Assessment The map shows the continent of Africa, bordered by the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, the Mediterranean Sea, Arabia, and southern Europe. From west to east along a belt of land just south of the Sahara Desert is a line of ancient kingdoms. The three westernmost are Mali, Ghana, and Songhai, in that order, with the border of one kingdom touching the border of the next one. Cities are marked with dots, with numerous trade routes crossing the continent, most of them passing through cities. The city in Ghana is Kumbi Saleh. From Kumbi Saleh, a trade route goes north to the cities of Marrakech and Fez in Morocco, and east to Timbuktu and Gao in Songhai. In turn, trade routes go from those cities to other ones.© 2012 The Exploration Company
Civilizations do not just happen. They grow, like families and friendships, from among the people who live in them. The kingdoms of East, Central, and South Africa comprised a variety of African peoples as well as Arabs, Persians, and Indians who came to trade. Each society had its own hierarchy, or social structure.

Imagine you have just completed a trip through the early kingdoms and city-states of East, Central, and South Africa. Your family and friends ask you about the trip. Your task is to give them an oral history of your experience.

You may choose to write your account, record it, or make a video. Remember, your family and friends will share your story and pass it on to future generations, like oral historians in Africa. Make it fascinating! No one wants to hear a boring story.

Tell the most significant or important things you saw or learned about kingdoms or city-states in each region. Be sure to do the following as you complete this assessment:

identify at least one kingdom or city-state that you visited from each region—East, Central, and South
Eastern Africa Central Africa Southern Africa
Meroe
Funj
Axum
Ethiopia
Oromo
Swahili

Bunyoro-Kitara
Kongo

Great Zimbabwe
Mwenamutapa
Lunda
Luba

explain at least one important political, one social, and one economic feature you observed in each of the three places you visited
write or speak with a natural narrative voice, as if telling a story to a friend
use complete sentences to express your ideas, and make sure that your explanations are thorough by providing details from the lesson
write at least three paragraphs total, one for each kingdom or city-state (with at least five complete sentences per paragraph)
You may choose a Web 2.0 tool to create your oral history. Visit the Web 2.0 tools area of the course for additional ideas and resources.