Early and Medieval West Africa

1. Early and Medieval
West Africa
*Copy the underlined information
------Equator-------
Mr. Bluma

2. Geography
West Africa has varied
environments and valuable
resources.

3. Geography continued
• The landforms, water,
climate, and plant life
affected history in West
Africa
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4. Geography continued
• Africa is the second largest continent
in the world and is shaped like a soup
bowl with mountains on the rim.

5. Geography continued
• Africa is the second largest continent
in the world and is shaped like a soup
bowl with mountains on the rim.

6. Geography of Africa
• The Niger River
became a source of
water, food, and
transportation that Niger
River
allowed many
people to live in the
sub-Saharan plains. ------Equator-------
Located in the
north west.
• The sub-Saharan
plains are the areas
in Africa south of the
equator.

7. Four Regions
• The northern part
of West Africa is
the Sahara desert.
• The Sahara Desert
is the world’s 2
largest desert. 1 3
• Head of Africa ------Equator-------
4

8. Sahara Desert

9. Sahara Desert

10. Four Regions continued
• The Sahel is a that
semiarid area
divides the desert
from wetter
areas.
• The Sahel has
enough
vegetation to 2
support hardy 3
grazing animals.
------Equator-------
• Located in the
north 2
4
• Neck

11. Sahel

12. Sahel

13. Four Regions continued
• Farther south is
the savannah,
which is an open
grass area with
scattered trees.
• Grazing animals
are common ------Equator-------
there.
3
• Torso

14. Savannah

15. Savannah

16. Savannah

17. Four Regions continued
• Rain forests/
Jungles are moist,
densely wooded
areas that are
near the equator.
• They contain a
variety of 2
plants and
3
animals. 4 ------Equator-------
• Legs
4

18. Rainforest

19. 1. Which of the following is
the Niger River?
A.
B. D. A.
C.
B.
D. ------Equator-------
C.

20. 1. Which of the following is
the Niger River?
D. A.
B.
D. ------Equator-------
C.

21. Niger River:
D.
D. Nile River
Congo River
Zambezi
River

22. The picture below shows which
region of Africa?
A. Sahara
A
B. Rain forest/
Jungle B
C. Sahel C
2
D. Savannah 3
D
4

23. The picture below shows which
region of Africa?
A
B
C
2
D. Savannah 3
D
4

24. Region of Africa:
D. Savannah

25. Which of the following is the
Sahel?
A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
------Equator-------
D. 4

26. Which of the following is the
Sahel?
------Equator-------
D. 4

27. Sahel:
D. 4 ------Equator-------

28. Which statement correctly
describes the sahel region of
Africa?
A. A forest area full of different animals and
plants which receives a lot rainfall.
B. A desert area.
C. The region between the desert and wetter
areas
where there is barely enough vegetation for
animals.
D. A region of grasslands with many grazing
animals.

29. Which statement correctly
describes the sahel region of
Africa?
C. The region between the desert and wetter
areas
where there is barely enough vegetation for
animals.

30. Sahel: C. The region between the desert
and wetter areas
where there is barely enough
vegetation for animals. (4)
------Equator-------

31. Resources
• West Africa’s
resources included
farmland, gold, and
salt.
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32. Resources continued
• West Africa’s land produced
many crops, such as dates and
kola nuts.
• Kola nuts could be used for
medicine.
Dates
Kola Nuts

33. Resources continued
• Gold could be used for jewelry or coins.
I love gold!!

34. Resources continued
• Salt was a scarce resource that was
found deep in the earth, from lakes that
had dried up.
• In most of West Africa salt was considered
to be of equal value with gold because it
was so scarce

35. Resources continued
• Salt was used to preserve and
flavor food.
• It was essential to good health. It
helped people replace what was
lost through perspiration.

36. Conquest and
Commerce/Business
West Africans
used
conquered
people as
slaves.

37. Ghana
- Actual name is Wagadugu;
Ghana means “King" and was the
title used during the medieval
West African Ghana Empire.
- Located between gold mines and
salt resources (Want to be
wealthy? Make yourself the center
or hub of something.)
- Mostly Muslim rulers

38. *Order of kingdoms: G, M, S

39. Overgrazing
• Too many animals graze
• Loss of grass = soil blown away
• Grassland to Desert