Nok. E. All of the statements about Timbuktu are true. D. The culture was unearthed in Nok, Nigeria. 10. Why did Timbuktu decline in influence? E. The origin of the term is mysterious. A. The Portuguese showed it was easier to sail around the 4. The Phoenicians invented the coast of Africa than to trek across the Sahara Desert. A. wheel. B. A sixteenth century war destroyed much of the city. B. decimal system. C. The Niger River dried up. C. alphabet. D. A and B only D. smelting of iron. E. None of the statements are correct. E. they invented all of the above 11. The vast stone ruins discovered in southern Africa 5. The Phoenicians founded this city. in 1867 are known as A. Rome A. Zimbabwe B. Timbuktu B. Stonehedge C. Benin C. Angor Wat D. Alexandria D. Kaaba E. Carthage E. Teotihuacán 6. Hannibal rode these animals in the second Punic 12. When the government of Rhodesia allowed people War. of all races to vote in 1980, they elected to change A. tigers the name of the former colony to B. elephants F. South Africa C. horses G. Morocco D. bulls H. Zimbabwe E. camels I. Ghana J. Mali

Match the African Kingdoms Please select the nation that best fits the description from the list below. Each response is worth four points. Carthage Ghana Mali Morocco Songhai 13 Trading city fought and lost three Punic Wars. . 14 Civilization that developed between the Niger and Senegal Rivers. The people called their . land “Wagadu,” but outsiders used this term. 15 Sundiata and Mansa Musa were two monarchs who ensured that this kingdom was a safe . place to travel and trade.

2000 Mike Dowling, www.mrdowling.com. All rights reserved. 16 This nation rose in West Africa after the fall of Mali. . True or False Please circle true or false for each statement. Each response is worth two points. 17. TRUE FALSE The Nok culture learned the secrets of iron from the Phoenicians. 18. TRUE FALSE The Romans were very kind to the people of Carthage. 19. TRUE FALSE Many of the ancient cultures of West Africa valued salt more than gold. 20. TRUE FALSE The Karanga of southern Africa traded with cultures as far away as China. 21. TRUE FALSE The colonial government of Rhodesia was proud of the its pre-colonial heritage. 22. TRUE FALSE Archaeologists continue to find new artifacts that are changing what we know about ancient Africa. Match the African Leaders Please select the person that best fits the description from the list on the below. Each response is worth four points. Hannibal Mansa Musa Samanguru Sundiata 23 West African warrior who formed an empire after winning the Battle of Kirina. . 24 Carthaginian military leader who fought in the second Punic War. . 25 Devout Muslim monarch whose pilgrimage to Mecca captured the attention of the Arab world. . Short Answer You may write in cursive or manuscript but your work must be very neat. Six point answer will be scored as follows: one point for including a topic sentence, two points for each valid supporting statement and one point for including a conclusion. 26. Why did the people of sub-Saharan Africa have little contact with the rest of the world?

27. Why did many ancient African merchants and traders convert to Islam?

Extra Credit You may write in cursive or manuscript, but your work must be very neat. Each question is worth five points and requires you to think for yourself. Two points are awarded for a serious effort. 28. Why do we know less about the history of Africa than almost any other part of the world?

29. Why do you think European colonial governments had little interest in exploring African history?