West African Kingdoms: Gold, Salt & Learning
Students will explore the wealth and cultural significance of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai, focusing on trans-Saharan trade.
Key Questions
- Analyze how geography influenced the immense wealth and power of West African empires.
- Explain how Mansa Musa's pilgrimage to Mecca impacted the economies of the Mediterranean world.
- Evaluate the significance of Timbuktu as a prominent center of Islamic learning and scholarship.
Common Core State Standards
Suggested Methodologies
Ready to teach this topic?
Generate a complete, classroom-ready active learning mission in seconds.
More in Interconnected Worlds
The Crusades: Motivations & Consequences
Students will analyze the religious, economic, and political motivations behind the Crusades and their impact.
3 methodologies
The Mongol Empire: Conquest & Connection
Students will examine Genghis Khan's conquests and the Mongol Empire's dual role as both destroyer and connector of civilizations.
3 methodologies
The Silk Road & Indian Ocean Trade Networks
Students will compare and contrast the land-based Silk Road and the maritime Indian Ocean trade networks.
3 methodologies
The Black Death: Impact on Europe & Asia
Students will examine the causes, spread, and radical demographic, economic, and social impacts of the bubonic plague.
3 methodologies
The Rise of the Ottoman Empire
Students will study the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople and the establishment of a powerful Islamic state.
3 methodologies