African Empires Notecards

Front 1

Identify the ways that trade influenced kingdoms and civilizations in West Africa.

Back 1

- fostered economic & cultural development
- wealth was primarily from gold= attracted traders from Europe & the Middle East
- traders brought goods & introduced Islam to West African empires

Front 2

Explain why empires in Africa (Ghana,Mali, & Songhai) grew as commercial and cultural centers along trade routes.

Back 2

- commercial centers
- Timbuktu became leading commercial & cultural center

Front 3

Trace the spread of Islam across Africa.

Back 3

- Arab traders went to city-states
- Arab traders went across Sahara to partake in gold & salt trade
- Mali kingdom rose to power

Front 4

Describe the effects of the colonization of Africa by European nations.

Back 4

- Africans were exposed to disease
- skilled and strong workers were lost
- Africans lost ownership of land
- lost their economic freedom
- lost personal freedom
- lost control of governments

Front 5

Explain how the Trans-Saharan slave trade had effects on Africa as well as the receiving nations.

Back 5

- helped make African kingdoms powerful
- rulers who sold slaves became wealthy
- source of labor
- many died in transport across the desert or while working
- families were split up
- loss of freedom
- positive effects and negative effects
- receiving nations
- cultural diffusion

Front 6

Explain why the trans-Saharan slave trade contributed to the reasons Europeans developed the trans-Atlantic slave trade.

Back 6

There were already people capturing and trading in slaves in Africa. Europeans saw this as an opportunity to get inexpensive labor for their colonies. Europeans capitalized in this opportunity.

Front 7

Explain how the trans-Saharan slave trade helped create powerful African states.

Back 7

African states (Ghana, Mali, Songhai) had goods (such as slaves) that were highly desirable. The trading in humans was profitable for traders, landowners, miners, etc. Rulers who sold slaves became wealthy.

Front 8

Explain how the Ghana, Mali, and Songhai kingdoms grew powerful from the trade in gold and salt.

Back 8

- grew powerful & wealthy from taxing gold & salt trade
- gained wealth & influence
- mined gold= attracted traders from Europe & Middle East
- foreign traders brought goods

Front 9

Explain why Mansa Musa was so well-known.

Back 9

- had huge caravan that passed out gold to people pn way to Hajj
- great ruler

Front 10

Explain the importance of the city of Timbuktu.

Back 10

- important city for trade
- center of learning & trade
- leading commercial & cultural center
- attracted scholars