Songhai Empire Tomb
The Empires of West Africa

Assignment to hand in: Empires of West Africa Graphic Organizer

Directions: Complete the Empires of West Africa Graphic Organizer by looking at each transparency picture below and reading the corresponding information handout.

Iron Technology's Impact on West Africa

Traditional African iron workers - Zulu blacksmiths Depiction of traditional African iron workers. In this example of iron working, the principal blacksmith (on the far right) works a pair of leather bellows to blow air through two horns and a clay tube into a charcoal fire. The iron is softened in the fire before being beaten into shape, reheated, and then made into tools or weapons.

Iron Techology Information Handout

The Kingdom of Gold

Historic African market An illustration of a historic African market, a scene that depicts the type of markets that flourished in West Africa in Ghana's trading centers.

Kingdom of Gold Information Handout

The Kingdom of Mali under Mansa Musa

Spanish map of West Africa 1375 - Mansa Musa Detail of a Spanish map of West Africa drawn about 1375. In the lower right it shows Mansa Musa in his capital at Timbuktu, Mali, holding a scepter and a gold nugget. After Mansa Musa's pilgrimage to Makkah, news of his wealth reached Europe and mapmakers began to include Mali on their maps.

Kingdom of Mali Information Handout

How the Songhai Empire Grew to Greatness

City of Timbuktu - Songhai rule Illustration of the city of Timbuktu, a center for trade, learning, and culture under Songhai rule.

Songhai Empire Information Handout

The Conquest of Songhai by Morocco

Sultan of Morocco Depiction of the Sultan of Morocco. Some Africans attend to the Sultan, while others bow down to him.

Conquest of Songhai by Morocco Information Handout

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