West Africa Before European Slave Trade

Question 1

What were some major West African kingdoms before European contact?

Answer 1

Ghana, Mali, Songhai, Benin, Oyo, and Ashanti were among the powerful kingdoms and empires.

Question 2

How were West African societies typically organized?

Answer 2

Many had centralized governments with kings or emperors, professional armies, tax systems, and specialized craftspeople.

Question 3

What technologies and crafts were West Africans known for?

Answer 3

Iron-working, gold-smithing, weaving, architecture, boat-building, and agriculture.

Question 4

What role did griots play in West African society?

Answer 4

Griots were oral historians, storytellers, and musicians who preserved and shared history, genealogy, and cultural traditions.

Question 5

What forms of currency were used in West Africa before European contact?

Answer 5

Gold dust, iron bars, cloth strips, cowrie shells, and copper were all used as forms of currency.