| A | B |
|---|
| a broad grassland with scattered trees | savannah |
| a highland area of fairly flat land | plateau |
| the part of Africa that lies south of the Sahara Desert | sub-Saharan Africa |
| the world's largest desert | Sahara |
| an account of something passed down by word of mouth from one generation to another | oral history |
| a zone of towering trees, dense leaves, and climbing vines | rain forest |
| the main river in West Africa that supplies a steady supply of water for farmers, fishermen, traders, and travelers | Niger River |
| products of nature that have economic value | natural resources |
| income (money) to run the government | revenue |
| a general rise in prices | inflation |
| change of religion | conversion |
| formal study and learning | scholarship |
| the southern edge of the Sahara Desert | Sahel |
| the division of jobs and skills in a society | labor specialization |
| the first of the great trading empires in West Africa | Ghana |
| the most important trade items in West Africa | salt and gold |
| Known as the "Hungering Lion," he founded the empire of Mali | Sundiata |
| this ruler of Mali encouraged Islamic study and went on a pilgrimage to Mecca that is still talked about today | Mansa Musa |
| a cruel ruler who uses his power without limit | tyrant |
| In 1464, he became ruler of Songhai | Sunni Ali Ber |
| this ruler of Songhai encouraged Islamic scholarship | Askia Muhammad |
| the language of scholars and traders in Mali and Songhai | Arabic |
| connections based on family relationships | kinship |
| a social class | caste |
| what the economy of a West African city is based upon | trade |
| what the economy of a West African village is based on | producing food |
| professional storytellers and oral historians | griots |
| the main way in which West African culture spread to the Americas and beyond | West Africans being sold into slavery around the world |
| these were told to teach young people right from wrong | folk tales |
