Do You Know The History of West Africa?
Written by Regina Munch History Expert
Last updated · 7 min play time
Famous for their immense wealth and sumptuous lifestyle, the west African kingdoms remain a point of interest in world history.
The West African kingdoms are famous for their pivotal role in the trade of gold and salt, as well as the spread of Islam throughout the Sahara. Famous for their immense wealth and sumptuous lifestyle, the west African kingdoms remain a point of interest in world history. Show us what you know about these empires!
Quiz written by
Regina MunchWest Africa Quiz Questions
20 Questions · 3.3K Plays · 2 Comments
Question 1
Of the major west African kingdoms, which came first? This kingdom existed from 400 to 1200 AD.
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AGhana
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BTenochtitlan
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CSonghai
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DHan
Ghana
The Ghana empire, which existed from about 400-1200 AD, was one of the earliest major African kingdoms.
Question 2
The empires of west Africa are known as the sahelian empires because of their location in the grasslands of Africa, known as the sahel. What desert were they close to?
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AGobi
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BSahara
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CGreat Victoria
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DMojave
Sahara
The Sahara desert in the northern portion of Africa is the desert that traders had to cross to encounter the west African empire traders.
Question 3
Which animal made long-distance trade across the Sahara Desert a profitable option?
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AAlligator
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BAlpaca
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CCamel
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DHorse
Camel
Camels are known for their ability to carry on without water, which made them indisepensibe for the desert travel that was required for trade.
Question 4
Which precious metal was traded by the Ghana empire?
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AGold
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BBronze
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CCopper
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DSilver
Gold
Ghana had huge quantities of gold that could be mined, and traded it for goods from the Middle East and Asia.
Question 5
Gold was a majorly profitable commodity, along with salt. These things were traded for luxury goods from the Middle East and East Asia, such as spices and slaves. What was NOT a benefit of salt?
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AFlavoring food
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BHydration
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CFood preservation
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DWas considered divine
Was considered divine
Salt is necessary for flavoring and preserving food as well as remaining hydrated.
Question 6
Ghana's territory extended into what modern countries?
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ASaudia Arabia and Oman
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BMali and Mauritania
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CItaly and Greece
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DSouth Africa and Lesotho
Mali and Mauritania
The Ghana empire's territory existed in what is today Mali and Mauritania.
Question 7
What religion were the majority of traders in north and west Africa, to which the people of Ghana eventually converted?
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AChristian
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BBuddhist
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CMuslim
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DZoroastrian
Muslim
After its founding in the 7th century AD, Islam spread throughout the Middle East, Europe, and North Africa. Many of the people that Ghana traded with were Muslim, and the leaders of Ghana eventualy converted to Islam.
Question 8
In the 1200s, Ghana began to decline in power due to invasions by surrounding peoples. What empire rose to power in the 1200s and incorporated Ghana?
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AChina
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BMali
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CPersian
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DBritain
Mali
As Ghana declined, the Mali empire incorporated the remnants of Ghana into its teritory.
Question 9
What ethnic group founded the Mali empire?
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AAztec
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BMerovingian
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CMandinka
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DHan
Mandinka
The Mandinka people founded the Mali empire.
Question 10
What was the title given to the emperor of Mali?
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ABoss
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BMansa
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CCzar
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DSapa Inca
Mansa
The Mandinka term "mansa" means the same as king or emperor.
Question 11
The most famous ruler of the Mali was Mansa Musa. His extravagant wealth and generosity became the stuff of legends. A Muslim, he made the pilgrimage to what holy city from 1324 to 1326?
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ALondon
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BBeijing
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CMecca
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DJerusalem
Mecca
Mansa Musa made the pilgrimage to Mecca, known as the hajj. Along the way, he became legendary for the amount of gold he brought with him, and the way he lavished his riches on the people he encountered.
Question 12
What was the capital city of Mali?
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ATimbuktu
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BParis
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CMachu Picchu
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DJakarta
Timbuktu
Timbuktu was a major center of Islamic learning, and drew the finest scholars in the Muslim world.
Question 13
Timbuktu became a major center of Islamic learning. What is the name of the founder of Islam?
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AAbraham
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BJesus
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CBuddha
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DMuhammad
Muhammad
The prophet Muhammad, who lived from roughly 570 to 632 AD, was the founder of Islam.
Question 14
In addition to the gold and salt that the Ghana had traded, what other trade did the Mali benefit from?
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AMercury
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BCopper
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CCoal
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DSapphire
Copper
Copper could be used to make weapons, or to trade for gold.
Question 15
Historians don't know much about these societies, and have to rely on the accounts of travelers at the time. What is the name of one of the most famous of these travelers?
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AThomas Jefferson
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BFrancis de Sales
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CChristopher Columbus
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DIbn Battuta
Ibn Battuta
Ibn Battuta was an Islamic traveler and explorer, who especially wrote about Mansa Musa's largesse.
Question 16
When the Mali empire declined, the Songhai empire took over the salt and gold trades in Africa. What river were the Ghana, Mali, and Songhai empires centered around?
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AThames
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BAmazon
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CNiger
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DYellow
Niger
The west African kingdoms were built around and reliant on the Niger River.
Question 17
What were the most common occupations in the Songhai empire?
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AFishermen
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BMetalworkers
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CCarpenters
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DAssembly line workers
Assembly line workers
The major occupations for commoners in the Songhai empire were metalworkers, fishermen, and carpenters.
Question 18
Which of these was one of the Songhai sultans?
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ASunni Ali
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BMonteczuma
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CMuhammed Ali
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DGenghis Khan
Sunni Ali
Sunni Ali reigned from about 1464 to 1492. His rule saw the conquering of new territory.
Question 19
Forces from what nearby country invaded the Songhai empire, leading to its decline?
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AMorocco
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BIndia
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CArgentina
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DAustria
Morocco
Judar Pasha, leader of the Moroccans who were threatened by European Christians, pushed south to maintian power.
Question 20
Which of these is NOT an English word that derives from Arabic?
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ATangerine
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BMathematics
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CAssassin
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DSugar
Mathematics
Many English words, especially words for food, derive from Arabic roots, such as sugar and tangerine.
Comments (2)
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Very imformative and very historical.
Thanks good questions, which I seemed to have forgotten some answers.