The kingdoms of Sub-Saharan Africa



The kingdoms of Sub-Saharan Africa

1. List three geographic features that cover the continent of Africa:

A) The Sahara desert

B) Savanna

C) Tropical rain forests

2. What was the effect of the Sahara on the peoples of sub-Sahara Africa?

The Sahara was a barrier separating the peoples of sub-Saharan Africa from the Mediterranean world and the rest of Eurasia. But trade was never cut off completely.

3. What is the gold-salt trade?

Merchants crossed the Sahara for gold and other riches they could obtain from trade with West Africa. At the same time, West Africans lacked salt. Merchants, moving in caravans across the desert, picked up blocks of salt from desert salt beds along the way to exchange for gold. A thriving trade developed based on this gold-salt trade.

(Ghana)

4. What effect did the gold-salt trade have on the Kingdom of Ghana and the King specifically?

The people of Ghana used their ability to make iron swards, spears, and lances to subdue neighboring peoples and to gain control over West Africa’s main trade routes. The power of the kings of Ghana rested on their ability to tax all trade passing through the region. With the rich revenues, they were able to raise a large army and fine cavalry.

(Mali)

5. What religion did Mali’s ruler convert to?

Mali conquered the old capital of Ghana and founded a new empire. The rulers brought gold and salt mines under their direct control. Mali’s rulers converted to Islam, although most of their people did not.

6. Explain the significance of Mansa Musa’s rule on Mali.

Mansa Musa expanded his kingdom greatly. He made a religious pilgrimage to Mecca in 1324, also visiting Cairo in Egypt. Mansa brought back Muslim scholars and architects to Mali.

7. Explain why Timbuktu became a trading and cultural center.

Timbuktu was a flourishing trading city on the Niger River. Under Mansa Musa’s rule Timbuktu became the center of learning and attracted students from Europe, Asia and Africa. Because of the importance of studying the Qur’an, many more West Africans learned to read and write.

(Songhai)

8. How did Songhai grow rich?

In 1464, Sultan Sunni Ali, ruler of the Songhai people, captured Timbuktu and brought it upper Niger under his control. Songhai grew rich from trade across the Sahara, and soon was the largest of Africa’s three trading centers. Songhai also had an elaborate system of taxation and communications to govern its large kingdom. Timbuktu continued to flourish as a center of Muslim scholarship.

9. Explain why Songhai declined.

Songhai lasted only about 100 years. In 1591, the ruler of Morocco invaded West Africa and was able to defeat Songhai because Moroccans used gunpowder and muskets while the Songhai fought with arrows and spears. The Moroccans were unable to govern Songhai from such a great distance; with the fall of Songhai it marked the end of the great West African kingdoms.

10. Name four additional trading kingdoms of Africa.

A. Benin- developed in the rain forests of West Africa. Famous for its bronze sculptures.

B. Great Zimbabwe- best known of Africa’s trading kingdoms.

C. Coastal cities of East Africa- Mogadishu, Kilwa and Sofala these cities sold to merchants in Arabia and India.

D. Ethiopia- a continuation of the kingdom of Axum, because a Christian state in the 4th century. It remained so despite the rise of Islam, which cut it off from the Christian world until the 1400s.

The Mongols

1. How did the steppes enable the Mongols to become powerful and advanced in horsemanship?

The steppes provided a unique environment in which these nomadic peoples learned to excel at horsemanship and develop deadly fighting skills. They became excellent horsemen and archers.

2. What was Chinggis Khan’s policy towards other religions?

Chinggis Khan was tolerant of other religions within his conquered territories.

3. List four areas that Chinggis Khan conquered:

A. Persia

B. Russia

C. Iraq

D. All of China

4. What was the Yuan Dynasty?

Chinggis’ grandson Kublai Khan became emperor of northern China in 1260. In 1279, he reunited northern and southern China. Mongols acted as a military aristocracy, ruling with the help of Chinese officials. Kublai Khan encouraged the Mongols to adopt Chinese ways, and used the Chinese name Yuan for his dynasty. He claimed to hold the Mandate of Heaven in ruling China.

5. What effect did Marco Polo’s writings about the Kublai Khan dynasty have on Europe?

Marco Polo’s writings inspired great curiosity in Europe about China.

6. List three effects of Mongol rule on Russia:

A. Many Mongol worlds, customs, and clothing found their way into Russian culture.

B. Mongol domination of Russia limited its contact with other parts of Europe. As a result Russia was not influenced by important changes taking place in Western Europe.

C. Moscow and its surrounding territories, known as Muscovy, became the strongest Russian state.

The Japanese Feudal Period

1. What was the major feature of Japanese Feudalism?

The major feature of Japanese feudalism was the control of government by noble landlords, known as Daimyo, who owed their loyalty to the Shogun.

2. List the hierarchy of the Japanese Feudal system and explain the function of each class.

Emperor- figure head

Shogun- “Supreme Military Governor” real ruler

Daimyo (lords) - Provided the samurai with social status and economic support. They also provided protection to the farmers in exchange for their labor on his lands.

Samurai (warriors) - Knights on horseback with swords and armor of leather and iron. Followed the code of Bushido

Farmers/Merchants/Artisans- worked the land

3. List 2 areas of Japanese culture which reflected on life and the beauty of nature.

Four areas of Japanese culture reflecting life are; Flower arranging, the tea ceremony, landscape painting and the art of gardening.

The Decline of Feudalism

1. List four reasons for the decline of Feudalism in Europe:

A. New trade led to the growth of towns

B. A developing middle class

C. Greater use of money

D. New inventions clocks, eyeglasses, spinning wheel

Craftspeople began to organize into guilds.

2. Why did the Black Death (bubonic Plague) contribute to the end of feudalism?

Between 1347 and 1351 nearly 25 million people or about a third of Europe’s population died from the disease. This created a labor shortage, allowing peasants to escape from serfdom when landowners offered them freedom in exchange for work.

The Renaissance

1. The Renaissance is considered a revival of what?

It is the revival of the classical civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome. This was a time of great intellectual and artistic creativity. Renaissance is a French word that means “rebirth.”

2. Where did the Renaissance begin and why?

It developed in the city-sates of Italy in the 1400s because of their strategic location between Europe and Asia.

3. What came under challenge during the Renaissance period?

During the Renaissance, the traditional belief in the authority of the Church came under challenge. People showed greater interest in the concerns of this world, rather than in the life hereafter.

4. What is secularism?

Secularism is the rejection of religion or its exclusion from a philosophical or moral system. It is also the belief that religion and religious bodies should have no part in political or civic affairs or in running public institutions.

5. What were humanists?

Humanists placed great emphasis on the uniqueness and worth of each person.

Highlights of the Renaissance

|Renaissance Person |Area of Innovation |Contributions, significance or importance |

|Leonardo da Vinci |Art |He was a painter, sculptor, designer, and |

| | |inventor. Painted the “Mona Lisa” and the “Last |

| | |Supper” |

|Michelangelo |Art |He painted the ceiling in the Sistine Chapel. He |

| | |sculpted “David,” “Moses,” and “Pieta.” |

|Niccolo Machiavelli |Politics and Literature |Wrote The Prince, advising rulers to do anything |

| | |necessary to maintain and increase their power, |

| | |including deceit and force. “The end justifies |

| | |the means.” |

|William Shakespeare |Politics and Literature |Wrote plays: Hamlet, Macbeth, and Romeo and |

| | |Juliet |

|Nicolaus Copernicus |Science and Technology |Stated the earth and other planets revolved |

| | |around the sun. Went against Church teaching, |

| | |which said the earth was the center of the |

| | |universe. |

|Galileo Galilei |Science and Technology |Developed the scientific method which emphasized |

| | |careful observation, measurement, and |

| | |experimentation, and rejected reliance on |

| | |authorities. |

|Francis Bacon |Science and Technology |Developed the scientific method which emphasized |

| | |careful observation, measurement, and |

| | |experimentation, and rejected reliance on |

| | |authorities. |

|Johann Gutenberg |Science and Technology |Developed the printing press with moveable type. |

| | |This invention allowed the printing of books in |

| | |large quantities. |

The Protestant Reformation

1. Why did Martin Luther write the Ninety-Five Theses? What did he challenge in his document?

The church had vast power, but it also suffered from corruption. Martin Luther posted his Ninety-Five Theses (statements) on the church door in Germany. He questioned the Catholic Church’s teaching and called for reforms.

Luther challenged the Pope’s right to sell indulgences – pardons from punishment for sin.

2. What did the Pope do in an attempt to silence Luther?

In an attempt to silence Luther, the Pope excommunicated (expelled) him from the Church.

3. How did Luther respond?

He responded by establishing his own church.

4. Explain John Calvin’s beliefs.

He stressed the authority of the Bible and started his own church. Calvin encouraged hare work, supported a strict moral code, and taught that God had predestined those who would go to Heaven.

5. List and explain four effects of the Reformation:

End of Religious Unity: The religious unity of Western Europe, which had lasted for almost a thousand years, was shattered forever.

Century of Warfare: Europe’s religious differences caused a century of warfare between Protestants and Catholics, lasting into the mid-1600s.

Royal Power: With no powerful central Church, royal power grew. In the 1530s, King Henry VIII broke from Rome and established the Church of England.

Persecution: Kings tried to ensure that their subjects were all of one faith. This often lead to the persecution of religious minorities.

6. Explain how the Catholic Church fought back against the Reformation.

The Church bought back against Protestantism by making limited reforms and halting its previous abuses. This was the Catholic Counter Reformation.

Council of Trent (1545-1563): Called to redefine the Church’s beliefs and stop the spread of Protestantism, it ended the sale of indulgences and began an Index- a list of banned books.

Inquisition: The Inquisition was used by Church officials to end heresy by force. Trials were held to examine, often by torture, those suspected of denying the teachings of the Church.

Jesuits: Begun by Ignatius Loyola in 1534, the Jesuits were dedicated to defending and spreading the Catholic faith.

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