The document provides information about a lesson on pre-contact West Africa. It includes standards, objectives, assessments and essential questions that focus on examining West African society before European contact and analyzing primary sources from that time period. The lesson consists of a knowledge check, analyzing myths about Africa, examining four primary sources about kingdoms, Islam, maps and descriptions of cities, and having students write an argument comparing Africa and Europe in the 1400s.

1. Pre-Convergence: African Perspective
Standards
 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support
analysis of primary and secondary sources, connecting insights gained from
specific details to an understanding of the text as a whole.
 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.2 Determine the central ideas or information of a
primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes clear the
relationships among the key details and ideas.
 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.7 Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of
information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually,
quantitatively, as well as in words) in order to address a question or solve a
problem.
 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.9 Integrate information from diverse sources, both
primary and secondary, into a coherent understanding of an idea or event,
noting discrepancies among sources.
Objectives
 Students will examine West African society before European contact.
 Students will analyze primary sources.
 Students will construct an historical argument.
Assessments
 student OPVLs.
 written historical arguments.
Essential Questions
 What was West Africa like before European contact?
 How was it similar and different from Europe during this same time?
Key Concepts
 African kingdoms
 influence of Islam
 origin, purpose, value limitation
Agenda
 multiple choice knowledge check
 African myth-busting
 source analysis (4 sources) using OPVL format
 writing an historical argument
 identifying and busting own African myth
LessonLength
45-90 minutes

2. Africa Before 1492
Anticipatory Set(10 min): Why do you need to study Africa to understand the Age of
Exploration?
Notes for Teacher: While no African kingdoms officially set up shop in the Americas, the
New World, Europe and Africa became tightly entwined. It is not possible to understand
the development of modern Europe nor the United States without understanding the
important role Africa played.
#1: Write the following myths on the board and have students decide if each are true or
false. After students have individually answered each one, discuss as a class.
Africa is perhaps the least understood continent (that is definitely an arguable
statement!). Take a look at each of the myths below, and decide if they are true or not.
Just because something is a myth doesn’t mean it is not true!
MYTH #1: Africa is a country.
(correct answer: false; Points of discussion: So often, we talk about "Africa" as if it is
one unified place, like a country. This is quite untrue. Putting aside modern country
borders, there are hundreds of different ethnic groups and languages throughout the
continent. Plus, Africa is really big. This is important to remember when looking at
African history, particularly around this time period. For example, the impact of the
introduction of the slave trade was significantly different in West Africa than in East
Africa.)
MYTH #2: All Africans ended up as part of the slave trade.
(correct answer: true; Points of discussion: Slavery was a part of life throughout the
African continent before Europeans ever got in the game. And, while all areas eventually
were touched by the Atlantic slave trade, West Africa was its prime target. East African
slavery primarily involved the Middle East, and South African slavery did not become
established until the middle 17th century.)
MYTH #3: Africa was essentially disorganized and less developed than Europe at the
time of contact.
(correct answer: false; Points of discussion: This is quite untrue. Politically complex,
financially wealthy and socially advanced kingdoms had risen and fallen and risen again
by the time the Europeans established a real foothold in Africa. While the strongest
kingdoms had declined by the late 1400s, their social and political legacy still influenced
the structure of African societies, most notably in the kingdom of Songhay.)
GUIDING HISTORICAL QUESTION: Compare and contrast Africa and Europe in the
1400s.

3. (Note: for this lesson, students will have previously completed a lesson on Europe during
the 1400s)
Procedures:
1. Organize students into groups of 2-3.
2. Provide each student with a set of the primary sources and guidelines for source
analysis: Origin, Purpose, Value, Limitation
3. Students will work in small groups to examine the sources and analyze them. (25 min)
4. Re-convene as a whole class and have students discuss as a class.
5. Exit Slip: Have each student write a one sentence comparison between Africa and
Europe based on one of the sources. They should list the source they are using.
Resources:
Artifact Analysis #1
This is a 15th century sculpture from an island in the Niger River in Nigeria.
Bowman (detai), Jebba Island, ca. 14th-15th century, copper alloy
Photo by Karin L. Willis Courtesy of Museum for African Art/Fundación Marcelino
Botín/© National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Nigeria
0

4. Artifact Analysis #2
This is the Djingarey Ber, the oldest mosque in Timbuktu in Mali. King Mansa
Musa paid an architect 200 kilograms of gold to design it, and it was completed in
1327. (emilio labrador/Flickr)
Artifact Analysis #3

5. This is a map of the various kingdoms in Africa beginning in the 9th century and
ending in the 16th century. Exploring Africa, Montana State University

6. Artifact Analysis #4
Howbeit there is a most stately temple to be seene, the wals whereof are made
of stone and lime; and a princely palace also built by a most excellent workeman
of Granada. Here are many shops of artificers, and merchants, and especially of
such as weaue linen and cotton cloth. And hither do the Barbarie merchants
bring cloth of Europe. All the women of the region except maidservants go with
their faces couered, and sell all necessarie victuals. The inhabitants, & especially
strangers there residing, are exceeding rich, insomuch that the king that now is,
maried both his daughters vnto two rich merchants. Here are many wels,
containing most sweete water; and so often as the riuer Niger overfloweth, they
conueigh the ater thereof by certaine sluces into the towne. Corne (sorghun),
cattle, milke, and butter this region yeeldeth in great abundance: but salk it verie
scarce heere; for it is brought hither by land from Tagaza, which is fiue humdred
miles distant. When I myselfe was here, I saw one camel loade of salt sold for 80
ducates. The rich king of Tombuto (Timbuktu) hath many plates and scepters of
gold, some of ehreof weigh 1300 poindes; … He hath alwaies three thousand
horsemen, and a great number of footmen that shoot poysoned arrowes,
attending upon him. …Here are great store of doctors, judges, priests and other
learned men, that are bountifully maintained at the kings cost and charges. And
hither are brought diuers manuscripts or written bookes out of Barbarie, which
are sold for more money than any othe merchandize…
Leo Africanus, an Arab traveler visited Timbuktu in the Kingdom of Songhay early
in the 1500s and left this description of that city.Boston University African Studies
Center
EXTENSION ACTIVITY:
Write down a myth you have about Africa before European contact. This just needs
to be something you think to be true, but you do not have evidence supporting it.
Then research your myth to figure out the truth.