1. Unit 9 – Lesson #3

2.  For our warm up, please answer the following questions in complete sentences:  What is the official state religion of Japan? Name two characteristics of this religion.  Looking at the two maps provided, in two sentences explain how geography affected the development of Japan. Include some positives and negative characteristics.

3.  If you warn twenty thousand dollars a year, one minute of your time is worth a little more than seventeen cents.  100% of all lottery winners gain weight.  Only humans sleep on their backs.  The temperature can be determined by counting the number of chirps in fourteen seconds and adding 40.

4.  African civilizations developed in sub-Saharan (refers to civilizations south of the Saharan Desert) west and east Africa.  Trade brought important economic, cultural, and religious influences to African civilizations from other parts of the Eastern Hemisphere.  States and empires flourished in Africa between 400-1400.  Ghana, Mali and Songhai in west Africa.  Axum in east Africa.  Zimbabwe in southeastern Africa.

5. SStates and empires flourished in Africa between 400- 1400. GGhana, Mali and Songhai in west Africa. AAxum in east Africa. ZZimbabwe in southeastern Africa.

6.  Gold was abundant in the regions south of the Sahara Desert.  Until the 14 th century, two-thirds of the world’s supply of gold came from West Africa.

7.  Regions south of the Sahara Desert were abundant in gold, but lacked salt, which was essential to human life (food preservation).  African traders would bring gold north from the forest regions to meet Arab traders that had crossed the Sahara camels using camel caravans loaded down with salt

8.  Early West African kingdoms shared common characteristics.  Importance of settling with family.  Settled with all members of the extended family.  Clan – group that shared common ancestors.

9. RReligious beliefs BBelief in one creator/god. AAnimism – religion in which spirits played an important role. Spirits present in animals, plants, and also took the form of the souls of their dead ancestors.

12.  Ghana emerged as the first kingdom of the Niger River valley around 400.  As the kingdom developed, trade and commerce was centered on the export of iron and most importantly, gold and salt.  The gold-salt trade brought economic prosperity to Ghana, where the king controlled the trading practices and placed heavy taxes on all transactions.

13.  As Ghana grew into a center for commerce in West Africa, Islamic traders introduced Islam and people began to convert.  The success of Ghana proved to be too attractive to outside groups and eventually was taken over by the Almoravids, a Muslim group that invaded North Africa.  Ghana fell in 1076 and would never regain its power.

15.  Mali emerged as the next kingdom on the banks of the Niger River in 1250.  Similar to Ghana, the success of Mali relied on the trade of gold and salt.  Timbuktu, the largest city of the kingdom, was the center of cultural and political activity.

16.  Some of Mali’s greatest rulers had converted to Islam due to the heavy influence of Arabic trade.  Mansa Musa – The greatest king of Mali.  Between 1312- 1332, the kingdom of Mali doubled in size (dominant military).

17.  Created a Muslim center of learning in Timbuktu where students and scholars came from across Africa and even the Mediterranean Sea basin.  Timbuktu = center of trade and learning.  Divided his empire into provinces and appointed governors to rule fairly on his behalf.

18.  After the death of Mansa Musa and the development of new goldfields to the east, the kingdom of Mali declined and broke into many different small states due to weak leadership.

19.  Some older golfers try to match their age to their golf score. The oldest golfer to “shoot his age” was a 103 year old Canadian man.  Rain contains vitamin B12.  The world’s youngest parents were 8 and 9 and lived in China in 1910.  80% of 10 year old girls in the U.S. go on a diet.

21.  The kingdom of Songhai developed along the Niger River around 1000, east of Mali.  As Mali declined, the Songhai gained control of the salt and gold trade of West Africa.  Askia Muhammad – The greatest king of Songhai.  An Islamic king that ruled between 1493-1528.  Developed an efficient tax system and appointed officials to serve as ministers of the treasury, army, navy, and agriculture.

22.  Although the Songhai Empire had immense wealth, they lacked modern weapons and were defeated by an invasion of Moroccan forces (Muslim).  The fall of the Songhai Empire ended a 1,000- year period in which powerful kingdoms and empires ruled central West Africa.

24.  Began as an Arab trading colony.  Located on a plateau along the Red Sea, south of Kush (Upper Nile) in modern day Ethiopia.  In 300, Axum gained control of the major Red Sea trade routes.

25.  Axum invaded Kush in 350, and became the dominant East African trading civilization.  Trade connections with:  Roman Empire  India  Arabian Peninsula  Due to its trade connections with the Roman Empire, the people of Axum accepted Christianity (only African kingdom that accepts Christianity).

26.  By 800, Persian and Arab merchants had gained control of much of the Red Sea trade market and Axum declined.

28.  Located in Southern Africa on the coast of the Indian Ocean between the Zambezi River to the north and the Limpopo River to the south.  Began around 800 as a community based on farming and cattle.

29.  In 1300, the small farming communities declined and a new, powerful civilization arose centered in Great Zimbabwe, a prosperous city that would be the capital of the empire.  Successful cattle farmers, iron makers, weavers, and merchants.

30.  Although successful traders and merchants, the empire was short lived and by 1450, Great Zimbabwe was abandoned.  Shortage of salt.  Exhaustion of grazing and timber resources.