The CST Standards
7.4 Students analyze the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of the sub-Saharan civilizations of Ghana and Mali in Medieval Africa. |
1. Study the Niger River and the relationship of vegetation zones of forest, savannah, and desert to trade in gold, salt, food, and slaves; and the growth of the Ghana and Mali empires. |
2. Analyze the importance of family, labor specialization, and regional commerce in the development of states and cities in West Africa. |
3. Describe the role of the trans-Saharan caravan trade in the changing religious and cultural characteristics of West Africa and the influence of Islamic beliefs, ethics, and law. |
4. Trace the growth of the Arabic language in government, trade, and Islamic scholarship in West Africa. |
5. Describe the importance of written and oral traditions in the transmission of African history and culture. |