The Journey Begins in Africa

Which list of West African civilizations proceeds from the oldest to the most recent? A. Mali, Songhai, Ghana B. Songhai, Ghana, Mali C. Ghana, Mali, Songhai D. Songhai, Mali, Ghana

Ghana, Mali, Songhai

Which kingdoms were located along the Niger River in West Africa? A. the Kush Kingdom and the Axum Kingdom B. Zimbabwe and the Kingdom of Kongo C. Ghana, Mali, Songhai, and Benin D. Axum, Benin, and Zimbabwe

Ghana, Mali, Songhai, and Benin

Which statement about the Axum Kingdom is NOT correct? A. It was one of the first civilizations to convert to Christianity. B. It was located mainly in modern-day Ethiopia. C. It was almost forgotten because it never developed or used writing. D. It conquered the Kingdom of Kush.

It was almost forgotten because it never developed or used writing.

Why was the Rosetta Stone important for historians? A. It preserved a description of how the pyramid of Khufu had been constructed. B. It was a royal decree which clarified how the Kingdom of Kush conquered ancient Egypt. C. It was written in Greek and hieroglyphics, which enabled historians to break the code of Egyptian hieroglyphics. D. All answers are correct.

It was written in Greek and hieroglyphics, which enabled historians to break the code of Egyptian hieroglyphics.

What people conquered the Songhai Empire and enslaved Ahmad Baba, the famous scholar of Timbuktu? A. Ghanaians B. Portuguese C. Ethiopians D. Moroccans

Moroccans

Which statement about African civilizations before European enslavers arrived in the 1400s is correct? A. The civilizations lacked the ability to mine and work with metals. B. The civilizations did not have gunpowder or advanced weapons. C. The civilizations did not use writing for literary or political purposes. D. The civilizations did not live in large towns or cities.

The civilizations did not have gunpowder or advanced weapons.

Which statement about women in African societies is most accurate? A. Their status depended upon the society in which they lived. B. They were treated as queens and had high status. C. They did most of the farming in the fields but did not have high status. D. They were the bloodline for inheriting property.

Their status depended upon the society in which they lived.

How were West Africa's coastal and inland societies different from European kingdoms in 1500 CE? A. They preserved smaller societies, languages, and cultures. B. They had more democracy and did not have kings. C. Their women had more power and status. D. They did not write or use metals.

They preserved smaller societies, languages, and cultures.

What unites the civilizations of Egypt, Kush, Mali, and Benin? A. They were around powerful rivers. B. They used oral tradition instead of writing. C. They had cities filled with large stone buildings. D. They mined gold and salt.

They were around powerful rivers.

Which of the following statements best describes Africa's coastal and inland societies? A. They were unified into large kingdoms with similar values and customs. B. They were made up of many small tribes with vastly different values and customs. C. They were grouped into small tribes but all had similar values and customs. D. They were unified into one large kingdom, but people within them had vastly different values and customs.

They were made up of many small tribes with vastly different values and customs.

What city in Africa was famous for its libraries and scholars? A. Timbuktu B. Great Zimbabwe C. Benin D. M'banza-Kongo

Timbuktu

Where would a person in Mali around the year 1400 CE go to study law and literary culture? A. Cairo B. Great Zimbabwe C. Benin D. Timbuktu

Timbuktu

Which city has a large collection of African manuscripts written between 1400 and 1700 CE? A. Harare, Zimbabwe B. Luanda, Angola C. Timbuktu, Mali D. Lagos, Nigeria

Timbuktu, Mali

Which action would have completely changed ancient Egyptian civilization? A. developing love poetry and adventure stories B. allowing parts of Egypt to elect their own rulers C. sending expeditions into Nubia in the Sudan D. mastering precision stone-cutting

allowing parts of Egypt to elect their own rulers

Which sequence correctly lists African civilizations from the oldest to the most recent? A. ancient Egypt, Axum, Zimbabwe B. ancient Egypt, Zimbabwe, Kush C. ancient Egypt, Songhai, Axum D. ancient Egypt, Zimbabwe, Axum

ancient Egypt, Axum, Zimbabwe

Many of the voodoo practices in New Orleans and Haiti come from African beliefs in _____. A. Christianity B. the godhood of pharaohs C. Islam D. animism

animism

When was the city of Great Zimbabwe at its largest and most powerful? A. around 1000 BCE B. between 500 BCE and 400 CE C. between 200 and 600 CE D. around 1400 CE

around 1400 CE

If you saw the tomb of an Egyptian pharaoh in a museum, in what time period could you assume the tomb had probably been made? A. between 4000 and 2000 BCE B. between 2500 and 200 BCE C. between 1000 BCE and 1000 CE D. between 200 BCE and 500 CE

between 2500 and 200 BCE

The famous city of Timbuktu was within which kingdom(s)? A. Benin B. Axum C. both Mali and the Songhai Empire D. All answers are correct.

both Mali and the Songhai Empire

If you lived in Mali in 1400 CE and your ancestors did something important 400 years earlier, how would you learn about it? A. by consulting the written records in Timbuktu B. by reading hieroglyphic inscriptions on temples C. by hearing memorized tales told by griots D. by reading accounts by Spanish and French historians

by hearing memorized tales told by griots

The construction of huge monuments in Egypt served to _____. A. provide work for unemployed farmers B. celebrate and pay homage to the pharaoh C. protect Egypt from attack from nearby empires D. All answers are correct.

celebrate and pay homage to the pharaoh

What were the most important contributions enslaved Africans made to American culture? A. oral tradition and clothing styles B. foods and musical instruments C. plantation work patterns and equipment D. archery and celestial navigation

foods and musical instruments

If Endubis, an African living in 400 CE, walked from his kingdom to another rival kingdom nearby, where did he most likely travel? A. from Ghana to Egypt B. from Songhai to Axum C. from Kush to Axum D. from Kush to Zimbabwe

from Kush to Axum

What was the primary source of wealth for West African civilizations such as Ghana and Mali? A. sugar and rum B. palm oil and papyrus C. gold and salt D. bronze work and cotton cloth

gold and salt

Storytellers called ____ were part of West African culture. A. griots B. Kushites C. Ghanas D. pharaohs

griots

In ancient Africa, women _____. A. did most of the work in the fields while men stayed at home B. had completely different roles in different cultures C. were honored and worshipped as goddesses D. always managed trade and oversaw markets

had completely different roles in different cultures

By 1500 CE, European societies had advantages over African societies in all the following except _____. A. gunpowder and printing B. metalworking and mining C. shipbuilding and sea navigation D. cultural and linguistic unity

metalworking and mining

Which of these plant/s is native to Africa? A. corn B. okra C. sweet potato D. All answers are correct.

okra

Ancient Egyptian civilization _____. A. preserved its main features for thousands of years B. changed drastically throughout its history C. remains mysterious because no one can read hieroglyphics D. was a short, intense empire that was quickly conquered

preserved its main features for thousands of years

Early ancient Egyptian art was _____. A. subject to much change through the years B. similar to the art at the end of Egyptian civilization C. similar to earlier art from Greece and Rome D. the basis for the art of Benin and the Kingdom of Kongo

similar to the art at the end of Egyptian civilization

If Nzinga, the king of Kongo, wanted to journey from Timbuktu back to his native Kingdom of Kongo, in which direction would he have to travel? A. south and west B. south and east C. north and west D. north and east

south and east

If you were an Egyptian priest living in the year 2500 BCE, which of the following actions would you probably NOT take? A. studying Greek building techniques B. writing in hieroglyphics C. helping construct a pyramid D. celebrating a pharaoh's conquests with poetry

studying Greek building techniques

The Axum Kingdom became wealthy by _____. A. conquering its trade competition B. mining salt C. taxing traded goods D. All answers are correct.

taxing traded goods

Which kingdoms converted to religions from outside of Africa? A. ancient Egypt and Zimbabwe B. the Kingdom of Kush and Zimbabwe C. ancient Egypt and Benin D. the Kingdom of Axum and Mali

the Kingdom of Axum and Mali

Which civilization was flourishing when European traders arrived around 1500? A. the Kush B. Zimbabwe C. Mali D. the Kingdom of Kongo

the Kingdom of Kongo

The Moroccan army easily defeated the Songhai army because _____. A. the Moroccan army outnumbered the Songhai army 10 to one. B. the Moroccan army attacked the Songhai army at night. C. the Moroccan army had superior weaponry, including guns and cannons. D. the Songhai army was inexperienced and unable to mount an effective attack.

the Moroccan army had superior weaponry, including guns and cannons.

What were the main transportation hubs of African civilizations?. A. the Sahara and Kalahari Deserts B. the Nile, Niger, Congo, and Zambezi Rivers C. the fertile plains and savannah of Sudan D. traditional paths through rainforests

the Nile, Niger, Congo, and Zambezi Rivers

If someone can trace a family connection back to West Africa, it is most likely that that person's ancestors came from which civilization? A. the Songhai Empire B. Zimbabwe C. ancient Egypt D. the Kingdom of Axum

the Songhai Empire

Which items were brought to the U.S. and developed by enslaved Africans? A. the banjo, baptism, rum B. the steel guitar, mashed potatoes, chitlins C. the ukulele, hymns, sweet potatoes D. the banjo, voodoo, sesame seeds

the banjo, voodoo, sesame seeds

Most enslaved people who were sent across the Atlantic came from _____. A. the west coast of Africa B. north of the Sahara Desert C. the interior of central Africa D. the east coast of Africa

the west coast of Africa

Africa is _____ as the U.S. A. almost as big B. about the same size C. twice as big D. three times as big

three times as big

Why were the pyramids built? A. to serve as government offices and marketplaces B. to serve as temples to the Egyptian gods C. to serve as funeral monuments to the pharaohs D. to serve as forts against invasions

to serve as funeral monuments to the pharaohs

In the 1500s, African societies were better than their European counterparts at_____. A. practicing the same customs and beliefs across the whole continent B. trading complex technologies with people around the world C. using tradition to preserve many diverse customs and cultures D. developing huge kingdoms that were politically and culturally united

using tradition to preserve many diverse customs and cultures

What was the main role of enslaved people in West African societies? A. working in mines and industry B. farming on large plantations C. working with the enslaver's small family D. West African societies did not practice enslavement.

working with the enslaver's small family

Which technology existed in Axum but not in Great Zimbabwe? A. stone architecture B. writing in stone C. metal working in gold and iron D. farming and herding

writing in stone

Why was the Christian Kingdom of Axum left independent while Muslim armies conquered surrounding countries? A. According to legend, Axum offered shelter to the family of the prophet Muhammad. B. Axum proved too difficult a country to conquer due to its superior weapons. C. Axum had already been conquered by European powers. D. Muslim armies avoided Axum because it was geographically isolated.

According to legend, Axum offered shelter to the family of the prophet Muhammad.

If a teacher describes customs, beliefs, and family structures as common to all African cultures, why might the teacher be wrong? A. Africa is diverse with many different customs. B. Most African customs or beliefs began in Europe. C. All Africans use the Swahili term Kiafrika to refer to Africa. D. The teacher is right because all African societies have similar customs.

Africa is diverse with many different customs.

Which statement most accurately reflects the influence of African culture on American culture? A. African culture had little influence on American culture. B. African culture only influenced American music and dance traditions. C. African culture influenced American music and food. D. African culture influenced almost every aspect of American culture.

African culture influenced American music and food.

How does oral history give a society more flexible traditions than written history? A. People hearing the story can miss important details and pass on inaccurate information. B. Some stories can be altered by the storyteller to reflect current events. C. Over many years, storytellers may stop telling certain stories and emphasize other ones. D. All answers are correct.

All answers are correct.

If Nimi, a man living in the year 1400 CE, was enslaved by a Kongo family, what could have been the reason? A. He was convicted of a crime. B. He was captured in war. C. His family gave him to another family as a dowry. D. All answers are correct.

All answers are correct.

Which people did the Kongo and other West African societies enslave? A. prisoners of war B. criminals C. people in debt D. All answers are correct.

All answers are correct.

Which statement about Egyptian sculpture is correct? A. It was a model for later Greek sculpture. B. It followed a similar style for thousands of years. C. It used a standard set of proportions for the human body. D. All answers are correct.

All answers are correct.

Why did most large African civilizations settle along the great rivers of Africa? A. In general, the river valleys were fertile and supported productive farms. B. Major rivers allowed trade within Africa and even further beyond. C. Land transportation was much more difficult than river transportation. D. All answers are correct.

All answers are correct.

Why have historians only recently solved some of the secrets of early African civilizations? A. Some societies did not leave written records. B. Many historians had been biased against African civilizations. C. Some writing systems were figured out only in the last 150 years. D. All answers are correct.

All answers are correct.

Why would a West African be enslaved in the Songhai Empire? A. for owing a large debt to someone B. for being captured in war C. for being convicted of a crime D. All answers are correct.

All answers are correct.

Which student is bringing a dish with ingredients that came to the U.S. from Africa? A. Sean is bringing split-pea soup. B. Latoya is bringing chocolate brownies. C. Andre is bringing sesame bread. D. Dave is bringing roast eggplant and couscous.

Andre is bringing sesame bread.

Which of the following had a king who converted to Christianity? A. ancient Egypt B. Kush C. Zimbabwe D. Axum

Axum

Approximately how many languages are spoken in Africa? A. 3 B. 20 C. 1,000 D. 35,000

1,000

Around what time did people begin to settle along the Nile River?. A. 6000 BCE B. 2000 BCE C. 700 BCE D. 100 CE

6000 BCE

Why was child-bearing particularly important in West African culture? A. Having more children allowed families to farm their land more efficiently. B. Deadly tropical diseases killed so many people in that area. C. Infants and children were greatly valued by Egyptian pharaohs. D. All answers are correct.

Deadly tropical diseases killed so many people in that area.

Which African civilization was located closest to the Middle East and Asia? A. Zimbabwe B. Mali C. Benin D. Egypt

Egypt

Which African civilizations were prominent before 100 BCE? A. only Egypt B. Egypt and Kush C. Egypt, Kush, and Mali D. Egypt, Kush, Mali, and Zimbabwe

Egypt and Kush

Which civilizations were located on the banks of the Nile River? A. Egypt, Ghana, Mali B. Egypt, Kush, and Axum C. Egypt, Kush, Zimbabwe D. Egypt, Benin, Songhai

Egypt, Kush, and Axum

If Neith, a woman living in Egypt in 2300 BCE, somehow traveled to ancient Egypt a thousand years later, what would she find? A. All of Egypt had been conquered by the Kingdom of Kush. B. Egyptian culture, art, and writing had completely changed. C. Egyptian art, writing, and society had remained largely the same. D. The new pyramids towered over the old buildings.

Egyptian art, writing, and society had remained largely the same.

Which modern country includes territory that was part of the Axum Kingdom? A. Ethiopia B. Nigeria C. Mali D. South Africa

Ethiopia

Which civilization lay between ancient Egypt and the Kingdom of Axum? A. Ghana B. Kush C. Zimbabwe D. Mali

Kush

If you were visiting the ruins of a civilization that had conquered Egypt, where would you be? A. Axum in Ethiopia B. Great Zimbabwe C. Kush's ruins in Sudan D. Timbuktu in Mali

Kush's ruins in Sudan

Which of the following civilizations had a government based on Islam and its holy book, the Koran, because of Mansa Musa? A. Benin B. Axum C. Mali D. Zimbabwe

Mali

If Ahmed was an African writer enslaved and taken to Morocco, he probably came from which civilization? A. Zimbabwe B. Mali or Songhai C. Benin or Kongo D. Kush or Axum

Mali or Songhai

Which statement about Egyptian hieroglyphs is correct? A. They were loosely based upon the Greek alphabet. B. No one knew how to read them for almost 1500 years. C. They were the basis of Greek, Roman, and all later European alphabets. D. They were beautiful works of art but not a useful writing system.

No one knew how to read them for almost 1500 years.

Which is true about the kingdom of Kush? A. The Kush left great architecture but did not use writing. B. The Kush were isolated from other cultures in East Africa. C. The Kush had a flourishing literary culture centered in Timbuktu. D. The Kush were heavily influenced by Egyptian culture.

The Kush were heavily influenced by Egyptian culture.

Did African societies trade enslaved people? A. No. Europeans sent raiding parties to capture and enslave people. B. Yes, but African societies only enslaved people captured in war. C. Yes, but only Zimbabwe in southern Africa. D. Yes, but several societies refused to trade enslaved people to Europeans.

Yes, but several societies refused to trade enslaved people to Europeans.

If Cherisse could travel to southern Africa in the year 1400 CE, which civilization would she find? A. ancient Egypt B. the Kingdom of Kush C. Zimbabwe D. All answers are correct.

Zimbabwe

Which African civilization was in southern Africa? A. Axum B. Songhai C. Zimbabwe D. ancient Egypt

Zimbabwe

Which of the following civilizations built the largest stone city in southern Africa? A. Zimbabwe B. the Kingdom of Kongo C. the Kingdom of Mali D. the Kingdom of Axum

Zimbabwe

Which music instrument has its roots in West African traditional music instruments? A. a banjo B. a harmonica C. ukulele D. a saxophone

a banjo