Where is Mali?

Mali is located on the continent Ancient Mali of Africa. Study Guide Mali is a part of western Africa.

Name: ______Physical Characteristics Virginia SOL’s covered:

Niger River: The Niger River is 3.2 The student will study the early the largest river. In the south, this West African empire of Mali by describing its oral tradition river provided water for (storytelling), government (kings), and economic farming , laundering and development (trade). transportation. 3.4 The student will develop map skills by a) locating West Africa; b) describing the physical and human characteristics of West Sahara Desert: This desert, known Africa; as the " Sea of Sand “ is the c) explaining how the people of West Africa largest desert in the world. Sahara adapted to and/or means "desert" in Arabic. changed their environment to meet their needs. Timbuktu: a great trade 3.7 The student will explain how center and home of an ancient producers in ancient West university and library which African empire of Mali used contained Greek and Roman natural resources, human resources, and capital books. resources in the production of goods and services. 3.8 The student will recognize that because people and regions cannot produce everything they want, they specialize in what they do best and trade Oral Tradition – Griots Economic Development Interdependence &

Ancient Mali Trade was very important to Ancient Mali.

Trade means to exchange or Producers are people that make or swap one thing for another. produce goods or services.

Ancient Mali had storytellers called Consumers are people who trade or griots. * Salt and gold were the natural buy goods or services. resources found in Ancient Mali.

These storytellers retold Mali’s history from generation to *Salt was used to preserve food . Interdependence is when groups of generation. people depend on each other for *Gold is a precious, rare metal . things they need, but can’t make They often use musical instruments themselves. when telling their stories . *On the trade routes across Mali, people People needed salt and Griots were close to the king and traded gold , nuts, and ivory were responsible for memorizing the from the south. traded for gold . history of Mali. *People from the north, near the Sahara Others may have a goat and trade

Families had their own griots to Desert traded salt , cloth, and for books they need. retell their family histories. pearls. Mosques (temples) were built in

Ancient Mali. They practiced the *All things traded were taxed . Islam religion. Mosques were also Government *People would go to marketplaces used as schools and courts. Ancient Mali was ruled by powerful kings. throughout Mali to trade things What would the natural resources be they had for things they needed . The first king to bring Mali together to build a mosque? was Sundiata, the Lion King. • mud *Producers (people) in Mali would farm, When he was king, Mali grew in • some wood wealth, power , and size . mine, and ______to make a

living. (human resources) Mansa Musa was another famous Human resources? king in Ancient Mali. He put a large • people tax on all things sold and traded within Mali. He built the first Islamic university in the city Timbuktu. The university had many Greek and Roman books .