Vocabulary

1. Vocabulary • A region of northern Africa south of the Sahara Desert and north of the equator, stretching from the Atlantic coast to Ethiopia • Files of vehicles or pack animals traveling together • Sudan • Caravans

2. Vocabulary • The period in history from about a.d. 500 to a.d. 1450 • The region within close range of a place • Growing extremely well • Flat land along a river made up of soil left by floods • Medieval • Vicinity • Flourishing • Floodplain

3. Vocabulary • The trading of goods without the exchange of money • Bartering

4. Conclusions and Inferences • The authors explained that ordinary people wore jewelry to show that gold was plentiful in Ghana. • Wangaran miners kept the location of their mines a secret so outsiders would not steal their wealth. • Why did the authors explain that ordinary people wore golden jewelry? • Why did Wangaran miners keep the location of their mines a secret

5. Vocabulary • Weighed down with heavy things • Items 4 sale • A dense growth of shrubs • Main; basic • Animals raised and kept on a farm • Ladened • Goods • Thicket • Primary • Livestock

6. Details/Inferences • The authors called Wangaran miners shy because they hid from view. • I was surprised the dumb bartering usually worked quickly and smoothly because it seems as if communicating without speaking would have been difficult. • Why did the authors call the Wangaran miners shy? • Were you surprised to learn that dumb bartering usually worked quickly and smoothly? Explain.

7. Vocabulary • To carry on despite hardships • A group of followers • Endure • Entourage

8. Details/Compare and Contrast • The authors use the word colorful because the camel caravan had colorful dress, colorful goods, and an interesting variety of people. • This analogy means that each kind of animal was vitally important to the lives of the people in each group. • Why do you think the authors described a camel caravan as colorful? • Tell what the authors mean by this analogy: the camel was to the Berbers what the bison was to the native American.

9. Vocabulary • A green spot in the desert where water can be found • An inn with a large outdoor area where caravans would stay • Oasis • Caravanserai

10. Cause and Effect/Compare and Contrast • The caravans moved slowly because of the shifting sands, heat, the required prayer periods, and for the camels. • Caravanserai may have been similar to modern- day rest stops in that travelers were resting and talking, refreshments were available, and resting camels might have looked like parked cars • Why did the caravans move so slowly across the desert? • In what ways do you think caravanserai might have been similar to modern-day road side rest stops?

11. Vocabulary • Groups of houses or other buildings, enclosed by a wall or fence • Set aside for a particular purpose. • A complaint based on a real or imagined wrong • Compounds • Allocated • Grievance

12. Inferences/Conclusions • From the detail that most small towns were surrounded with moats or pits in front of them I can infer that they probably needed to defend themselves against attackers. • The authors give more details about life in Ghana’s villages than in its cities because most people lived in farming villages. • What can you infer from the detail that most small towns were surrounded by walls with moats or pits in front of them? • Why do you think the authors give more details about life in Ghana's villages than in its cities?

13. Vocabulary • Enough • Wild animals, birds monkeys ect. • Lacking in amount or richness • Related through one’s father • Related through one’s mother • Disagreement • A warlike, unfriendly attitude • Adequate • Game • Meager • Paternal • Maternal • Dissent • Belligerence

14. Conclusions/Inferences • The Soninke proverb means family ties are stronger and last longer than a relationship with a king. • The proverb shows that family life is very important to the Soninke. • What does the Soninke proverb mean? • What does the proverb show about the Soninke?