Vocabulary: Aksum

Definition: ancient town in Ethiopia

Meaningful Sentence: known for its tall obelisks and relics of the ancient kingdom of Aksum

Connection: it was a powerful kingdom in northern Ethiopia during the early Christian time period

Sentence: Mali is a country in West Africa.

Many people trade with others for goods and stuff they can benefit from.

Dyula is very important to West African history because that was how they survived and got the things that they wanted by trading with others.

-The Oba (oba) 

-The Oba is a supreme political, and economic spiritual leader of his people, and he and his ancestors eventually became the object of state cults that used human sacrifice in their religious observances.

-The title Oba means "ruler" in the Yoruba and Bini languages as well.

-The term Oba is extremely important to west African history due to its role of governance and tradition towards the Yoruba people.

Islam

Definition-the religion of the Muslims, a monotheistic faith regarded as revealed through Muhammad as the Prophet of Allah.

Meaningful sentence- Islam facilitated long distance trade by offering useful sets of tools for merchants including contract law, credit, and information networks

Connection- promoted trade between West Africa and the Mediterranean

Definition: a group of people or animals traveling together on a long journey especially through the desert

Meaningful sentence: the old caravan routes from Central Africa to West Africa

Connection: It’s related to Africa by the tribe, almost a group or area in the desert you move to or journey together.

Definition: A Muslim place of worship.

Meaningful sentence: My house is next to the mosque.

Connection: They serve for prayers and religious events.

Definition: The richest human being of all time. Was the leader of the empire of Mali.

Meaningful sentence: Mansa Musa at peak reign his empire of Mali spread across parts of modern-day Mali, Senegal, the Gambia, Guinea, Niger, Nigeria, Chad, Mauritania, and Burkina Faso.

Connection:One of the many reasons Mansa Musa was important is he brought builders originating in the Middle East and past Africa to craft new towers for his cities. Mansa Musa rotated the kingdom of Mali into a complex center of development in the Islamic world.

Definition:a republic in West Africa on the Gulf of Guinea. “Ghana was colonized as the Gold Coast by the British” synonyms: Gold Coast, Republic of Ghana.

Meaningful Sentence:Ghana, known for its vibrant culture, rich history, and warm hospitality, is a West African nation celebrated for its role in the fight for independence in Africa and its commitment to peace and development.

Connection: Thanks to agriculture, mining, and trade, Ghana was a wealthy and powerful civilization in Africa.

Definition: Ibn Battuta was a medieval Muslim traveler who wrote the Rihlah, one of the worlds most famous travel logs.

Ibn Battuta was Muslim who traveled the African continent in order to fulfill his religious duty of the pilgrimage to Mecca. He gathered an immense amount of knowledge during his travels about the many African Kingdoms into what many know today as the Rihlah.

Connection: The image above shows Ibn Battuta speaking with someone about either their religion, language and culture from his travels around Africa.

Definition: Sundiata Keita was a prince and founder of the Mali Empire He laid the foundation for a powerful and wealthy African empire.

Sundiata Keita proclaimed first charter of human rights called The Manden Charter it contains a preamble of seven chapters advocating social peace in diversity, the inviolability of the human being, freedom, education, etc.

Image Above

Sundiata Keita and his Empire is important in history because it establish a trade network, lots of wealth, education, and the spread of Islam in West Africa. At its peak it was the largest empire in West Africa.

Definition: A West African musician or storyteller.

Meaningful Sentence: The griot performed a song for us.

Connection: They told important stories from the past and made meaningful songs to speak to those of West African culture.

definition: Hajj is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest city for Muslims.

definition:Hajj is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest city for Muslims.

Timbuktu-a town in central Mali, W Africa, near the Niger River. French Tombouctou.

Mali was once part of three famed West African empires which controlled trans-Saharan trade in gold, salt, other precious commodities, and slaves majorly during the reign of Mansa Musa from c. 1312 – c. 1337.

Definition: Kilwa was a former Islamic city-state on an old island off the coast of what is now southern Tanzania. Kilwa was discovered in the late 10th century by settlers from what is not Iran and Arabia. Kilwa became one of the most active commercial centers on the east coast of Africa.

Meaningful Sentence: Kilwa was very well known for their trading of natural resources, their Great Mosque, and they had an amazing seaport.

Image: Shown above, The Great Mosque of Kilwa

Connection: The Great Mosque of Kilwa is located in Tanzania. The Great Mosque of Kilwa is important because it is the oldest Mosque on the eastern coast of Africa.

Definition: a large, long-necked ungulate mammal

Meaningful sentence: they were used to travel across the dessert

Connection: they provided the primary means of transportation across the vast, arid landscape.

Meaningful Sentence: It's a billion dollar trade, and the main trade route is through Australia.

Trade Routes