Chapter 11: Early Societies in West Africa Mr. Meza 7th Grade World History

1. Where is the Sahara Desert? North West Africa Bordered the Atlantic ocean Approximately 3.5 million square miles

2. What is the Sahel? Located south of the Sahara desert It is a zone of semi desert

3. Why was the Niger River Important? Near land was fertile Provided fish to eat Largest river in West Africa

4. What year did people first settle in the Sahara Desert? By about 4000BCE

5. What is an extended family? An immediate family plus other close relatives such as, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. These extended families turned into villages.

6. Why did some villages extend to towns? Ironworking and expansion of trade

7. Who were the African blacksmiths? The Nok started in 500 BCE

8. What is Jenne-jeno? Built in the third century Existed for 1,600 years Built where the Niger river meets the Bani river It grew into a city of 20,000

9. What did the discovery of Jenne-jenno allow us to learn? That cities existed in West Africa

10. What is a tribute? A payment made by one ruler of a country to another for protection as a sign of submission.

11. What were the three West African kingdoms Ghana, Songhai, Mali