Chapter 5-6 West Africa Study Guide

The following information will assist you in preparing for your chapter test. History is a broad topic, and this study guide will help you focus on the key concepts that will be tested. Locate the correct information in your textbook and note the page# and paragraph# in the designated area for each question. The assignment will be considered complete if you cite your source and answer in complete sentences. Ask for clarification from your teacher if you need it! This assignment is meant to help guide your studies and is graded for completion on a credit/no credit basis. It is up to you to find the correct information so you can be successful! If you complete, study, and know the following information, your overall performance on the test should be high. Do your best and ace the test!

Section 5.1 1. Pg._____¶_____ West Africa’s great civilizations arose along what geographical feature?

2. Pg._____¶_____ List Africa’s rainfall by region, from most to least?

3. Pg._____¶_____ Describe the Sahel.

4. Pg._____¶_____ What are the two main crops of West Africa?

5. Pg._____¶_____ What are the two main mineral resources in Africa?

Section 5.2 6. Pg._____¶_____ In what way did climate change affect people in West Africa?

7. Pg._____¶_____ In traditional West African society, who were men and women loyal to?

8. Pg._____¶_____ How did using camels affect trading in the desert?

9. Pg._____¶_____ What did people south of the Sahara trade for gold?

10. Pg._____¶_____ Ghana’s central location influenced its wealth since ______was in the south and ______was in the north. Section 6.1 11. Pg._____¶_____ How did Ghana become so powerful?

12. Pg._____¶_____ What made it possible for Ghana’s towns, villages, and population to grow?

13. Pg._____¶_____ What made salt so valuable to the people of Ghana?

14. Pg._____¶_____ Why was silent barter a useful practice in West Africa?

15. Pg._____¶_____ Ghana’s rulers were smart businessmen who took advantage of opportunities to make money. What specific example can you describe which illustrates this fact?

16. Pg._____¶_____ What happened to Ghana’s fertile lands after the Almoravids arrived?

Section 6.2 17. Pg._____¶_____ How were the locations of Ghana and Mali similar?

18. Pg._____¶_____ What leader from Mali took power away from local leaders, including their religious powers?

19. Pg._____¶_____ What religion were most of Mali’s later rulers?

20. Pg._____¶_____ The people of Mali traditionally believed food was plentiful because……..

21. Pg._____¶_____ Why was Mansa Musa’s hajj to Mecca so important?

22. Pg._____¶_____ What evidence suggests that Mansa Musa practiced religious tolerance? Section 6.3 23. Pg._____¶_____ Which city was the center of both the Mali and Songhai Empires?

24. Pg._____¶_____ Why was Sunni Baru overthrown by the people of Songhai?

25. Pg._____¶_____ Who created specialized government offices and a permanent professional army?

26. Pg._____¶_____ Define griots.

27. Pg._____¶_____ How was music and dance used in the lives of early West African people?

28. Pg._____¶_____ What two books contain many West African epics?

29. Pg._____¶_____ Where might we experience West Africa’s early musical traditions today?

30. Pg._____¶_____ West African Kings and Queens wore clothing made of a brightly colored cloth called…….