The Cultures and Kingdoms of Western Africa

Notetaking Scavenger Hunt!

Episode 3 and 4 of Africa's Great Civilizations

This is a scavenger hunt for information contained in the Episode 3 and Episode 4 of AFRICA'S GREAT CIVILIZATIONS (to the right).

  Use it to take precise and concise notes as you watch the videos!

Episode 3 Africa's Great Civlizations, Empires of Gold (PBS) (54:17)

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. takes a new look at the history of Africa, from the birth of humankind to the dawn of the 20th century. This is a breathtaking and personal journey through two hundred thousand years of history, from the origins, on the African continent, of art, writing and civilization itself, through the millennia in which Africa and Africans shaped not only their own rich civilizations, but also the wider world.

Episode 4  Africa's Great Civlizations, Empires of Gold (PBS) (53:46)

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. takes a new look at the history of Africa, from the birth of humankind to the dawn of the 20th century. This is a breathtaking and personal journey through two hundred thousand years of history, from the origins, on the African continent, of art, writing and civilization itself, through the millennia in which Africa and Africans shaped not only their own rich civilizations, but also the wider world.

BBC Reel -The Richest Person Who Ever Lived (4:57)

Mansa Musa ruled over the Mali empire in the 14th Century, and his incredible access to gold made him arguably the richest human to have ever lived. So, why is it that he has largely disappeared from the western historical imagination?

West African Empires by Mr. Nicky (song 5:00)

Fun song/rap! (focus on trade, salt, gold), Islam influence on W. Africa

Ancient West Africa Communities (Peppy Productions) (4:47)

This video is goes over five main topics in the early history of West Africa. The main topics are the the Niger River, Early West African Society, Dhar Tichitt, the Nok Culture, and Djenne-Djenno.

CrashCourse: Mansa Musa and Islam in Africa (10:30)

John Green teaches you about Sub-Saharan Africa! So, what exactly was going on there? It turns out, it was a lot of trade, converting to Islam, visits from Ibn Battuta, trade, beautiful women, trade, some impressive architecture, and several empires. John not only covers the West African Malian Empire, which is the one Mansa Musa ruled, but he also discusses the Ghanian Empire. 

A Quick Cultural Guide to Beyoncé's 'Black is King' (VARIETY)

COMMAND+F on Busiswa’s dress inspired by "the West African traditions of masquerade"

COMMAND+F on hairstyles inspired by the Mangbetu tribe of eastern Congo

COMMAND+F on masks inspired by the traditional face coverings worn by the Dogon peoples of Mali



The Gold Road

The Gold Road Interactive Map highlights the people, places, and items related to the medieval Sudanic empires of Ghana, Mali and Songhai. Gold, the region’s most valuable resource, moved along regional and trans-Saharan routes reaching as far north as France. The Gold Road invites users to explore hundreds of topics related to the empires and their role in global history.

Discover Africa in the World

Evidence of Africa in the world is often hidden in plain sight, available but undiscovered. The Discover Africa in the World Project reveals Africa-related sites in regions beyond the continent of Africa.


African Tea Traditions: Ataya Senagalese Tea Ceremony and Moroccan Mint Tea 

Hame Watt, will introduce the Ataya Senegalese Tea Ceremony and demonstrate how to prepare and serve the tea which is made with gunpowder green tea, sugar, and mint. He will provide information on the history of tea and share his experience of tea from different countries. Our second presenter will be Tyler Williams from Art of Tea. He will offer background information on Moroccan Mint Tea.

BOOK REC (in classroom bin)

“The history of medieval Africa, long ignored and distorted, is here given full attention. The McKissacks are careful to distinguish what is known from what is surmised; they draw on the oral tradition, eyewitness accounts, and contemporary scholarship; and chapter source notes discuss various conflicting views of events.” ―Booklist

Malick Sidibé obituary

Photographer whose portraits captured the energy of post-independence Mali.

An African Photographer Inspired a Gucci Campaign | PhotoShelter

The landlocked African country of Mali gained its independence from France in 1960. Right around that time, a young photographer opened a small studio in the capital of Bamako and started taking photos of the burgeoning youth culture that was creating its own version of the swinging 60s and 70s – freed from colonial restraints.