The Middle Ages:  West African Trading Kingdoms
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The Big Idea:  Empires in Africa (Ghana, Mali and Songhay) and Asia (Byzantine, Ottoman, Mughal and China) grew as commercial and cultural centers along trade routes.
Learning Targets:
  • I can recognize that empires in Africa (Ghana, Mali and Songhay) grew as commercial and cultural centers along trade routes.
Assessment:  Quiz

West African Kingdoms Jigsaw Activity

Use the various resources below to research your portion for the Jigsaw Activity.   
Fill in the chart on your notes sheet with the information you find.  
*Remember that you have to teach this portion to your home group.
Interactive Map- West African Trade
​Your group is in charge of researching:
-factors that lead to the rise of each empire.

Find out how they became powerful, gained land, gained wealth, etc.
Your group is in charge of researching:  
-the geography of the kingdoms and how they helped or hurt them. 

Find out what challenges and advantages the kingdoms would have had due to geography.  Think about trade, resources, contact with others, etc. 
Your group is in charge of researching: 
-the influence of religion on each empire.

Find out what religions were practiced, how did the religions come to the region, were there any important religious figures.
Your group is in charge of researching: 
-factors that led to the decline of each empire

Find out how each began to decline, what influenced the decline or led to it, etc. 

Sources for research: 
Slideshow - 
You only need to view the slides on Ghana, Mali and Songhai to fill in your notes!  
thinglink - 
Click on the links placed on the map to learn more about each of the 3 major trading empires of Africa during the Middle Ages. 
Websites-