I. Activating Prior Knowledge
Have you ever been on a trip to a strange place? What kinds of things did you see and do? Did you keep a journal of your experience? These experiences make us more aware of the world and the people around us.
II. Setting A Purpose for Reading
Between 800 and 1076, the kingdom of Ghana was rich and powerful. It controlled the trans-Saharan gold and salt trade. This document contains two excerpts from Arab scholar Al-Bakri in 1067. The excerpts describe the king’s court in ancient Ghana as well as an explanation for Ghana’s wealth.
III. Reading the Text (Read, Re-Read, and Read Again)
Excerpt One:
"The court of appeal is held in a domed pavilion around which stand ten horses with gold embroidered trappings. Behind the king stand ten pages holding shields and swords decorated with gold, and on his right are the sons of the subordinate kings of his country, all wearing splendid garments and with their hair mixed with gold. The governor of the city sits on the ground before the king, and around him are ministers seated likewise. At the door of the pavilion are dogs…[wearing] collars of gold and silver, studded with a number of balls of the same metals."
Stop! What was the author trying to convey?
Excerpt Two: (Note: This excerpt is a secondary source entitled, Through African Eyes.)
"The Arab traders of this region wanted gold as much as the Wangara wanted salt, but both had to pass through Ghana to trade … Ghana controlled the land …. [and] it had the military forces … to maintain peace in the area, thereby assuring safe trade for the Arabs and the Wangara.
Ancient Ghana was an extremely complex empire. It possessed many of the characteristics of powerful nations today: wealth based on trade, sufficient food to feed its people, income derived from taxes, social organization that ensured justice and efficient political control, a strong army equipped with advanced weapons, and a foreign policy that led to peace and cooperation with other people."
Stop! Based on the article, what were three reasons why Ghana’s empire was successful?
Works Cited
Noonan, Theresa C. Document-Based Assessment for Global History. Portland: J. Weston Walch, 2007.
IV. Personal Reflection - Respond to the following questions.
1. What evidence of wealth did Al-Bakri describe?
2. Based on the two articles, what evidence of an advanced political structure did Al-Bakri describe?
3. How do we know that the Ghana empire was an advanced civilization?
V. Peer Reflection - Read three classmates' responses and respond to what they have written.
Have you ever been on a trip to a strange place? What kinds of things did you see and do? Did you keep a journal of your experience? These experiences make us more aware of the world and the people around us.
II. Setting A Purpose for Reading
Between 800 and 1076, the kingdom of Ghana was rich and powerful. It controlled the trans-Saharan gold and salt trade. This document contains two excerpts from Arab scholar Al-Bakri in 1067. The excerpts describe the king’s court in ancient Ghana as well as an explanation for Ghana’s wealth.
III. Reading the Text (Read, Re-Read, and Read Again)
Excerpt One:
"The court of appeal is held in a domed pavilion around which stand ten horses with gold embroidered trappings. Behind the king stand ten pages holding shields and swords decorated with gold, and on his right are the sons of the subordinate kings of his country, all wearing splendid garments and with their hair mixed with gold. The governor of the city sits on the ground before the king, and around him are ministers seated likewise. At the door of the pavilion are dogs…[wearing] collars of gold and silver, studded with a number of balls of the same metals."
Stop! What was the author trying to convey?
Excerpt Two: (Note: This excerpt is a secondary source entitled, Through African Eyes.)
"The Arab traders of this region wanted gold as much as the Wangara wanted salt, but both had to pass through Ghana to trade … Ghana controlled the land …. [and] it had the military forces … to maintain peace in the area, thereby assuring safe trade for the Arabs and the Wangara.
Ancient Ghana was an extremely complex empire. It possessed many of the characteristics of powerful nations today: wealth based on trade, sufficient food to feed its people, income derived from taxes, social organization that ensured justice and efficient political control, a strong army equipped with advanced weapons, and a foreign policy that led to peace and cooperation with other people."
Stop! Based on the article, what were three reasons why Ghana’s empire was successful?
Works Cited
Noonan, Theresa C. Document-Based Assessment for Global History. Portland: J. Weston Walch, 2007.
IV. Personal Reflection - Respond to the following questions.
1. What evidence of wealth did Al-Bakri describe?
2. Based on the two articles, what evidence of an advanced political structure did Al-Bakri describe?
3. How do we know that the Ghana empire was an advanced civilization?
V. Peer Reflection - Read three classmates' responses and respond to what they have written.
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