West Africa

Students will:

• study the Niger River and the relationship of vegetation zones of forest, savanna, and desert to trade in gold, salt, food, and slaves; and the growth of the Ghana and Mali empires.

• describe the role of the trans-Saharan caravan trade in the changing religious and cultural characteristics of West Africa and the influence of Islamic beliefs, ethics, and law.

• trace the growth of the Arabic language in government, trade, and Islamic scholarship in West Africa.

• describe the importance of written and oral traditions in the transmission of African history and culture.

Resources

Mansa Musa ans Islam in Africa