Total

Recall

Ques:on: Why might it have been dicult for traders from North Africa to
trade with traders from the Kingdom of Mali?

Answer: The Sahara Desert made trade dicult, but s:ll possible between
these loca:ons.

Andrew Nickerson
Period 2 - 11/12/14

Early Societies in West Africa Study Guide - Chapter 12 Test

1. Define the following words: *NOT MATCHING ON TEST
- tribute: a payment made by one ruler or country to another for
protection or as a sign of submission
- excavate: in archeology, to carefully dig out an ancient site
- extended family: an immediate family plus other close relatives; such
as grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins
- rainforest: an area of lush vegetation and year round rainfall
- woodland forest: an area of abundant trees and shrubs
2.

Describe each African society: kingdoms, villages, towns, and family-based

communities. Which was the largest? ...the smallest?
- Extended family: An extended family, an immediate family and
relatives lived together.
- Village: Multiple extended families lived together to help each other
with different tasks.
- Cities/Towns: Villages along rivers and trade routes became
town/cities. People were taxed for trading, profiting the cities
- Empires: Wealth from trading was used to form armies to protect the
empire and expand it.
- The largest family-based community was an EMPIRE. The smallest
was an EXTENDED FAMILY.
Why was Jenne-Jenos location so ideal? Be able to locate it on a map of Africa.
- Jenne-Jeno was in between the Niger and Bani rivers. It was a great
location for farming, trading, and fishing, making its location ideal as a city.
- *Map on next page:

Andrew Nickerson
Period 2 - 11/12/14

- Africa Map with Jenne-Jeno:

4.

Why would people in different people in different vegetation zones need to

trade with one another?
- People in different vegetation zones would need to trade because they
would need to get supplies that they couldnt get in their own vegetation zone.
5.

How did kingdoms develop in West Africa?

- Kingdoms developed when wealthy cities conquered other cities.

Andrew Nickerson
Period 2 - 11/12/14

6.

How do people use the Niger River in Africa the same way that people used the
river in the Middle Ages?
- People still use the Niger river for water, food, and to keep the land
fertile for farming. Just like in the Middle Ages, the river is an ideal place for
cities/trading centers because of its many uses.

7.

How did extended-family communities deal with dangerous floods or enemies?

- Different extended-family communities had to join together and
create villages to solve these problems.
8.

How did iron tools make West African farming more efficient?
- Iron farming tools helped farmers to clear land more quickly. Growing
crops took less time and Africans had extra time for weaving, metal working,
and pottery making.

9.

How did geography affect settlement patterns in West Africa?

- Geography affected settlement in West Africa majorly. Essential
geographical features such as rivers and fertile land attracted more people to them,
eventually forming a city.
10.

How did geography affect ways of life in West Africa?

- Certain geographical features made life easier in West Africa. Rivers
provided water and food for use by Africans. Fertile land made farming easier and
created stable supply of crops for West Africa. Vast plains provided land for grazing
animals, and trade routes formed through rivers and other paths of land.

*Teston:Friday,November14,2014(11/14/14)