TOPIC 1.5 The Sudanic Empires

The Niger River Trail Game: Adventures in Mali

LO 1.5.A - Explain how the influence of gold and trade shaped the political, economic, and religious development of the ancient West African empires of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai.

Objective: Students will enhance their knowledge of West African geography and be able to explain the causes of the rise of Mali’s empire and the impact of trade on the culture of Sudanic civilization.

Notes

This course has a lot of heavy and impactful moments. This lesson is designed to be engaging, but a little more light-hearted and fun. I created this two day simulation to be loosely based on the concept of the old computer game "The Oregon Trail."  Students will become diplomats for Mansa Musa and travel down the Niger River from the capital of Niani, north to Timbuktu, and then into the uncharted waters of southern West Africa.  Students will engage with all the essential knowledge for Mali from AP African American Studies 1.5 unit. In part two, students will also learn a few facts about the civilizations of Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba.  Students will have to keep track of their supplies and avoid malaria and hippo attacks and also use their diplomatic skills to avoid rebellion in Gao. Can students entice the fiercely independent Hausa and Igbo to agree to submit to the Mansa's rule? Will they live to unite all of West Africa? Or will your path end on a lonely deserted trail in the Sahara?  Though we are having fun, remind them that they need to read the slides in order to be able to continue the journey. There are a few primary sources that they have to read and answer questions about or else they will get stuck!

Students will need:

• access to the slides presentation

• the printed handouts: Map (1 sided) Hunting Chart (1 sided) Supply Journal (Back to back Staple)

• dice

Bonus Fun:

I make some (budget/oversimplified) “Tuareg tea” for the journey. I have a cheap electric kettle in my room and I throw in some mint tea and green tea bags and bring in a few sugar packets. I tell them to come get some tea when they meet the generous Tuareg man (slide #35) on their journey North to Araouane. I also have an album by Grammy-winning Tuareg rock band Tinariwen playing throughout the class.

Answer Key: 

At slide #26 and slide #43, before students leave Timbuktu and then again on their way to Gao, students are stopped to answer a question.  I actually don’t have them write the answer down on paper, I have them raise their hand and I respond verbally to me. If they can’t answer, they need to go back and look through the slides and find the source information. If they raise their hand and then cannot respond to the question, I give them a 1 week extra penalty on their journey.

Slide #26 - Question #1 : Explain one specific way that Islam impacted the culture of the people of West Africa.
Possible responses: 

• Written language of Arabic

• Connection to great trade routes of the Islamic world 

• Creation of the madrasah (university)  in Timbuktu 

Slide #26 - Question #2: Explain one specific way that the people of West Africa continued to practice their traditional culture despite Islamic influence. 

Possible responses: (these are things that surprise Islamic scholar and visiter Ibn Battuta)  

• Non related men and women are friends and hangout at each other's houses

• Women have more social mobility and are not veiled. 

• Men and women are in the streets together singing and dancing at 1 am 

Slide #43 - Name one reason why Mansa Musa’s military was so powerful:

Possible responses:

• Access to crossbred powerful North African horses

• Ability to purchase steel weapons which contributed to the ability to extend power over neighboring groups.

• Strategic location at the nexus of multiple trade routes

Notes: 

I allow students to choose groups of 2 to 3.  

I usually give students a choice if they want to play day 2 or not. I find that 100% of students enjoy playing the game on day one, and 80% of students enjoy playing the game on day 2, therefore I give the option to learn about Hausa/Igbo/Yoruba through the game or more traditional textbook work.  (Enticing to my students: if you play today, you might just get to meet the inspiration for Beyonce’s stage costumes!)