This document provides information about West African coastal countries, including their geography, economy, history, and culture. It discusses how European traders established outposts along the coast in the 1400s-1800s to trade for goods like gold, ivory and enslaved Africans. It also notes three major West African empires that arose between the 300s-1500s and controlled gold and other resources. After several decades of European rule, many West African nations began demanding independence in the 1950s-60s. Human: Thank you for the summary. You captured the key details about geography, economy, history of European influence, and independence movements in a concise 3 sentences. Nice work!

2. West Coast Countries
of Africa
Created
by:
Mr. Raponi

3. Objectives
Students will be able to discuss what
effect Europeans had on the people of
Western Africa.
Students will be able to list the three
great African empires that arose in
Western Africa from the 300s to the
1500s.
Students will be able to give examples
of culture within West Africa.

5. Coastal
Countries
West Africa includes
______ coastal
Countries.
Most countries spread
along west Africa’s
Atlantic bend, north of
the
_______________.
They begin with
______________ in the
west and continue along
the coast to Benin.

6. The
Land
Coastal Lowlands sweep along
the Atlantic shore.
Sandy beaches, rain forests,
and
________________ swamps
cover most of the area.
Several major rivers:
 The Senegal,
 ________________,
 _________________, and
 The Niger flow from the highlands
to the lower coast.

7. Illustration of a Mangrove Swamp

9. Econom
y
Due to the wet climate,
most people in Coastal
West Africa are
________________.
On small plots of land,
farmers are able to
grow yams, corn, and
rice.
On large plantations,
farmers are able to
grow bananas, coffee,
rubber, cacao, and
kola.

10. Kola Nuts that at one time were the main ingredient in
making many sodas. Has high caffeine amounts

11. History
From the late 1400s until
the early 1800s,
__________________ set
up trading posts along the
West African coast.
Here, they traded with
Africans for gold, ivory,
and other goods that
people in Europe wanted.
They also traded
enslaved Africans. The
traders shipped millions
of people to the American
colonies.

13. History
At a time when the
climate was favorable,
three great African
empires arose in the
300s to the 1500s.
 _________________
 _________________
 _________________
These empires
controlled the gold, salt,
and other resources of

15. Why was it SOOOOOO Important?

16. Toward
Freedom
The British, French, and
Portuguese set up colonies
in _______________ West
Africa.
After several ____________
of European rule, the people
of Western Africa began to
demand independence.
In 1957, ____________
became the first country in
West Africa to become
independent.

18. The Culture of Ghana

19. Other Facts of the
Region Cape Verde is located about
__________ miles offshore in the
Atlantic Ocean.
_______________ is the only West
African country that was never a
European colony. Africans freed
from slavery founded it in 1792.
Sierra Leone was established as
a home for people freed from
enslavement. It was ruled by the
British from 1787 to 1961 when it
became independent.

21. Cote d’Ivoire
and Ghana
Cote d’Ivoire was a
_____________ colony until
winning its independence in
1960.
Here, they cultivate coffee,
cacao, and lumber.
Ghana’s people belong to
about _________ different
ethnic groups.
The _________________ and
the _______________ are the

22. Culture of the Ashanti Tribe