Medieval_Africa_Grade7

HOT
THEMES IN
WORLD
HISTORY
Medieval
African
Kingship
1200-1400
PLEASE SEE
NOTES ON
THE PDF,
PAGE 3.
LESSONS IN WORLD HISTORY
By Nicole Gilbertson, Department of History, The University of California, Irvine
Teacher Consultant, Ruben Fernandez, Willard Middle School, Santa Ana
Faculty Consultant, R. Bin Wong, Director of the Asia Institute and Professor of History,
The University of California, Los Angeles
Managing Editor, Tova Cooper
The publication of this CD has been made possible largely through funding from GEAR UP Santa Ana. This branch of GEAR UP
has made a distinctive contribution to public school education in the U.S. by creating intellectual space within an urban school
district for students who otherwise would not have access to the research, scholarship, and teaching represented by this collaboration between the University of California, the Santa Ana Partnership, and the Santa Ana Unified School District. Additional external
funding in 2004-2005 has been provided to HOT by the Bank of America Foundation, the Wells Fargo Foundation, and the Pacific
Life Foundation.
THE UCI CALIFORNIA HISTORY-SOCIAL SCIENCE PROJECT
The California History-Social Science Project (CH-SSP) of the University of California, Irvine, is dedicated to working with history
teachers in Orange County to develop innovative approaches to engaging students in the study of the past. Founded in 2000, the
CH-SSP draws on the resources of the UCI Department of History and works closely with the UCI Department of Education. We
believe that the history classroom can be a crucial arena not only for instruction in history but also for the improvement of student
literacy and writing skills. Working together with the teachers of Orange County, it is our goal to develop history curricula that will
convince students that history matters.
HUMANITIES OUT THERE
Humanities Out There was founded in 1997 as an educational partnership between the School of Humanities at the University of
California, Irvine and the Santa Ana Unified School District. HOT runs workshops in humanities classrooms in Santa Ana schools.
Advanced graduate students in history and literature design curricular units in collaboration with host teachers, and conduct
workshops that engage UCI undergraduates in classroom work. In the area of history, HOT works closely with the UCI HistorySocial Science Project in order to improve student literacy and writing skills in the history classroom, and to integrate the teaching
of history, literature, and writing across the humanities. The K-12 classroom becomes a laboratory for developing innovative units
that adapt university materials to the real needs and interests of California schools. By involving scholars, teachers, students, and
staff from several institutions in collaborative teaching and research, we aim to transform educational practices, expectations, and
horizons for all participants.
THE SANTA ANA PARTNERSHIP
The Santa Ana Partnership was formed in 1983 as part of the Student and Teacher Educational Partnership (STEP) initiative at UC
Irvine. Today it has evolved into a multi-faceted collaborative that brings institutions and organizations together in the greater Santa
Ana area to advance the educational achievement of all students, and to help them enter and complete college. Co-directed at UC
Irvine by the Center for Educational Partnerships, the collaborative is also strongly supported by Santa Ana College, the Santa Ana
Unified School District, California State University, Fullerton and a number of community based organizations. Beginning in 20032004, HOT has contributed to the academic mission of the Santa Ana Partnership by placing its workshops in GEAR UP schools.
This unit on Medieval African Kingship reflects the innovative collaboration among these institutions and programs.
CONTENT COUNTS: A SPECIAL PROJECT OF THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES
This is one in a series of publications under the series title Content Counts: Reading and Writing Across the Humanities, supported
by a generous grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Content Counts units are designed by and for educators
committed to promoting a deep, content-rich and knowledge-driven literacy in language arts and social studies classrooms. The units
provide examples of “content reading”—primary and secondary sources, as well as charts, data, and visual documents—designed
to supplement and integrate the study of history and literature.
A publication of Humanities Out There and the Santa Ana Partnership
(including UCI’s Center for Educational Partnerships, Santa Ana College, and the Santa Ana Unified School District).
Copyright 2005 The Regents of the University of California
WORLD HISTORY: 1200-1400
HOT THEMES IN WORLD HISTORY:
MEDIEVAL AFRICAN KINGSHIP
UNIT INTRODUCTION FOR TEACHERS
This unit has been created as an addition to the medieval African curriculum taught in the seventh-grade history classroom.
The workshop covers the formation of the kingdom of Mali and
situates this kingdom in an international context. The students
look at excerpts from the book, Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali in order to understand kingship in medieval Africa through a primary
source. Students should be reminded that this epic is the basis for
Disney’s The Lion King; many of them will already be somewhat
familiar with the plot of the story. The text provides students with
an understanding of the war between Sundiata and Sumanguru,
the King of Sosso, which results in Sundiata’s victory and the subsequent emergence of the kingdom of Mali. Through analyzing
the story, students will explore the significance of oral history for
African society and how this has aided in establishing and maintaining kingly authority. Additionally, students examine a map to
study trade in Africa and its connection to the Arabian Peninsula.
A concluding exercise challenges students to compare and contrast African kingship to contemporary political authority.
OBJECTIVES
This unit teaches students:
 To recognize the
perspective from which a
historical narrative is being
told.
 To identify the title of a
book through italics or
underlining.
 To link their knowledge of
Islam and the Arabic world
to what they learn about
society in Western Africa.
 To comparatively identify
the qualities of good
leadership in medieval
Africa and in the
contemporary world.
NOTES ON THE PDF:
1) Please note that in this pdf document the page numbers are two off from the printed curriculum.
For example, page 2 in the printed curriculum is now page 4 in this pdf document.
2) We apologize if some of the hyperlinks are no longer accurate. They were correct at the time of
printing.
3) Full-page versions of the images in this unit—some in color—can be found at the back of this pdf.
4) You can easily navigate through the different parts of this document by using the “Bookmark” tab
on the left side of your Acrobat window.
Unit Introduction for Teachers
3
CALIFORNIA HISTORY-SOCIAL SCIENCE STANDARDS
COVERED IN THIS UNIT
Content Standards: Seventh Grade
 7.4 Students analyze the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social
structures of the sub-Saharan civilizations of Ghana and Mali in Medieval Africa.
 7.4.1 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.
 7.4.2 Analyze the importance of family, labor specialization, and regional commerce
in the development of states and cities in West Africa.
 7.4.3 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.
 7.4.4 Trace the growth of the Arabic language in government, trade, and Islamic
scholarship in West Africa.
 7.4.5 Describe the importance of written and oral traditions in the transmission of
African history and culture.
Skills: Grades Six through Eight
 Chronological and Spatial Thinking Skills
 Students use a variety of maps and documents to identify physical and cultural
features of neighborhoods, cities, states, and countries, and to explain the historical
migration of people, expansion and disintegration of empires, and the growth of
economic systems.
 Research, Evidence, and Point of View Skills
 Students distinguish fact from opinion in historical narratives and stories.
 Students assess the credibility of primary and secondary sources and draw sound
conclusions from them.
 Students detect the different historical points of view on historical events and
determine the context in which the historical statements were made (the questions
asked, sources used, author’s perspectives).
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HOT Themes in World History: Medieval African Kingship
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Austen, Ralph A., ed. In Search of Sunjata: The Mande Oral Epic as History, Literature, and Performance.
Indiana: Indiana University Press, 1999. This is a collection of scholarly articles about the setting,
history, and oral and literary traditions of the Sundiata story.
Musa Suso, Foday. Jali Kunda: Griots of West Africa and Beyond. This compact disk includes two versions
of the Sundiata praise song, as well as other griot classics. The accompanying book provides photos of
contemporary griots.
Niane, D.T. Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali. trans. G.D. Pickett. Harlow, England: Longman Drumbeat, 1965,
1982. This is an accessible retelling of the story of Sundiata, ideal for use as a seventh-grade text, and
cited throughout this curriculum.
Ringrose, David. Expansion and Global Interaction, 1200-1700. New York: Addison Wesley Longman, 2001.
Ringrose demonstrates how societies in Eurasia, Africa, and the Americas became interdependent
between 1200-1700. Through examining major areas of conflict around the world, Ringrose shows how
political, cultural, and economic zones of influence expanded and overlapped during this period.
ELECTRONIC RESOURCES
World History Institute: African History for Seventh Graders
http://www.humanities.uci.edu/history/faculty/mitchell/7thGradeAfrica/
This website has been created especially for seventh-grade teachers in California. It is standards-aligned
and includes a PowerPoint presentation on the history, geography, and demographics of medieval
Africa. The site also includes a link to a National Geographic article on Jenne-Jeno (another important
medieval African site), which may provide a useful contrast to this unit’s study of Mali.
The Story of Africa: West African Kingdoms
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/africa/features/storyofafrica/4chapter3.shtml
This BBC article offers an overview of Malian history, including both citations from primary-source
materials and an audio component. Students can listen to part of a song about griots sung by Salif
Keita, a contemporary Malian musician.
Background to D.T. Niane, Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali
http://courses.wcupa.edu/jones/his311/notes/sundiata.htm
This site offers useful background reading for teaching Sundiata, including information on the
geography, religion, society, and politics of the tale’s setting.
Unit Introduction for Teachers
5
TEACHER’S GUIDE
The Story of Sundiata
The legend of Sundiata, The
Lion King, historically has been
retold by the griots of Mali, but
it has also been written down in
order to pass on the narrative of
the rise of Sundiata to power to
those who are not immersed in
an oral culture. The story begins
with the story of Sundiata’s father, Maghan, who is a beautiful
and powerful King in Mali. One
day, Maghan is approached by a
seer who tells him that he will
marry an ugly woman from a
foreign tribe, and that she will
bear him a son who will become a powerful ruler and unite
Mali. The King then encounters
this woman, Sogolon, who is a
magician. They marry and she
immediately bears him a child,
Maghan Mari Djata, who will become Sundiata. Sundiata is very
weak as a child and cannot walk
until he is eleven years old. This
causes the King’s first wife, Sassouma Berete, to scorn the child.
Sassouma is also very jealous
of Sundiata because her son is
first-born and she thinks he, and
not Sundiata, should be king;
her jealousy only increases after
Sundiata shows how powerful he
can be. When King Maghan dies,
Sassouma works with the advisors of the kingdom to have her
son crowned king. She is very
mean to Sogolon and to Sundiata, who leave the kingdom and
go into exile because they fear
for their lives. During his time in
exile, Sundiata moves to various
courts in Ghana and learns the
skills of kingship. He earns the
respect of a king in Ghana who
wants Sundiata to be his heir. In
the meantime, however, Suman-
6
guru, the evil magician, gains
control over Mali and makes
many enemies. Finally, Sumanguru enrages enough people that
the kings go to war with him.
Sundiata joins this war and is
called back to be the leader of
his people. Sundiata leads the
people to victory through magic
and violence. After he conquers
Sumanguru, Sundiata restores
peace to Mali.
Teach students about
perspective
Remind the students that perspective means the same thing as
point-of-view. Get the students
thinking about how the story is
told from the perspective of the
winner of the war. You may want
to discuss how this affects the
development of historical narratives more generally.
Get students to link their
knowledge of Islam and
the Arabic world to their
emerging knowledge
about society in Western
Africa
This lesson addresses how
trade was important in connecting the Islamic and African
empires. You may want to explain
to students that the Islamic
religion traveled to Africa through
traders, which caused many
Africans—particularly merchants—to convert to Islam.
Through religion, these people
of two very different cultures
developed a common set of
morals and norms that allowed
relationships of trust to be built.
Thus these relationships both
developed out of and aided
in perpetuating long-distance
trade.
HOT Themes in World History: Medieval African Kingship
Explain to students how
to identify the title of a
book through italics or
underlining.
Conclusion
Get students to compare and
contrast important characteristics for strong leadership in
medieval Africa and today. This
discussion can take into consideration how a culture’s attitude
towards gender, education, and
the media can shape its ideas
about good leadership.
ANSWER KEY
Question 1: Griots tell stories of kingship and recount stories that are relevant to African society. You
may want to point out to students that in pre-colonial Africa, griots were very important to their
societies; they counseled kings and preserved the constitutions of kingdoms by memory alone.
Moreover, princely families had their own griots to preserve traditions and tutor their children.
Question 2: A griot would provide the king with authority through propaganda and would create a
memory by which the king’s subjects and their descendents could remember his rule.
Question 3: This knowledge is maintained through oral history passed down from griot to griot, usually
within particular families of storytellers.
Question 4: Salt was produced in the Sahara desert north of Mali. Gold was mined in Mali and other
areas of West Africa. Therefore, Malians traded gold for salt. They also traded gold and slaves for luxury
items like brass and glassware from more distant countries.
Question 5: As the students should know from previous study of the Arabian Peninsula, camels were
used as a means of transportation across deserts because of their ability to travel long distances without
needing much water.
Question 6: Dates, camels, and goat products were three central items produced in the Arabian
Peninsula. During the medieval period, Islam was the area’s central religion.
Question 7: Sundiata’s bravery and strength impressed the king.
Question 8: Leaders today do not need these physical qualities to fight in wars, since they employ other
people to fight wars for their nations.
Question 9: Sumanguru taxed his people and brought war and devastation to his country.
Question 10: People and leaders from the neighboring kingdoms joined Sundiata.
Question 11: Other leaders joined Sundiata because they wanted to ally themselves with someone who
was a good, strong leader and thus benefit from his rule.
Question 12: Sundiata’s reign brought peace and prosperity to Mali.
Question 13: People want to live in a peaceful environment where they can raise their families and have
jobs without the threat of war or famine.
Conclusion (page 13): Sundiata’s leadership qualities include 1) The expression of strength and courage
in battle; 2) The capacity and willingness to make alliances with other leaders; 3) The ability to inspire
people to join in his cause; and 4) A commitment to promoting peace and economic prosperity for his
people.
Medieval African Kingship
7
HOT THEMES IN WORLD HISTORY
STUDENT WORKSHEETS
Medieval African Kingship, 1200-1400
THE STORY OF SUNDIATA
Today we will read about
Sundiata, a strong and respected King of Mali in the
1200s. The story of Sundiata has been passed down
for hundreds of years from
person to person through
oral communication and
has recently been translated
into English and written
down for us, so we can
better understand how he
came to power. Through examining this source, we will
think about how Sundiata’s
actions and words inspired
men and women to follow
him. This will allow us to
begin to answer the question: what qualities are
important for a leader to
have so he can be successful?
The legend of Sundiata
explains how
the kingdom
of Mali rose to
preeminence
i n We stern
A f r i c a and
replaced the
Kingdom of
Ghana as the
center of trade
and wealth in
Western Africa. Sundiata
went to war
with Sumanguru, the evil
King of Sosso,
but this was
not a war
fought only
with soldiers
and swords.
According to
t h e l e g end,
Sundiata and
Sumanguru
battled each
other with
IMAGE 1: Sundiata
8
HOT Themes in World History: Medieval African Kingship
magic a n d S u n d i a t a ’s
magic won out over that of
King Sumanguru.
Just like many existing
historical sources, this story
recounts the history of Mali
from the perspective of the
winner of the war. When
history is written by winners, it is important for us
historians to consider the
types of information and
the perspective of the storytellers in order to gain a
deeper understanding of
the historical period under
study. Through studying
the legend of Sundiata, we
can understand how King
Sundiata wanted to be remembered by his people.
However, this story can
also tell us about medieval
African society. By understanding what was included
in the story, we can begin to
understand the aspects of
politics, economics, society,
and culture that were important for the people and
leaders of Mali.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
preeminence: a state
of being much more
important or powerful
than all others in a
particular group.
perspective: point of view.
aspect: part.
eloquence: the ability to
express ideas and opinions
clearly and in a way that
influences other people.
vanish: to disappear.
oblivion: the state of being
completely forgotten.
GRIOTS: THE STORYTELLERS OF AFRICA
The legend of Sundiata
was not written down; instead, it was transferred
from generation to generation by griots. A griot is a
person who passes down
customs, legends, art, and
poetry through storytelling
and song. The oral tradition
is an important part of African culture.
exploit: a brave or
interesting action.
Read the following excerpt from the book, Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali, and answer
the questions below.
I am a griot . . . The art of eloquence has no secrets for us; without us the
names of kings would vanish into oblivion, we are the memory of mankind; by
the spoken word we bring to life the deeds and exploits of kings for younger
generations . . . My word is pure and free of all untruth; it is the word of my
father; it is the word of my father’s father.*
1. What types of stories do griots remember and recount?
2. How would a leader gain authority by having a griot?
* All passages from Sundiata reproduced courtesy of Pearson Education Limited.
Medieval African Kingship
9
Knowledge and history have been passed down
from generation to generation in African society
through oral history. Griots
were the professional storytellers of Africa. Their job
was hereditary, because in
Africa during this period, as
well as in many other parts
of the world, people’s professions were based upon
family ties. Kinship, or the
family relationship, was important for structuring West
African society. Each person
in the family had his or her
own role based on age and
gender.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
hereditary: passed between
members or generations of
a family.
gender: an identity or set
of stereotypes associated
with being either male or
female.
3. How has the knowledge of medieval African kingdoms survived over time?
TRADE: MOVING GOLD AND OTHER GOODS ACROSS THE SAHARA
During the medieval
period, Western Africa was
connected to the rest of the
world through trade routes
that stretched across the
Sahara Desert. At this time,
the Kingdom of Mali gained
wealth through trade. There
were two different types
of trade during Sundiata’s
reign: 1) regional trade of
food, textiles, and metal
products, and 2) international trade in gold and
slaves. The regional trade
was trade that sustained the
people who lived in the area.
The international trade in
luxury goods was controlled
by the kings and benefited
the elite, who could afford
to buy goods such as brass
and glassware from distant
countries. The kings benefited from this trade by
taxing the merchants who
participated in the exchange
of luxury goods.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
regional: relating to a fairly
large area, such as a section
of a country.
textile: any material made by
weaving; cloth.
4. According to the above passage and the map on the next page, what did Malians trade
to get luxury goods?
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HOT Themes in World History: Medieval African Kingship
As you know, the desert was a difficult place for people to travel across. Find the Sahara
Desert on the map. Then, answer the questions below and on the next page.
IMAGE 2: Trade map of West Africa
5. What types of animals were used to carry people and goods across the desert?
Medieval African Kingship
11
The trade across the
Sahara desert was a job
that was largely filled by
Arab traders. They traded
goods native to the Arabian
Peninsula for gold and
slaves from Western Africa, and salt from the Sahara
Desert.
6. What types of things were produced on the Arabian Peninsula? What was the
dominant religion there?
SUNDIATA: WHAT QUALITIES ARE NECESSARY FOR A STRONG LEADER?
The griots who told the
legend of Sundiata included
stories of his childhood
and early life in order to
chronicle the incidents
that made him a strong,
courageous, and important
leader. Below you will read
passages from the story of
Sundiata that describe his
leadership capabilities. Use
these statements to think
about what types of qualities were valued in a medieval African leader.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
chronicle: to narrate, or tell
the events of a story; a
record of historical events.
campaign: a military battle.
dash: daring.
charge: a headfirst attack on
When Sundiata was fifteen the king took him
with him on campaign. Sundiata astonished the
whole army with his strength and with his dash
in the charge.
an opposing army.
7. According to this passage, what actions of Sundiata impressed the king?
8. Are these qualities necessary for a leader to have today? What qualities do today’s
leaders need to have?
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HOT Themes in World History: Medieval African Kingship
Sundiata gained power
through his alliances with
other leaders. Sundiata
went to war with Sumanguru, an evil magician who
took control over Mali
when Sundiata was in exile
in Ghana. After Sundiata declared war, many other kings
and generals joined him in
order to have a victory over
Sumanguru. Sumanguru was
not a popular leader because
he taxed the people in order
to go to war, and war created instability in the region.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
exile: either a voluntary or
forced removal from one’s
native country.
9. Why was Sumanguru an unpopular leader?
Read the following passage from the tale of Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali:
Sumanguru got back to Sosso [his kingdom] to
recover his strength while on all sides villages
opened their gates to Sundiata. In all these
villages Sundiata recruited soldiers . . . All the
allies had arranged to meet up in the great plain
of Sibi, and all the children of the savanna were
there about their kings.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
recruit: to find new people
to join an army.
allies: people or groups that
join others for mutual
protection.
10. Where did Sundiata turn to recruit extra people that he could go to war against
Sumanguru with?
11. Why do you think other soldiers and leaders joined up with Sundiata?
Medieval African Kingship
13
Although trade brought
wealth and material goods
to Mali, the war between
Sundiata and Sumanguru
caused a lot of destruction.
People, animals, and plants
had a hard time surviving
the turbulent period of war.
After Sundiata won the war,
peace returned to the kingdom and allowed the people
of Mali to return to normal
activities.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
turbulent: unstable.
prosperity: the condition of
having money and being
successful.
fonio: a type of millet.
reign: the period of time
during which a person
rules a country or empire.
Read the following passage and answer the questions:
In their new-found peace the villages knew prosperity again, for with Sundiata
happiness had come into everyone’s home. Vast fields of millet, rice, cotton,
indigo, and fonio surrounded the villages . . . New villages and new towns
sprang up in Mali and elsewhere. ‘Dyulas,’ or traders, became numerous and
during the reign of Sundiata the world knew happiness.
12. What did Sundiata’s reign bring to the people of Mali?
13. Why would this make Sundiata a popular ruler?
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HOT Themes in World History: Medieval African Kingship
CONCLUSION: WHAT QUALITIES ARE IMPORTANT FOR A LEADER TO HAVE?
After reading segments
of the legend, Sundiata: An
Epic of Old Mali, we can begin to understand the characteristics of a ruler that were
important for strong leader-
ship in medieval Africa. For
a concluding exercise, we
will compare and contrast
the qualities necessary for
leadership in medieval Africa and in our contemporary
world. After establishing a
list, you will write a short
paragraph answering the
question, What qualities
are important for a leader
to have?
CHARACTERISTICS OF A POWERFUL LEADER
MEDIEVAL AFRICAN KING
CONTEMPORARY LEADER
1.
1.
2.
2.
3.
3.
4.
4.
5.
5.
6.
6.
Medieval African Kingship
15
WRITING EXERCISE
Using the information from the chart on the previous page, write a paragraph
comparing and contrasting the qualities that make a strong leader in medieval Africa
and in our contemporary world. In discussing these qualities, be sure to use examples:
you can draw on Sundiata’s story to discuss the qualities of a medieval African leader,
but you should choose your own example of a leader to discuss good leadership qualities
in our contemporary world.
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HOT Themes in World History: Medieval African Kingship
Image List
Cover Image / Image 1: “Senegalese glass painting of Sundiata.” Reproduced from D.T. Niane, Sun-
diata: An Epic of Old Mali. trans. G.D. Pickett (Harlow, England: Longman Drumbeat, 1965, 1982), cover
image.
Medieval African Kingship
17
Image 2: “Trade map of West Africa.” Reproduced from David Ringrose, Expansion and
Global Interaction, 1200-1700 (New York: Addison Wesley Longman, 2001), p. 67.
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HOT Themes in World History: Medieval African Kingship
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
THE UCI CALIFORNIA HISTORY-SOCIAL SCIENCE PROJECT
Robert G. Moeller, Faculty Director and Professor of History
Stephanie Reyes-Tuccio, Site Director
Eileen Powell, CH-SSP Program Assistant
http://www.hnet.uci.edu/history/chssp/
HUMANITIES OUT THERE
Julia Reinhard Lupton, Faculty Director and Professor of English and Comparative Literature
Tova Cooper, Director of Publications
Peggie Winters, Grants Manager
http://yoda.hnet.uci.edu/hot/
THE SANTA ANA PARTNERSHIP:
UCI’S CENTER FOR EDUCATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS
Juan Francisco Lara, Director
http://www.cfep.uci.edu/
THE SANTA ANA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
Lewis Bratcher, Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Education
http://www.sausd.k12.ca.us/
SANTA ANA COLLEGE
Sara Lundquist, Vice-President of Student Services
Lilia Tanakeyowma, Director of the Office of School and Community Partnerships and
Associate Dean of Student Development
Melba Schneider, GEAR UP Coordinator
http://www.sac.edu/
This unit would not have been possible without the support of Professor Karen Lawrence, Dean of the School of Humanities at the
University of California, Irvine; Professor Robert G. Moeller, Faculty Director of the UCI California History-Social Science Project,
who provides ongoing intellectual leadership in all areas touching on historical research, interpretation, and teacher professional
development; Dr. Manuel Gómez, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, who provided funding and has been a steadfast supporter
of our work; and the leadership of the Santa Ana Partnership, including Dr. Juan Lara, Director of the UCI Center for Educational
Partnerships; Dr. Sara Lundquist, Vice-President of Student Services at Santa Ana College; Lilia Tanakeyowma, Director of the Office
of School and Community Partnerships and Associate Dean of Student Development at Santa Ana College; and Dr. Lewis Bratcher,
Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Education at the Santa Ana Unified School District.
PERMISSIONS
The materials included in this booklet are original works of authorship, works for which copyright permission has expired, works
reprinted with permission, or works that we believe are within the fair use protection of the copyright laws. This is an educational
and non-commercial publication designed specifically for junior high school History-Social Science classes, and is distributed to
teachers without charge.
Book design by Susan Reese
Unit Introduction for Teachers
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“This unit brings alive the historical
narrative behind the recent movie
The Lion King. Students learn about
the particular challenges of gaining
political leadership in West Africa and
the more general qualities attributed
to rulers everywhere. The links
between West Africa and a larger
world come from trade and Islam,
which together provide some of the
economic and cultural contexts for the
formation of African kingdoms.”
—R. Bin Wong, Director, UCLA Asia Institute
and Professor of History
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800
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900
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1000
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1100
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1200
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1300
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1400
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1500
SEVENTH GRADE CALIFORNIA
HISTORY-SOCIAL SCIENCE
STANDARDS ADDRESSED
Content 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.
7.4.1 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.
7.4.5 Describe the importance of written and
oral traditions in the transmission of African
history and culture.
Skills
• Students use a variety of maps and documents
to identify physical and cultural features of
neighborhoods, cities, states, and countries,
and to explain the historical migration of
people, expansion and disintegration of
empires, and the growth of economic systems.
• Students distinguish fact from opinion in
historical narratives and stories.
• Students detect the different historical points
of view on historical events and determine
the context in which the historical statements
were made (the questions asked, sources
used, author’s perspectives).