African Kingdoms Quiz

Grade 6 · Social Studies · Quiz

Test your knowledge of the great West African empires of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai.

Questions

Where were the great West African empires of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai located?
1. Along the Nile River in East Africa
2. Along the Niger River region in West Africa
3. In the rainforests of Central Africa
4. Along the coast of South Africa
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Answer: Along the Niger River region in West Africa
Ghana, Mali, and Songhai were all centered in the western Sudan region around the Niger River — the heartland of West African trade.
Salt was considered just as valuable as gold in West Africa.
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Answer: True
In the Saharan climate, salt was critical for preserving meat and other food. Slabs of salt were traded ounce for ounce with gold in some West African markets.
What was Mansa Musa famous for?
1. Conquering Egypt
2. Founding Timbuktu
3. His enormous wealth and pilgrimage to Mecca
4. Defeating the Mongols
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Answer: His enormous wealth and pilgrimage to Mecca
Mansa Musa's legendary 1324–1325 pilgrimage to Mecca with 60,000 people and 12 tons of gold made him famous across Africa, the Middle East, and Europe.
The trade routes crossing the Sahara Desert are called ___ trade routes.
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Answer: trans-Saharan
Trans-Saharan trade routes crossed thousands of miles of desert via camel caravan, connecting sub-Saharan Africa to North Africa and Mediterranean markets.
What was the University of Timbuktu known for?
1. Teaching military strategy
2. Being a center of Islamic learning and scholarship
3. Training merchants for trade
4. Studying African astronomy
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Answer: Being a center of Islamic learning and scholarship
Timbuktu became a major center of Islamic learning, attracting up to 25,000 students and accumulating a library of hundreds of thousands of manuscripts.
The Ghana Empire was located in the same place as the modern country of Ghana.
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Answer: False
The ancient Ghana Empire was located in what is now southern Mauritania and western Mali — hundreds of miles from the modern country of Ghana.
Which empire succeeded Mali as the dominant power in West Africa?
1. Kush
2. Benin
3. Songhai
4. Zimbabwe
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Answer: Songhai
The Songhai Empire (1464–1591 CE) surpassed Mali and became the largest empire in West African history.
Mansa Musa ruled the ___ Empire from 1312 to 1337 CE.
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Answer: Mali
Mansa Musa was the ninth ruler of the Mali Empire. His reign (1312–1337 CE) is considered the height of Mali's power and influence.
What eventually helped lead to the fall of the Songhai Empire in 1591?
1. A drought
2. A plague
3. Moroccan forces with European gunpowder weapons
4. An invasion from the south
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Answer: Moroccan forces with European gunpowder weapons
The Saadian Moroccan dynasty used Portuguese-supplied muskets and cannons to defeat Songhai's larger but spear-and-bow-armed army in 1591.
The Ghana Empire grew wealthy primarily by taxing traders who passed through with gold and salt.
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Answer: True
Ghana's rulers taxed every load of gold heading north and every load of salt heading south — this tax revenue made Ghana kings extraordinarily wealthy.

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