New
New
Year 7

Islam in medieval West Africa

I can describe the role played by Islam in the growth of the Mali Empire.

New
New
Year 7

Islam in medieval West Africa

I can describe the role played by Islam in the growth of the Mali Empire.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Islam was the dominant religion throughout North Africa.
  2. Muslim traders helped other Muslim traders.
  3. The Islamic tradition prized literacy and education.
  4. Islamic thought influenced the culture of the Mali Empire.
  5. Many books were copied or written in the Mali Empire, and mosques were built to house some of these.

Keywords

  • Islam - Islam is the religion of Muslim people

  • Trade - trade means the exchange of goods

  • Muslim - a Muslim is a follower of the religion of Islam

Common misconception

Muslims mainly live in the Middle East.

Islam is the second most popular religion in the world, with Muslim-majority countries spread as far as Morocco in the west to Indonesia in the east.

Show students a list or a video of some of the key discoveries from the Golden Age of Islam to help them appreciate what a global power Islam was at this point in time.
Teacher tip

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of peer pressure or bullying

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
The religion of Muslim people is .
Correct Answer: Islam, islam
Q2.
Which religion or worldview did most of the goldfield miners of Western Africa during the medieval period follow?
Islam
Christianity
Correct answer: animism
Q3.
Match the name of the leader with the correct information. Write the correct letter in each box.
Correct Answer:Mansa Musa,carried a golden bow along with a golden quiver full of golden arrows

carried a golden bow along with a golden quiver full of golden arrows

Correct Answer:Sundiata Keita,nicknamed the ‘Lion Prince’ and ruled with respect

nicknamed the ‘Lion Prince’ and ruled with respect

Correct Answer:the Sosso king, believed to be a sorcerer who used his powers to conquer the land

believed to be a sorcerer who used his powers to conquer the land

Q4.
What did the elite of medieval Europe use the gold for? Select all of the correct answers..
Correct answer: Rulers needed gold to mint coins to pay their armies
They didn't; they traded it for salt.
Correct answer: They needed gold to demonstrate their wealth and power.
Q5.
The Sankore Mosque was improved upon under the leadership of Mansa Musa for which one of the following reasons?
Correct answer: to increase the wealth of knowledge held by the Mali Empire
because it was falling down
to show other empires how much gold Mansa Musa had
Q6.
An excavation in the earth to extract minerals is known as a .
Correct Answer: mine, Mine

6 Questions

Q1.
A follower of the religion of Islam is a .
Correct Answer: Muslim, muslim
Q2.
In which region of Africa did Islam begin to spread in the 7th century?
East Africa
Correct answer: North Africa
West Africa
South Africa
Q3.
In which of the following areas did Islam made great scientific and technological advances?
Correct answer: mathematics
Correct answer: medicine
mining
Q4.
Which of the following examples is a way in which knowledge was usually shared prior to the spread of Islam?
by traders
Correct answer: orally through the songs of poet-historians known as griots
through ancient books
Q5.
How was knowledge in West Africa usually shared after the spread of Islam?
by traders
orally through the songs of poet-historians known as griots
Correct answer: in books and manuscripts
Q6.
Which flourishing trade emerged in Timbuktu after the spread of Islam?
Correct answer: book-copying trade
salt trade
gold trade

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