1. Remember to make your own notes when you take this copy.
Notes for Quiz 15 (Ch. 5, Lesson 2)
A. West African Geography ( )
1. north to south: desert (Sahara), savannah, forest
2. Sahel – a west to east strip of land (transition) between
Sahara and savannah
3. Niger River – main river
a. good soil from flooding
Key Points column: what other river flooded
that helped make good soil?
b. transportation, communication, trade
B. Ghana Kingdom/Empire ( )
1. king called Ghana
a. land also called Ghana
b. taxed trade
1) allowed kingdom to expand into empire
2. source of gold kept secret
a. limited trade to make it scare (increased value)
3. traded with North Africans called Berbers
a. West offered gold and crops; North offered salt; other goods
b. brought Islam and Arabic language
c. crossed Sahara by camel caravans creating trade routes
C. Islam (160)
1. traditional religion continued (remember Shinto)
2. upper class in cities learned Arabic and converted to Islam
D. End of Ghana (161)
1. North African Muslim Dynasty (Almoravids)
a. made war against Ghana
b. captured capital Koumbi Saleh A.D (map, p. 147)