| A | B |
|---|
| empire | lands and people ruled by one government |
| Ghana | ancient empire of West Africa from 400-1200; means "warrior king" and "king of gold" |
| Mali | empire of West Africa that flourished from 1200's-1400's |
| Mansa Musa | Kinf of Mali at height of its power: means "Black Moses" |
| Songhay | also know as Songhai; most powerful empire in West Africa from late 1400's-1500's |
| Timbuktu | capital city of ancient Mali; became center of learning throughout Muslim world |
| trade routes | routes across Sahara Desert and Sudan linking ports on the Mediterranean Sea, Arabia, and West Africa |
| Arabs | people from Saudi Arabia who traded with West Africa |
| clan | group of families having one ancestor in common |
| dinar | unit of money in form of gold |
| Niger River | flows from West Africa into the Gulf of Guinea; very important to surrounding areas |
| Sahara | largest desert in the world; covers most of northern Africa |
