Name: ______Date:______

1-3 Document Worksheet

Document 1
Africa was isolated from Europe andAsia by geography. But for centuries,trade routes throughout Africa had
connected different regions in theexchange of goods, ideas, and beliefs.Timbuktu was the hub of a wellestablishedtrading network that connectedmost of West Africa to the coastal ports ofNorth Africa. These trade routes crossed theSahara Desert.
Cities at the crossroads ofthese trading routes like Timbuktu, Gao, andJenne grew wealthy and powerful.Traders from North Africa also brought anew religion—Islam—to West Africa. Islamwas founded by Muhammad in Arabia in622. It quickly spread across the Middle Eastand North Africa. By the 1200s, Islambecame the official religion of the empires inWest Africa.
In the 1400s, traders from Portugalarrived off West Africa. Within 50years, they claimed two islands. They
also began plantations, or large farms,to grow sugar cane. The Portuguesebought slaves from the African
mainland. The slaves worked on theseplantations. This practice would later becopied on a larger scale in the
Americas. The Portuguese did not usethe trade routes across the Sahara.Instead, they traded directly with the
coastal people of West Africa.
Document 2:
Three powerful kingdoms arose in WestAfrica. They all had strong rulers. TheSonghai empire controlled trade across theSahara. Askia Muhammad was the secondruler of this kingdom. He made the city ofTimbuktu a center of learning. Songhaipower extended across much of the WestAfrican savanna, the region of dry grassland.
Benin was a great kingdom in the forestsof the southern coast. A mighty rulercontrolled all trade in the kingdom. Beninmetalworkers created great works of art.Their bronze sculptures were beautiful.The kingdom of Kongo was in centralAfrica. It arose along the Zaire (Congo)River. Kongo was made up of smallkingdoms. These were held together underone ruler.
Document 3:
Most West Africans lived with theirfamilies in small villages. Each familytraced its lineage, or line of descent. Thesefamily ties helped to decide inheritancesand marriage partners.
Age was very important to WestAfrican families. The oldest peopleinfluenced other family members. They
also represented the family in large groupmeetings.
West African people valued religion.Religious rituals were part of daily life.West Africans respected the spirits ofliving and nonliving things. Many alsobelieved in a single creator.West African people divided jobs. Work
was done by men and women of differentages and social positions. Throughout WestAfrica, people farmed and herded. Manyhunted and fished. Some also mined andtraded. Most groups in West Africa believedthat land belonged to all people.
People on the dry savanna depended onrivers, such as the Niger, to nourish theircrops and water their livestock. Somegroups in West Africa held slaves. InAfrica, however, slavery did not alwaysmean a lifetime without freedom. Slavescould escape their situation in a number ofways. They could marry into the family
they served. They also could escape intothe familiar African countryside. The slavetrade became a key part of the tradingnetwork in West Africa.

Document 1 Question(s):

  1. How was trade important to West Africa
  1. How did the Portuguese change West Africa? How would this influence the Americas?

Document 2 Question(s):

  1. What were Mali, Songhai, Benin and Kongo?

Document 3:

  1. How did African villages organize themselves?
  1. What were some West African religious beliefs?
  1. What were some ways to escape slavery in West Africa?

Writing Assignment:

Directions: Using the space below and/or a separate sheet of paper, answer the following question in the form of a short essay (of at least one paragraph) using the question answers, documents, claims and evidence from above:

  • Inquiry Question: What is the main idea, issue or theme that ties these documents together? What evidence can you offer to support this idea, issue or theme?