GRW Ak M12L04

Name _____________________________ Class________________________ Date_____________
Societies and Empires of Africa

Lesson 4
North and West African Civilizations

Key Terms and People
Maghrib part of North Africa that is today the Mediterranean coast of Morocco
Almoravids Islamic group with an empire in North Africa and southern Spain
Almohads Islamic group that overthrew the Almoravids in the 12th century
Ghana West African empire that grew rich from trade
Mali West African empire that grew rich from trade
Sundiata founder and first emperor of the kingdom of Mali
Mansa Musa Mali ruler who created a large kingdom and adopted Islam
Ibn Battuta 14th-century traveler who visited most of the Islamic world
Songhai West African empire that conquered Mali
Hausa West African people who lived in city-states of what is now northern
Nigeria
Yoruba West African people who formed several kingdoms in what is now Benin
Benin kingdom near the Niger River delta which became a West African state
Before You Read

In the last lesson, you read about the kingdom of Aksum.
In this lesson, you will read about societies that arose in Africa.
As You Read
Use a chart to take notes on empires in North and West Africa.
MUSLIM STATES The Almohads were another group of

How did Islam spread in North Berbers. They overthrew the Almoravids
Africa? in the 1100s.
Islam was an important influence on 1. Who were the Berbers?
African history. By 670, Muslims ruled
Egypt. They entered the Maghrib, the North African Muslims who helped
part of North Africa which is now spread Islam in North Africa and to
southern Spain.
Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria.
The Berbers were a group of North
Africans. In the 11th century, a group of
Berbers called the Almoravids spread
Islam. They conquered modern
Morocco, Ghana, and parts of Spain.
© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company
169 Guided Reading Workbook

Name _____________________________ Class________________________ Date_____________
Lesson 4, continued
EMPIRE OF GHANA; EMPIRE OF 2. What goods made Ghana, Mali, and

MALI; EMPIRE OF SONGHAI Songhai powerful?
How did the kingdom of Ghana arise?
Gold and salt were the most important
By the 700s, the rulers of the kingdom
trade goods. Cloth and manufactured
of Ghana were growing rich. They taxed goods were also traded in Ghana.
the goods that traders carried through
their land. The two most important
trade goods were gold and salt. Arab OTHER PEOPLES OF WEST
traders also brought cloth and AFRICA
manufactured goods from cities on the What other states and kingdoms
Mediterranean Sea. arose?
Over time, Muslim merchants and In other parts of West Africa, city-
traders brought their religion to Ghana. states developed. The Hausa people
By the 1000s, the kings converted to lived in the region that is now northern
Islam. Later, Ghana fell to the Nigeria. The Hausa rulers depended on
Almoravids of North Africa. Ghana farmers’ crops. They also relied on trade
never regained its former power. goods. These included salt, grain, and
By 1235, a new kingdom began— cotton cloth.
Mali. Mali’s wealth and power were also The Yoruba people also first lived in
based on the gold trade. Sundiata city-states. Over time, some of the small
became Mali’s first emperor. He was a Yoruba communities joined together.
great military and political leader. Many Yoruba kingdoms were formed.
Later, Mali rulers adopted Islam. One Yoruba people believed that their kings
of them was Mansa Musa. He made were gods.
Mali twice the size of the old empire of The kingdom of Benin arose in the
Ghana. Mansa Musa built mosques in 1200s. It was located near the delta of
two cities. One was Timbuktu. It became the Niger River. In the 1400s, a ruler
a leading center of Muslim learning. named Ewuare led Benin. He made the
Ibn Battuta was a later traveler to the kingdom more powerful. During his
area. He described how peaceful Mali reign, Benin became a major West
was. Mali, though, declined in the 1400s. African state. He strengthened Benin
Mali was replaced by another empire City, his capital. High walls surrounded
that grew wealthy from gold. the city. The huge palace contained
The next trading empire was Songhai. many works of art.
It was farther to the east than Mali. In the 1480s, trading ships from
Songhai arose in the 1400s. Portugal came. They sailed into a major
The Songhai Empire fell in 1591. port of Benin. Their arrival was historic.
Moroccan troops used gunpowder and It marked the start of a long period of
cannons to beat Songhai soldiers. They European involvement in Africa.
had only swords and spears. Empires no 3. What was important about Benin?
longer ruled West Africa.
Benin was another West African kingdom
that arose in the 1200s and reached its
peak 100 years later.

Name _____________________________ Class________________________ Date_____________
Lesson 4, continued
As you read about the empires and states that arose in West Africa, briefly note
the causes or effects (depending on which is missing) of each situation.
Causes Effects
1. Berbers discovered that camels Using camels, Berber nomads blazed
could cover greater distances new routes across the Sahara and
than other pack animals and
could travel up to ten days trade increased.
without water.
2. The Muslim Almoravids With the source of its wealth gone,

disrupted the gold-salt trade Ghana never regained power.
that Ghana had controlled.
3. Gold was discovered farther The people of Mali, who lived in the
east, causing a shift eastward region of the new trade routes, were
able to seize power.
in trade routes.
4. Most of Mansa Musa’s The empire of Mali weakened.

successors did not govern
well; also, new gold deposits
were developed and trade
shifted eastward again.
5. Unlike their foe, the Songhai Moroccan troops quickly defeated the
warriors had no modern Songhai warriors.
weapons.
6. The city-states of Kano and These city-states became major

Katsina were located along the centers for trade, profiting from
route that linked other West
African states with the supplying the needs of caravans.
Mediterranean.
7. The largest Yoruba kingdoms This freed city dwellers from farming;
produced surplus food, which they could become craftspeople or
was sent to cities.
traders.

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Name _________________ Class Date_

Societies and Empires of Africa

North and West African Civilizations

Before You Read

MUSLIM STATES The Almohads were another group of

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

169 Guided Reading Workbook

EMPIRE OF GHANA; EMPIRE OF 2. What goods made Ghana, Mali, and

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

170 Guided Reading Workbook

2. The Muslim Almoravids With the source of its wealth gone,

4. Most of Mansa Musa’s The empire of Mali weakened.

6. The city-states of Kano and These city-states became major

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

171 Guided Reading Workbook

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