CHAPTER 3 RESOURCES Medieval Africa
HOW THIS BOOK IS ORGANIZED Each Chapter Resources Book (CRB) offers blackline masters for a specific chapter of Discovering Our Past: Medieval and Early Modern Times. A description of each of the many chapter activities available to you in this book can be found on page v. A complete answer key appears at the back of this book. This answer key includes answers for all activities in this book in the order in which the activities appear. Photo Credits: Page 43: Werner Forman/Art Resource, NY; page 44: Werner Forman/Art Resource, NY All rights reserved. Permission is granted to reproduce the material contained herein on the condition that such material be reproduced only for classroom use; be provided to students, teachers, and families without charge; and be used solely in conjunction with Discovering Our Past: Medieval and Early Modern Times. Any other reproduction, for use or sale, is prohibited without written permission from the publisher. Send all inquiries to: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill 8787 Orion Place Columbus, OH 43240-4027 ISBN 0-07-870275-5 Printed in the United States of America 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 009 09 08 07 06 05
Table of Contents To the Teacher............................................... v Guided Reading Activity 3-1 The Rise of African Civilizations............................... 1 Guided Reading Activity 3-2 Africa s Religion and Government............................. 2 Guided Reading Activity 3-3 African Society and Culture................................... 3 Content Vocabulary Activity 3 Medieval Africa............................................. 5 Academic Vocabulary Activity 3 Medieval Africa............................................. 7 Analysis Skills Activity 3 Performing a Cost-Benefit Analysis............................ 9 Universal Access Activity 3 West African Proverbs....................................... 13 Reading Skills Activity 3 Summarizing............................................... 15 Language Arts Activity 3 Preparing and Delivering Narrative Presentations.............. 19 Writing Activity 3 Outlining.................................................. 23 Time Line Activity 3 Medieval Africa (1215 1492)................................. 27 Critical Thinking Skills Activity 3 Analyzing Statistics......................................... 29 Chart, Graph, and Map Skills Activity 3 Using Latitude and Longitude................................ 31 Geography and History Activity 3 Timbuktu: The City on the Niger River........................ 33 Economics and History Activity 3 The Federal Reserve and the Money Supply.................... 35 Citizenship and Service Learning Activity 3 Cabinet Rap................................................ 37 Step Into World History 3 Africa s Rivers Teaching Strategies.......................... 39 Africa s Rivers Simulation Sheet 1........................... 41 Africa s Rivers Simulation Sheet 2........................... 42 iii
Table of Contents Biography Activity 3A Sundiata Keita.............................................. 43 Biography Activity 3B Askia Muhammad.......................................... 44 Primary Source Reading 3 The Sultan of Mali.......................................... 45 World Literature Reading 3 African Fables.............................................. 47 Answer Key................................................ 49 iv
To the Teacher Chapter Resources Glencoe s Chapter Resources are packed with activities for the varied needs of all of your students. They include the following activities: These activities provide help for students who are having difficulty comprehending the student textbook. Students fill in missing information in the guided reading outlines, sentence completion activities, or other information-organizing exercises as they read the textbook. These activities give you an opportunity to differentiate your instruction, addressing the different types of learners in your classroom. Teaching strategies offer activities for these differentiated learning styles: English Learners, Advanced Learners, Below Grade Level, Special Education, Logical/Mathematical, Verbal/Linguistic, Visual/Spatial, Kinesthetic, Auditory/Musical, Interpersonal, Intrapersonal, and Naturalist. These review and reinforcement activities help students to master unfamiliar content terms used in the student textbook. The worksheets emphasize identification of word meanings and provide visual and kinesthetic reinforcement of vocabulary words. These reinforcement activities correspond to the reading skill lessons presented in each chapter of the student textbook. The activities give students the opportunity to gain additional practice at such reading skills as monitoring, inferring, and understanding cause and effect. Knowledge of academic words, combined with continued acquisition of general words, can significantly boost students comprehension level of academic texts. These activities provide explicit instruction in teaching word parts, word relationships, grammar, and other lexical information about academic terms. These activities provide practical applications of written and oral English language conventions. Students are given instructions on various language arts skills and asked to apply these skills to historical content. Examples of language arts skills include using speaking techniques to sustain audience interest, determining the meaning of unknown words, analyzing characterization in literature, delivering narrative presentations, and delivering persuasive presentations. These activities are designed to help students learn to think like an historian. The activities focus on such skills as learning how to think chronologically and spatially, detecting historical points of view, and interpreting historical information. These activities help students develop and practice writing skills. They are designed to help students not only to increase their writing skills, but also to enable them to apply, relate, interpret, analyze, compare, organize, and write about historical facts and concepts. v
To the Teacher These activities are designed to reinforce the dates of major events in world history and to help students learn the chronological order of those events. Each activity includes a time line labeled with events and dates. Students answer questions based on the time line. These activities are designed to involve students in grassroots community projects that may have national or international implications. The service learning projects help students understand how history affects their own lives on a daily basis. Critical thinking skills are important to students because they provide the tools to live and work in an ever-changing world. These activities show students how to use information to make judgments, develop their own ideas, and apply what they have learned to new situations. These extended activities are designed to give students an idea about real life occurrences in history that they can feel a part of to make history come alive! These reenactment activities give students the experience of participating in plays, journalism, literary salons, and more. Groups document their efforts by completing a planning sheet or observation notes. Students interpret and organize information in charts, graphs, and maps. These activities are designed to help students learn visually and to stimulate critical thinking abilities. These biographic sketches of significant figures from world history expose students to a diversity of cultures and time periods. Questions emphasize the role of individuals in historical events. These interdisciplinary activities help students become familiar with the role that geography has played in history. Students are given the opportunity to analyze and interpret maps in relation to historical events. These interdisciplinary activities give students an understanding of the impact of economics on history. Applied to current situations, students are familiarized with economic terms and principles. These activities allow students to see history through the eyes of those who witnessed historic events, lived during historic periods, and participated in historical movements or changes. Each selection is preceded by an introduction and a guided reading suggestion and is followed by questions that allow students to analyze and interpret the material. These readings provide students with the opportunity to read literature by or about people who lived during different historical periods. Each selection is preceded by background information and a guided reading suggestion, and followed by comprehension and critical thinking questions. vi
GUIDED READING ACTIVITY 3-1 The Rise of African Civilizations Directions: Reading for Accuracy Reading the section and completing the activity below will help you learn more about early African civilizations. Use your textbook to decide if a statement is true or false. Write T or F in the blank, and if a statement is false, rewrite it correctly on the line. 1. The Niger River was important because it served as a highway for merchants and travelers and helped unite the region. 2. Due to the migrations of the Bantu throughout Africa, the people of Africa share some common beliefs and traditions. 3. Horses revolutionized trade across the Sahara because their feet did not sink in the sand and they could travel for many days without water. 4. Traders exchanged salt and cloth from western Africa for gold and ivory from the Sahara and North Africa. 5. Ghana was located where several trade routes came together. 6. Sundiata Keita was a great warrior-king of Ghana who conquered Mali. 7. Sunni Ali used Songhai s location along the Niger River to help him take over the Berber salt mines. 8. Farming was impossible in rain forests, due to their wet climates. 9. Rain forest kingdoms traded copper, salt, and leather goods for food and crafts from the savannas. 10. Ethiopia s oldest written history, the Glory of Kings, allows the people of Ethiopia to trace their history back to the time of Queen Makeda. 1
GUIDED READING ACTIVITY 3-2 Africa s Religion and Government Directions: Outlining Reading the section and completing the outline below will help you learn more about Africa s religions and their effect on the government there. Refer to your textbook to fill in the blanks. I. The religion of spread from the Arabian Peninsula to Africa beginning in the A.D. 600s. A. This religion was popular in the cities of West Africa because it helped the people to with Muslim Arabs. B. Women in West Africa did not follow the Muslim custom of covering their with a veil. C. West Africans studied the, the Muslim holy book. II., the king of Mali, allowed different religions but was devoted to making Islam stronger. A. He built, Muslim places of worship, as well as libraries. B. He organized a caravan to travel to on a pilgrimage. While there, he convinced many educated Muslims to return to with him. III. Islam also had an impact on the languages of Africa. A. The culture and language are a blend of African and Muslim influences. B. Muslim schools taught the Arabic language, which soon became an important language of and education in Africa. IV. In the most successful states in West Africa, power rested with a king or. A. received favors from the kings, and the kings received from the merchants. B. Most kings divided their kingdoms into. 2
GUIDED READING ACTIVITY 3-3 African Society and Culture Directions: Answering Questions Reading the section and completing the questions below will help you learn about African society and culture. Refer to your textbook to answer the questions. 1. What formed the basis of African society? 2. What are extended families? 3. Who were the teachers in Africa s villages? 4. What role did storytellers play in the education of African children? 5. Which queen led a fight against a Muslim invasion of her kingdom? 6. What kind of slavery did the Quran allow? 7. For what kind of work did Europeans use enslaved Africans? 8. What is the African Diaspora? 9. What purposes did art serve in African life? 10. How did enslaved Africans keep African history and culture alive? 3
CONTENT VOCABULARY ACTIVITY 3 Medieval Africa Directions: For each of the sentences below, write the letter of the phrase that correctly completes the sentence. If more than one phrase correctly completes a sentence, write the letters of all correct responses. 1. Oral history includes A. stories that were told, but not written. B. stories that taught children the history of their village. C. stories passed down from generation to generation. D. stories that included a lesson about living. 2. A sultan was A. a trading port. B. a Muslim leader. C. a type of drum. D. a type of boat. 3. Griots were A. West African warrior kings. B. coins used in Ghana. C. West African drums. D. African storytellers. 4. Extended families A. were families that were spread out over thousands of miles. B. were families made up of several generations. C. could include hundreds of members. D. included members of other cultures. 5. The African plateau A. is an area of high flat land. B. has no rivers. C. does not include the coastal plains. D. is an area covered entirely by thick rain forests. 6. Swahili is A. the language of West Africa s coastal people. B. the language and culture of East Africa s coastal people. C. the music of South Africa. D. a village in West Africa. 5
CONTENT VOCABULARY ACTIVITY 3 (continued) Medieval Africa 7. Matrilineal villages A. were common among the Bantu. B. traced their descent through mothers rather than fathers. C. were those in which mothers held more power than fathers. D. were those without any living male relatives. 8. A clan is A. a council of ministers. B. a group of people descended from the same ancestor. C. the traditional heir of the kingdom in Ghana. D. a group of close advisers. 9. A dhow was a type of boat A. invented by Arab traders. B. with triangular sails. C. invented by East Africans. D. that allowed Arabs to sail to Africa. 6
ACADEMIC VOCABULARY ACTIVITY 3 Medieval Africa Academic Words in this Chapter fee diminish prime vary accompany element benefit bond release A. Word Meaning Activity: Odd Word Out Directions: Read the underlined words below, as well as the four words or phrases next to them. Three of the words or phrases are similar in meaning to the underlined word. Circle the word or phrase that is NOT similar to the underlined word. 1. fee: payment, dues, money, worship 2. diminish: reduce, sharpen, decrease, lessen 3. prime: large, principal, important, main 4. vary: differ, change, unlike, similar 5. accompany: dwell in, go with, travel with, escort 6. element: feature, part, characteristic, rule 7. benefit: gain, profit, sequence, advantage 8. bond: tie, burden, link, connection 9. release: freedom, loosen, let go, rest 7
ACADEMIC VOCABULARY ACTIVITY 3 (continued) Medieval Africa B. Word Usage Activity: Understanding Words with Multiple Meanings Word Usage Note: Some words like prime have many meanings: a. (n.) the hour of sunrise b. (n.) youth c. (n.) the most successful period of life d. (adj.) first in time, original e. (adj.) first in significance f. (adj.) having the highest quality g. (v.) to prepare for firing h. (v.) to prepare for painting i. (v.) to fill or charge something in order for it to work j. (v.) to coach Directions: Match the above definitions of the word prime with the underlined words in the sentences below. 1. The lawyer primed his client about what to say in the courtroom. 2. The monks held mass at prime. 3. He wanted only the prime steak. 4. Although Eva was in her 90s, she considered herself at the prime of her life. 5. Timbuktu was the prime trading city. 6. Mixing the chemicals was the prime step in the experiment. 7. Gonzalo had to prime the old walls before he could paint them. 8. The musket had to be primed before a shot could be discharged. 9. Mozart wrote his first symphony while he was still in his prime. 10. Sherri had to prime the ignition before the car would start. 8
ANALYSIS SKILLS ACTIVITY 3 Performing a Cost-Benefit Analysis See Tools of the Historian in your textbook to learn more about performing a cost-benefit analysis. Learning the Skill Historians try to gauge whether the benefits of a historic event outweighed its costs. This is called a cost-benefit analysis, and it is related to the concept of cause and effect. When historians look at cause and effect, they identify the results (effects) of events. A costbenefit analysis goes one step further to evaluate if those results were positive or negative. An example of a cost-benefit analysis in your own life is when you decide how to spend your allowance. You think about the different things you could buy and whether or not to spend the money. The things you could buy are the benefits, and the money you would spend is the cost. To perform a cost-benefit analysis, follow these steps: Identify the event you wish to evaluate. Form a cost-benefit question about this event, such as Was this decision a good idea? List the negative results (costs) of this event. Then list the positive results (benefits) of this event. Remember that not all of the effects of an event would have been apparent immediately. Look for results years, and even centuries, later. Weigh these results, and then answer the cost-benefit question to decide if the event was primarily positive or negative. Remember that this decision might depend upon a person s point of view. One society might have seen an event as primarily negative, while another society might have benefited from the same event. Practicing the Skill Directions: Read the following questions and do a cost-benefit analysis for each one. 1. Was the introduction of the camel to North Africa a good idea? Costs: Benefits: 9
ANALYSIS SKILLS ACTIVITY 3 Performing a Cost-Benefit Analysis (continued) 2. Was it a good idea for traders to pay taxes to Ghana? Costs: Benefits: 3. Was it a good idea for Mansa Musa to spend so much money in order to make an impression on his pilgrimage to Makkah? Costs: Benefits: Applying the Skill Directions: Review the passages below that were taken from your textbook. Form a cost-benefit question about the events in each passage, and then list the costs and benefits that relate to that question. 1. With the growth of empires, Africans invented new ways to govern themselves. The most successful states, like Ghana, formed some type of central authority. Power usually rested with a king or, in a few cases, a queen.... Merchants received favors from the kings, and the kings received taxes 10
ANALYSIS SKILLS ACTIVITY 3 Performing a Cost-Benefit Analysis (continued) from the merchants. Local rulers kept some power, and the kings in return received their loyalty. This allowed kingdoms to grow richer and to extend their control over a larger area. Question: Costs: Benefits: 2. Under Askia Muhammad, Songhai built the largest empire in medieval West Africa. He kept local courts in place but told them to honor Muslim laws. He also made Timbuktu an important center of Islamic culture and learning, with a university known throughout the Muslim world. In addition, he set up some 150 schools to teach the Quran. Question: Costs: Benefits: 11
UNIVERSAL ACCESS ACTIVITY 3 West African Proverbs In West Africa, griots, or storytellers, kept alive an oral history stories passed down from generation to generation. Many stories included a lesson about life. Proverbs are wise thoughts that contain lessons about life. The table below identifies several West African proverbs and their meanings. Proverb An eye is sharper than a razor. A log moves only with proper tools. Sugarcane is sweetest at the joint. He who digs a well, gets himself inside. Work is an obedient child, sleeping hungry is one s choice. I have betrayed a toe against a stone, let it be! You see me dozing but I hear whatever you say. A favorite finger gets a ring on. To aim is not to hit. The day a monkey is destined to die, every tree is slippery. The way a donkey expresses gratitude is by giving a bunch of kicks. A chili pepper on its plant how could it make you hot? Meaning A look is very effective in sending a message. You need the proper tools to carry out any task. Sometimes the hardest things to achieve are often the best. A person who sets a trap often gets caught in it. If you work hard, you will succeed. If you do not, you will fail. Accept the consequences of your own mistakes. I know what you are doing in my absence. Privileges usually go to the one who deserves them. Good intentions alone are not always enough to achieve your goal. There is no escaping your fate. This saying is used when a person is treated badly after doing a favor for someone else. Directions: On a separate sheet of paper, answer the following questions using the information in the table and your textbook. 1. Interpreting No meaning is given for the last proverb in the table. What do you think it means? 2. Drawing Conclusions Which cultures do you think have a better connection with an understanding of their past: those in which stories are passed down orally from generation to generation, or those in which stories are written and read about by future generations? Explain your answer. 13
TEACHING STRATEGIES FOR DIFFERENT LEARNING STYLES The following activities are ways the basic lesson can be modified to accommodate students different learning styles. English Learners (EL) Have students write and share some proverbs and sayings from their own cultures with the class. Verbal/Linguistic; Interpersonal In class, assign students to one of three groups. Ask each group to write down any proverbs or similar teaching phrases that their parents or caregivers often say to them. After giving the groups time to compile their lists, ask students to share the results in a class discussion. Are any proverbs common to all three groups? Do the students think the proverbs effectively convey the lessons their parents are trying to teach? Do they think they will remember these proverbs and pass them on to their children? What does this tell them about the power of the oral tradition? (Answers will vary, but students should draw examples from their own lives.) Kinesthetic; Interpersonal Assign pairs of students one of the proverbs and ask them to create a short skit or mime to illustrate its meaning. Students can act out the proverb in front of the class without disclosing which proverb is being illustrated. The class can then try to guess which proverb is being portrayed. Logical/Mathematical Ask students to categorize the proverbs based on subject. For example, they might make several categories such as Work, Home Life, Personal Relationships or whatever they think appropriate. Then they should assign each proverb to one of the categories. Verbal/Linguistic; Intrapersonal Ask students to write their own short proverbs that convey the following messages: (1) The more education you get, the more likely it is you will succeed in life. (2) Sometimes it is good to be with your friends, but sometimes it is also good to spend time by yourself. (3) Even important people don t know everything; check things out for yourself. Share the best proverbs with the class. Visual/Spatial Have students draw a four- or five-panel comic strip using one of the proverbs as the punch line in the final panel. The preceding panels should tell a story that sets up the appropriate use of the proverb in the final panel. Advanced Learners The nyama and the nyamakalaw are oral artists who specialize in the spoken/sung word and the great power it releases. Ask students to research the importance of the griot tradition, focusing especially on the nyama and the nyamakalaw, and report their findings in a three-page paper. Below Grade Level Ask students to think of an event from their own lives that relates to one of the proverbs. Tell them to write two or three paragraphs describing the event and explaining how it relates to one of the proverbs. 14
READING SKILLS ACTIVITY 3 Summarizing Learning the Skill Have you ever read something and later realized that you had forgotten what it was all about? Summarizing information can help you remember the main ideas and important facts in a longer reading selection. One way to summarize information is to make an outline of the text as you read. An outline is a summary of main points and supporting ideas. Use the following guidelines to summarize what you read with an outline: Organize your material into a few main topics. Use Roman numerals (I, II, III) to label main topics. Scan the material for subtopics. Subtopics are written as capital letters (A, B, C). Under subtopics, place related details that support the subtopics. Use Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3) for these details. An A subtopic should always be followed by a B subtopic. A 1 detail should always be followed by a 2 detail. Write each subtopic and supporting details with as few words as possible that still express the main idea of the material. Practicing the Skill Directions: A partial outline of Section 2 in Chapter 3 of your textbook is given below. Study the outline and then answer the questions that follow. I. Traditional African Religions II. Islam in Africa A. Mali and Mansa Musa 1. More mosques 2. Libraries at Timbuktu 3. Journey to Makkah B. Songhai and Askia Muhammad C. Islam s Impact on Africa III. Government and Society A. Ruler and Subject B. Ghana s Government C. What was Mali s Government like? D. Songhai s Government 1. What are the three main topics in this outline? 15
READING SKILLS ACTIVITY 3 (continued) Summarizing 2. If you were to add three details about the growth of Islam under Askia Muhammad, where would you place them? Would you use numbers or letters? Applying the Skill Directions: Using the guidelines on the previous page, outline the information found in Section 3 of Chapter 3 of your textbook. A few main topics, subtopics, and details have been filled in to get you started. I. Life in Medieval Africa A. 1. 2. 3. B. Education and Community C. 1. 2. II. A. 1. Acted mostly as wives and mothers 2. Served as soldiers in some kingdoms 3. a. Queen Dahia al-kahina, A.D. 600s, fought Muslim invasion b. 1. Nearby villagers taken captive 2. 3. 16
READING SKILLS ACTIVITY 3 (continued) B. Summarizing 1. First enslaved Africans taken to Portugal 2. Enslaved Africans used to harvest sugarcane in the Atlantic islands 3. III. African Culture A. African Art B. 1. 2. 3. 1. Music played a part in all aspects of life 2. Dance was used to celebrate important events 3. 4. 17
LANGUAGE ARTS ACTIVITY 3 Preparing and Delivering Narrative Presentations Learning the Skill Have you ever sat around a campfire or shivered in a dark room while someone told a scary story? Or laughed as a friend described a funny incident with so much detail that it almost seemed as if you were there yourself? Narratives are stories that have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Good storytellers use techniques like these to entertain and hold the attention of their listeners: A narrative has a basic plot or story line a beginning, a conflict or problem, rising action, a climax or resolution of the problem, and an ending. Narratives involve people (characters) and occur in a specific place (the setting). Narratives are advanced through a variety of techniques, such as dialogue (what characters say), action (what characters do), tension, suspense, repetition, and descriptive details. Various parts of a narrative are connected with transition words such as first, next, then, and last. Narratives include sensory details and concrete language to develop the plot and characters. Practicing the Skill Directions: Read the African folktale below, called The Bachelors and the Python. As you read, analyze the characters, setting, plot, and the main conflict or problem of the story. Then answer the questions that follow. The Bachelors and the Python There were only two unmarried men in the village. All the rest had found suitable partners, but Kalemeleme was so gentle that he would not stand up for his own rights, or anyone else s, while Kinku was so bad-tempered that no one could stand his tantrums for long. Thus these two lived in unhappy loneliness, until one day Kalemeleme took his bow and arrows and going into the forest in the early morning, when the dew was on the grass, he shot a grey wild-cat and a brown wild-cat. On his way home he met Moma, the great rock python, mightiest snake in the forest, and was about to shoot when Moma pleaded, Gentle one, have mercy on me, for I am stiff with cold. Take me to the river where it is warm. 19
LANGUAGE ARTS ACTIVITY 3 (continued) Preparing and Delivering Narrative Presentations Touched with pity, Kalemeleme took the great reptile on his shoulders to the stream and threw him in. Moma lifted his head above the reeds and said, Thank you, gentle one. I have seen your loneliness. Throw in your grey wild-cat and your brown wild-cat and take what the water-spirit gives you. Kalemeleme threw his grey wild-cat and his brown wild-cat into the river. Immediately the water began to ripple and grow redder and redder until beneath the surface there appeared a great, red, open mouth. He put in his hand and pulled out a gourd. He took it home and opened it, when out stepped... the most beautiful girl that was ever seen, and she was as good as she was lovely. She could weave mats, plait baskets, and make pots; she kept the house so neat, and cultivated the garden so well, she prepared the food so carefully and helped her neighbors so willingly, that soon Kalemeleme and his beautiful wife were the favorites of the village. Kinku came to him and asked, Tell me, Kalemeleme, where did you get your wife? The water-spirit gave her to me, Kalemeleme replied, and he told him the circumstances. Well, I want a wife too, said Kinku, so he took his bow and his arrows and went off into the forest when the sun was boiling hot overhead. He killed a grey wild-cat and a brown wild-cat. On his way home he too met Moma, the mighty python, wilting with the heat under a bush. He was about to shoot when Moma pleaded, Mercy, Kinku. Have mercy on me for I am suffocated with this heat. Take me to the river where it s cool. What! Take you, a loathsome reptile? Find your own way to the river! Very well. Come along. And the snake glided through the undergrowth, while Kinku followed. Moma plunged into the water and, lifting his head above the reeds, he called out, Kinku. I have seen your loneliness. Now throw in your grey wild-cat and your brown wild-cat and take what the water-spirit gives you. Kinku threw in his grey wild-cat and his brown wild-cat. At once the water began to ripple and became redder and redder, until beneath the surface Kinku saw a huge open mouth. 20
LANGUAGE ARTS ACTIVITY 3 (continued) Preparing and Delivering Narrative Presentations He put in his hand and drew out a pumpkin. He staggered home with it. It became heavier and heavier as he went, and at last he dropped it. It cracked, and out stepped... the ugliest woman that ever was, and before he could recover from his shock she boxed him soundly on the ears, and taking him by the nose she said, Come on, Kinku. I am your wife. She didn t give him the chance to say no, but pummeled him and biffed him, bullied him and blamed him. She led him a dog s life, for she was as lazy as she was hideous. Kinku, carry the water! Kinku, cut the firewood! Kinku, cultivate the garden! Kinku, cook the meal! while she simply lay about and abused him. Of course Kinku blamed the water-spirit, but had he only known it, he had nobody to blame but himself. Directions: Answer the following questions, based on the folktale above. 1. What is the main setting of the story? (Where does most of this story take place?) A. in the village B. in the forest C. in the grasslands D. on the beach 2. How is Kalemeleme the same as Kinku at the beginning of the story? A. He is gentle. B. He keeps a python as a pet. C. He is lonely. D. He is married. 3. How is Kalemeleme different from Kinku at the end of the story? A. He is disliked by the villagers. B. He is married. C. He has had an encounter with Moma. D. He is happy. 21
LANGUAGE ARTS ACTIVITY 3 (continued) Preparing and Delivering Narrative Presentations 4. What is this story s plot? A. Two villagers go hunting in the forest. B. A magic snake repays Kalemeleme s kindness by giving him a wonderful wife, but gives an awful wife to badtempered Kinku. C. Kinku blames everyone but himself for his misfortunes. D. Kalemeleme and his wife help their neighbors and become everyone s favorite. 5. What is this story s main conflict or problem? A. Two lonely bachelors cannot find wives. B. Two villagers hunt for the same animals. C. A giant python scares all the villagers. D. A man marries a lazy, mean woman. Applying the Skill Directions: On a separate sheet of paper, create a short narrative story that you will tell in class. Your story should include at least two characters and have a definite beginning, middle, and ending. Establish a problem or conflict and resolve it by the end of the story, using narrative techniques to move the story along. 22
WRITING ACTIVITY 3 Outlining Learning the Skill Have you ever watched an artist sketch a subject? Armed only with paper and pencil, the artist outlines the design, giving shape to what will soon be filled with color. Good writing works the same way. You can make your writing clearer, more focused, and easier to read if you plan its structure before you write the first draft. This plan usually takes the form of an outline. An outline is a skeleton of the main points and subpoints that you want to cover in your draft. Before writing your outline, gather any research, notes, or other information about your subject. Then choose one of the following methods to organize your paper: Chronological order organizes details according to a time sequence. This method is often used for writing a narrative or describing a historic event. Example: The Development of West African Trading Empires Introduction I. 400 B.C. Berbers cross the Sahara to West Africa II. A.D. 400s Ghana rises to power III. A.D. 1200s Mali conquers what is left of the empire of Ghana Categorical order groups similar items together, presenting each of the categories one after the other. This method works well for scientific writing or for discussing main ideas that are of equal importance. Example: Islam in Africa I. Introduction II. Ibn Battuta III. Mansa Musa IV. Askia Muhammad Whichever method you choose, use Roman numerals to number your most important points. Beneath each Roman numeral, list subpoints or supporting details, using capital letters. A sample outline is given below: Kingdoms of the Rain Forest I. Introduction II. What were the kingdoms? A. Benin B. Kongo III. What were the advantages of the rain forest? A. soil B. climate 23
WRITING ACTIVITY 3 (continued) Outlining Practicing the Skill Directions: Suppose that you are in the process of writing a report on the Mali Empire. You have researched information on the topic and gathered details on the note cards shown below. Review the note cards and then answer the questions that follow. Topic: The Mali Empire SCOPE OF MALI EMPIRE Flourished in West Africa from about 1240 1450. At its height, controlled most of present-day Gambia, Guinea, Mali, and Senegal, and parts of present-day Burkina-Faso, Mauritania, and Niger. IMPORTANT RULERS Sundiata Keita: King of Kangaba. Between 1235 and 1240, he conquered nearby lands. Built new capital city, Niani. Mansa Musa: Ruled from 1312 1337. Spread empire eastward to Gao; brought Mali to peak of political and cultural development. MALI S PEOPLE People were successful farmers and herders. Governing classes were Muslims; most people worshiped traditional African gods. 1. Which organizational method would you use to structure your paper? Explain your answer. 2. In your outline, you have listed Who were the empire s most important rulers? as Roman numeral II. Name two subtopics to list as points A. and B. 24
WRITING ACTIVITY 3 (continued) Outlining 3. Suppose that you want to include some new details you found about how Mali s royal officials divided their governing responsibilities. Where would you include this information in your outline? Explain your answer. Applying the Skill Directions: Use reference books or the Internet to learn more about one of the following topics: The Rise of Ghana; The Rise of Mali; or Farming in the Rain Forest. Record details about your topic on note cards. Review the note cards, considering how you might structure the details in a report. Then write an outline you could use to help you draft the report. 25
TIME LINE ACTIVITY 3 Medieval Africa (1215 1492) Directions: Use the information in the time line to answer the questions on the next page. 1230 Sundiata Keita begins to rule Mali 1255 Sundiata Keita dies 1312 Mansa Musa begins to rule Mali 1337 Mansa Musa dies 1464 Sunni Ali begins to rule Songhai 1492 Sunni Ali dies EVENTS IN WEST AFRICA 1200 1250 1300 1350 1400 1450 1500 1216 Kublai Khan is born in Mongolia 1254 Marco Polo is born in Venice, Italy 1331 The first outbreak of the plague takes place in China 1337 The Hundred Years War begins in Europe 1492 Spain s armies conquer Grenada 1492 Christopher Columbus arrives in America EVENTS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD 27
TIME LINE ACTIVITY 3 Medieval Africa (1215 1492) (continued) Background From 1200 to 1500, empires in West Africa grew rich from trading salt and gold. The three most famous leaders during this period were Sundiata Keita, Mansa Musa, and Sunni Ali. During their lifetimes, important events were taking place in other parts of the world as well, as shown by this time line. 1. What was happening in another part of the world the year that Sunni Ali died? 2. What famous person was born one year before Sundiata Keita died? 3. Name an event that was taking place in Europe the year that Mansa Musa died. 4. Who had the longest reign, Sundiata Keita, Mansa Musa, or Sunni Ali? 5. The plague broke out in China during the reign of which West African ruler? 6. Name two leaders who ruled Mali. 28
CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS ACTIVITY 3 Analyzing Statistics Social Studies Objective: Analyze statistics to interpret social studies information. Learning the Skill Statistics are sets of tabulated information. They may be gathered through surveys and other sources. In statistics, a sample is the population or group being studied, to which the statistics apply. Use the following guidelines to help you analyze statistics. Decide what population or group is being studied. Determine the time period or periods to which the data apply. Draw conclusions about the meaning and importance of the data. Practicing the Skill Directions: Read the selection and study the table below. Then answer the questions that follow. The Atlantic Slave Trade Slavery was not new in Africa, but two things happened in the 1400s that dramatically changed the trading of enslaved people. The Portuguese explorers put Europe in contact with Africa, and Columbus reached the Americas. As the Americas were colonized, the demand for enslaved people increased beyond anything that had been known before. Europeans turned to Africa to meet that demand. Estimated Number of Enslaved People Brought to the Americas 1451 1870 (in thousands) Region/Country 1451 1600 1601 1700 1701 1810 1811 1870 Total British North America 348.0 51.0 399.0 Spanish America 75.0 292.5 578.6 606.0 1552.1 British Caribbean 263.7 1401.3 1665.0 French Caribbean 155.8 1348.4 96.0 1600.2 Dutch Caribbean 40.0 460.0 500.0 Danish Caribbean 4.0 24.0 28.0 Brazil 50.0 560.0 1891.4 1145.1 3646.8 Source: Philip D. Curtin. The Atlantic Slave Trade: a Census. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1969. 29
CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS ACTIVITY 3 (continued) Analyzing Statistics 1. What is the population or group being studied? 2. What time period is covered by the table? 3. Which country or region in the table had the largest number of enslaved people? 4. How many enslaved people were brought to British North America during the time period covered by this table? Applying the Skill Directions: Study the table on the previous page. Then answer the questions below. 1. What is the total number of enslaved people brought to the Americas during the time period covered by the table? A. 399,000 B. 3,646,800 C. 9,391 D. 9,391,100 2. During which of the following time periods were the most Africans enslaved? A. 1451 1600 B. 1601 1700 C. 1701 1810 D. 1811 1870 30
CHART, GRAPH, AND MAP SKILLS ACTIVITY 3 Using Latitude and Longitude Learning the Skill To find an exact location on a map, geographers and historians use a set of imaginary lines. One set of lines latitude lines circle the earth s surface like a stack of rings. The starting point for numbering latitude lines is the Equator, which is 0 latitude. Lines of latitude are numbered from 1 to 90 and are followed by an N or S to show whether they are north or south of the Equator. Latitude lines are also called parallels. A second set of lines longitude lines runs vertically from the North Pole to the South Pole. These lines are also called meridians. The starting point 0 longitude is called the Prime Meridian and runs through the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, England. Longitude lines are numbered from 1 to 180 followed by an E or W to show whether they are east or west of the Prime Meridian. The grid system formed by lines of latitude and longitude makes it possible to find the absolute location of a place. Only one place can be found at the point where a specific line of latitude crosses a specific line of longitude. To find the exact location of a place using latitude and longitude, follow these steps: Choose a place on a map. Identify the nearest parallel, or line of latitude. Is it located north or south of the Equator? Now identify the nearest meridian, or line of longitude. Is it located east or west of the Prime Meridian? What is the grid address of the place? Practicing the Skill Directions: The map at right shows the locations of the kingdoms of medieval West Africa. Study the map, and then answer the questions that follow. Kingdoms of Africa, A.D. 1000 1500 40 N 40 N 20 N 0 20 W 0 20 E ATLANTIC OCEAN Fez Timbuktu Kumbi Niani Tripoli EGYPT Cairo Taghaza S A H A R A Thebes Ghat Gao Niger River Gulf of Guinea Kano Mediterranean Sea Lake Chad 0 500 El Fasher Nile River 1,000 mi. 0 500 1,000 km Miller Stereographic Projection Red Ghana Mali 40 E 60 E Sea KEY ETHIOPIA Mogadishu N W E S Songhai Benin 31
CHART, GRAPH, AND MAP SKILLS ACTIVITY 3 (continued) Using Latitude and Longitude 1. At about what latitude and longitude lines do you find the city of Timbuktu? N W 2. Through which kingdoms on the map does the Prime Meridian run? 3. In degrees of latitude, about how far is Timbuktu from the Gulf of Guinea? Applying the Skill Directions: Study the map below, and then answer the questions that follow. 125 W 120 W 115 W 0 50 200 mi. 40 N Sacramento San Francisco 0 50 200 km NEVADA CALIFORNIA N W E S 35 N PACIFIC OCEAN Los Angeles San Diego 1. Which city is located at approximately 34ºN, 118ºW? 2. What is the approximate latitude and longitude of Sacramento? 3. What is the approximate latitude of the northern border of California? 32
GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY ACTIVITY 3 Timbuktu: The City on the Niger River The importance of a location can change as cultures change. The African city of Timbuktu is a good example of a location whose importance changed over time. At first a small village, Timbuktu grew into one of the most important cities of its time. Today, it is once again a village. What happened, and why, is one of the most interesting stories in geography. The Impact of Trade Timbuktu is located in the western part of Africa, on a bend in the Niger River. Other than its location near a river, there is very little in the physical environment of Timbuktu that would explain why it became a great city. However, as the map below illustrates, Timbuktu was located between the gold mines of Wangara to the south and the salt mines of Taghaza to the north. The people who had gold wanted salt, and the people who had salt wanted gold. Timbuktu s location made it the ideal place for people to meet and exchange their goods. The gold and salt mines in western Africa operated for hundreds of years. The gold was carried north to the Niger River. There, traders from the south met traders from the north. The gold was traded for many kinds of goods from Europe cloth, swords, beads, horses, and foods but especially for salt. The king of the area around Timbuktu claimed much of the gold for himself. He also taxed all the gold and salt that were brought in to be traded. As a result, the king and the traders became very rich. Trade Routes of West Africa, c. A.D.1000 30 N 20 N 10 N 20 W 10 W 0 10 E Tunis Fez (European Goods) Marrakech Tripoli N W E S Senegal R. Taghaza Timbuktu Wangara (Gold) Niger AFRICA Lake Chad ATLANTIC OCEAN R. 0 1,000 mi. 0 1,000 km Lambert Azimuthal Equal-Area projection 33
GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY ACTIVITY 3 (continued) Timbuktu: The City on the Niger River A Center of Learning Timbuktu became not only a center of trade, but also a center of learning. The rulers of Timbuktu became Muslims. Muslims believed in education, because they believed that Muslims should be able to read the Quran. Many Muslim traders came to live in Timbuktu. They brought their love of learning with them. The city became known for its teachers and libraries. One visitor wrote that Here are a great store of doctors, judges, priests, and other learned men, that are bountifully maintained at the king s cost and charges. And hither are brought [many] manuscripts of written books... which are sold for more money than any other merchandise.... Timbuktu was a great city for hundreds of years. However, the riches of the area attracted many invaders. Shortly before the year 1600, an army from Morocco attacked. Over a period of many years, the area around Timbuktu was ruled by several different countries. Trade was broken up by wars, and the gold mines of Wangara ran out. Timbuktu once again became a poor village. Its location had not changed, but the importance of its location had changed. Directions: Answer the questions below in the spaces provided or on a separate sheet of paper. 1. What was important about Timbuktu s location? 2. How did trade change Timbuktu? 3. For what was Timbuktu famous, besides trade? 4. About how many miles did people travel from the north coast of Africa to trade European goods at Timbuktu? 5. Inferring Based on what you know about the changes in Timbuktu and Wangara, what can you infer about the importance of Taghaza s location and how it has changed over time? 34
ECONOMICS AND HISTORY ACTIVITY 3 The Federal Reserve and the Money Supply In medieval Africa, the kings of Ghana tightly controlled all trade. For example, nobody could own gold nuggets except the kings. People could trade only in gold dust. As one Arab traveler observed, If kings did otherwise, gold would become so abundant as practically to lose its value. Controlling the gold trade was one way the kings controlled the empire s economy. The United States today has a central bank that helps control the economy. It is called the Federal Reserve, or the Fed. Congress created the Fed to help the economy grow while controlling inflation, or the general rise in prices. The Fed accomplishes its goals by controlling the money supply. The money supply is the amount of money in circulation. The money supply needs to be large enough to allow companies to grow and consumers to have enough money to buy products. When too much money is circulating, however, money loses its value, or purchasing power. Prices rise (inflation) and money can buy less than it could before. For example, suppose you have $30 to buy CDs. If the price of a CD is $15, you can buy two of them. If the CD price rises to $20, your $30 has less purchasing power. You can buy only one CD. Banks operate by taking in deposits from savers and loaning those deposits to borrowers. When banks lend, they add to the money supply. Companies can use borrowed money to grow. Consumers can borrow money to buy things like houses and cars. The more banks lend, the greater the amount of money available to help the economy grow. Too much lending, though, leads to inflation. One way the Fed controls the money supply is the reserve requirement. The reserve requirement is a percentage of deposits that banks must set aside to cover withdrawals by their savers. The illustration below shows how the Fed can influence the money supply by changing the reserve requirement. Effects of Changes in the Reserve Requirement The Fed raises the reserve requirement. Banks have less money to lend because they must hold more in reserve. The money supply decreases as banks make fewer loans to businesses and consumers 35
ECONOMICS AND HISTORY ACTIVITY 3 (continued) The Federal Reserve and the Money Supply Directions: Use the information on the previous page to answer the following questions. 1. In medieval Africa, how did control of the gold trade by Ghana s rulers help gold hold its value? 2. In the United States today, how does control of the money supply by the Fed help money hold its value? 3. How do banks add to the money supply? 4. Suppose a bank has deposits of $10,000 and the reserve requirement is 1%. How much money must the bank hold in reserve? 5. According to the illustration, what happens to the money supply when banks have less money to loan? 6. Analyzing Information Based on the illustration, describe what would happen to the money supply if the Fed lowered the reserve requirement. 36
CITIZENSHIP AND SERVICE LEARNING ACTIVITY 3 Cabinet Rap Why It s Important Much of the day-to-day work of government is not done by the president, Congress, or Supreme Court. It is done by agencies serving under the cabinet. There are 15 cabinet positions. The president appoints cabinet secretaries for all 15 departments, including the State Department and the Department of the Treasury. The cabinet also includes a position established by President George W. Bush in 2002 the Department of Homeland Security. This department oversees U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Coast Guard, and the Secret Service. Background The government of Mali during Africa s medieval period was also organized into departments. The kingdom of Mali thrived between the 1200s and the mid-1400s. It controlled extensive territories in West Africa. Royal officials had many responsibilities. One official supervised fishing on the Niger River. Another managed the forests. Mali also had officials in charge of farming and finances. Like the government of the United States, the Mali government found that dividing the responsibilities led to more efficient control. Questions to Consider Directions: On a separate sheet of paper, answer the questions below. 1. How many U.S. cabinet departments can you name? 2. How many cabinet secretaries can you name? Where can you find the names of the cabinet secretaries? 3. Based on the names of the departments, predict the work that the department does. 4. Which department contains the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)? 5. Which department contains the Federal Aviation Administration? 6. Do you think the United States has enough departments? Which department(s) would you add? Which departments would you eliminate? In addition to cabinet departments, the executive branch of government oversees several other agencies most of which assist the president with advice and information. These include the Office of Management and Budget, the Council of Economic Advisers, the National Economic Council, the National Security Council, and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. The executive branch also oversees independent agencies such as the Central Intelligence Agency, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Small Business Administration. 37
CITIZENSHIP AND SERVICE LEARNING ACTIVITY 3 (continued) Cabinet Rap Your Task Your task is to write a rap song or other type of song about one of the cabinet departments. You will research the work the department does, write the song, and then perform it for your classmates. How to Do It 1. Work alone or in a small group. 2. Select one of the cabinet departments to research. Your teacher may assign one to you to make sure all of the departments are covered. 3. On the Internet, find the department s Web site. Gather some basic information, such as when and how the department was founded, who its famous secretaries have been, its current secretary, and the agencies it runs. 4. Also find out how the cabinet department to which you are assigned affects your life. Do you or someone you know receive services from it? 5. Write a rap lyric and tune that provides information about your department. Perform the song for your classmates. Follow-Up Activity What activity performed by the department you wrote about interested you the most? Did anything surprise you about the services provided by the various departments? As a follow-up activity, go to the jobs section of the department you studied. List at least three jobs available in the department that might interest you. U.S. CABINET DEPARTMENTS Department of Agriculture Department of Commerce Department of Defense Department of Education Department of Energy Department of Health and Human Services Department of Homeland Security Department of Housing and Urban Development Department of the Interior Department of Justice Department of Labor Department of State Department of Transportation Department of the Treasury Department of Veterans Affairs 38
STEP INTO WORLD HISTORY 3 TEACHING STRATEGY Africa s Rivers Topic In this simulation, students will research the role of certain rivers in the development of the political, economic, religious, and social structures of medieval Africa. This activity focuses on the interaction of geography and culture and requires groups to make maps. Purpose The purpose of this activity is to deepen students understanding of the relationship between geography and history specifically, the role of certain rivers in the kingdoms of medieval Africa. Objectives By participating in this activity, students will: Deepen their understanding of the relationship between geography and history. Learn about the rivers of Africa and the role they have played in the development of the political, economic, religious, and social structures of medieval Africa. Learn how the rivers of Africa continue to influence life in many African countries today. Practice map-making skills. Practice public and persuasive speaking. Practice participation in an interactive group. Suggested Resources Library and Internet resources that students may use to research various rivers. Poster board or butcher paper and other art supplies for making maps. Computers and software for doing Powerpoint presentations, if available. Procedures/Pacing Guide The planning for this simulation is designed to be conducted over the course of two days (plus out-of-class preparation time). The sales presentations will take an additional day. Day One Introduction and Research Organize the class into groups of four to six students. Show a large map of the continent of Africa to the class. Ask various students to come up and find five key rivers mentioned in Chapter 3 Benue, Congo, Niger, Nile, and Zambezi. Explain to them that each group will be assigned one of these rivers. (Add rivers from other parts of Africa as needed). Each group will learn about its river and then present that river to the rest of the class in a sales pitch that promotes it as the most important river in Africa. Instruct students to gather information about the history of the river and about its role in modern-day Africa. They should include information about how the river is used; what countries it did/does run through; what river system it is part of; and modes of transportation used on the river. Each group will also make a map of its river, showing tributaries and country boundaries, major cities, past and present, and where the river empties into the ocean or into another river. The rest of the period will be used for research. You may hand out Simulation Sheet 1 to assist groups in their planning. Assign Simulation Sheet 2 as homework. 39
STEP INTO WORLD HISTORY 3 TEACHING STRATEGY Africa s Rivers (continued) Day Two Continued Research and Sales Pitches Day Two may be devoted entirely to research and rehearsal of presentations. Presentations should be 4 6 minutes long. You may spend a few minutes going over Simulation Sheet 2, so that students understand the elements of a sales presentation. Check on group progress, especially on the map-making process. Encourage groups to use a scale, compass rose, and a color scheme that distinguishes country boundaries from rivers, etc. If facilities are available and you have time, encourage students to try making a Powerpoint presentation. Day Three Presentations Day Three is presentation day. After all groups have made presentations, have students vote on which river they think is the most important. Spend some time discussing the results. What did students learn that was new? How has their understanding of medieval Africa changed? How swayed were students by the qualities of the presentations? Would a good presentation persuade them to vote for a lesser river? As a final assignment, ask each student to turn in three questions that they would now like to have answered about Africa past or present. Rivers of Africa Rivers Mentioned in Chapter 3 Benue Congo Niger Nile Zambezi Other Rivers in Africa Atbara Black Volta Blue Nile Bomu Chari Cunene Kasai Limpopo Lomami Lualaba Orange Scebeli Senegal Ubangi Uele Vaal White Nile 40
STEP INTO WORLD HISTORY ACTIVITY 3 Africa s Rivers Simulation Sheet 1 Directions: Answer the following questions to help your group prove that its river is the most important. 1. What river is your group researching and presenting? 2. How long is the river? 3. Where does the river originate? Where does it end? 4. What rivers flow into the river? Into which rivers, if any, does it flow? 5. Through which kingdoms did the river flow in medieval times? 6. Through which modern-day countries does the river flow? 7. How did the river influence the political life of the region in medieval times? In modern times? 8. How did the river influence the economic life of the region in medieval times? In modern times? What goods were/are transported on the river? 9. What religion was practiced in the river s region in medieval times? In modern times? 10. Why was the river important in medieval times? Why is it important now? 41
STEP INTO WORLD HISTORY ACTIVITY 3 Africa s Rivers Simulation Sheet 2 Directions: Answer the questions below to help you understand how to make a persuasive presentation. 1. Who is your audience? 2. What is important to your audience? What do they like to do? What makes them sit up and pay attention? 3. Name the three facts that make your river most important. 4. Name two facts that make your river seem unimportant. 5. For each fact that makes your river seem unimportant, write a statement that tells why that fact does not matter. 6. What aids could you use to help you make your points? Describe the maps, handouts, or brochures that might help you sell your river. You can sketch them on the back of this sheet. 7. Write a slogan for your river. 42
BIOGRAPHY ACTIVITY 3A Sundiata Keita The Sickly King The Mali Empire may have been created because a child was too sickly to be worth killing. The child was Sundiata Keita (c. 1210 1260). His father, Nare Maghan, was the king of a small Malinke state called Kangaba. The king of the nearby Soso empire, Sumanguru Kante, conquered Kangaba and killed Nare. He also killed eleven of Nare s twelve sons. The only one he did not kill was Sundiata. He may have thought the boy was no threat because of his health problems. Sundiata left his homeland in 1230, but he did not forget it. Taking Back His Homeland Sundiata became a powerful man. He recruited other Malinke chiefs to help him take back his homeland. They overran the Sosos in 1235, and Sundiata regained his family s throne. He made the city of Niani his capital and then began building his empire. During the next 25 years, he exploited the gold mines in the area and controlled the region s trade routes to increase his empire s wealth. Directions: On another sheet of paper, answer the questions below. 1. How many of Sundiata s brothers were killed? 2. When did Sundiata take back his homeland? 3. Why did Sundiata become a Muslim? Ancestral shrine of the Keita clan and the semi-mythical founder of Mali, Sundiata Keita 4. Writing What reasons might Sumanguru Kante have had for letting Sundiata Keita live, even though he was an heir to the throne of Kangaba? Sundiata encouraged religious freedom. He became a Muslim to show goodwill toward Islamic traders, but he allowed the people of his empire to worship whatever religion they wished. After Sundiata died, his son Uli took his place. The Mali Empire continued to thrive because of the trade in gold and salt. 43
BIOGRAPHY ACTIVITY 3B Askia Muhammad Making a Good Empire Better In 1493 Askia Muhammad became king of one of the greatest empires in Africa and made it better. Askia took over the Songhai empire after Sunni Ali died. Sunni Ali had conquered the cities of Timbuktu and Djenne during his reign. Songhai now had control of the trading routes through the Sahara, which made the empire rich and powerful. Sunni Ali s time had been dominated by conflict, but Askia Muhammad s reign concentrated on stability. The Songhai empire stretched over a vast amount of land, and Askia established an elaborate bureaucracy to govern it. Important Changes Askia also changed the way that people were chosen for important governmental positions. Traditionally, people had been chosen for important jobs based on the social standing of their family. Askia hired people based on their intelligence, ability, and belief in Islam. The Songhai empire included thousands of different cultures, so Askia tried to install common laws and standards Directions: On another sheet of paper, answer the questions below. 1. What made the Songhai empire rich? across the empire. He established standards for measurements and money. He also established a state religion. Askia was a Muslim, and he only appointed fellow Muslims to positions of importance and power. He also made local courts honor Islamic law. Askia ruled until his sons overthrew him in 1528. The Songhai empire did not last much longer. In 1591, Moroccan invaders brought an end to the empire. 2. What was the state-established religion of the Songhai empire? 3. Why did the Songhai empire come to an end? Tomb in Gao, Nigeria, of Songhai ruler, Askia Muhammad 4. Writing Under Askia Muhammad, Songhai was the largest empire in medieval West Africa. What are some of the problems that the king might have encountered while trying to hold such a large empire together? 44