Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Kingdom of Ife: Sculptures From West Africa
Ife ( pronounced ee-feh) is today regarded as the spiritual heartland of the Yoruba people living in Nigeria, the Republic of Benin and their many descendants around the world. It is rightly regarded as the birthplace of some of the...
Understanding Slavery Initiative
Understanding Slavery Initiative: Africa Before Transatlantic Enslavement
The history of West Africa provides a context for learning about the transatlantic slave trade. Discover the rich cultural traditions and economic networks that existed in the West African empires such as Ghana, Mali, and Songhay long...
Louisiana Department of Education
Louisiana Doe: Louisiana Believes: Social Studies: Grade 6: West African Kingdoms
Read and study the sources about West African Kingdoms. Then use the two sources and your knowledge of social studies to answer the questions.
BBC
Bbc World Service:the Story of Africa
The history of Africa is documented from earliest times to the present. The menu bar divides it into time periods which then divide into sub-topics; also included is a visual timeline.
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Africa Art: Ancient West African City of Benin
A photographic exhibit of art objects from Benin from the period of 1300 to 1897 C.E. Extensive commentary is given for each object. Requires Adobe Reader. [PDF]
Louisiana Department of Education
Louisiana Doe: Louisiana Believes: Grade 6 Social Studies: West African Kingdoms
Learners develop and express claims through discussions and writing which examine the impact of relationships between ideas, people, and events across time and place. To accomplish this, they recognize recurring themes and patterns in...
Library of Congress
Loc: Islamic Manuscripts From Mali
Library of Congress site features 32 Islamic manuscripts in Arabic from Timbukti, Mali, and West Africa.
Countries and Their Cultures
Countries and Their Cultures: Edo
"Edo" is the name that the people of the Benin Kingdom give to themselves, their language, and their capital city and kingdom. Renowned for their art of brass and ivory and for their complex political organization, the Edo Kingdom of...
Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation
Guggenheim Museum: Africa: Central Africa
A simple explanation of the Central Africa region of Africa, with information on the cultural history and examples of artwork.
Curated OER
Macmillan/mc Graw Hill: The World, Vol. 1: Trade & Tradition: Lesson 5 Quiz
Five question quiz tests your knowledge of trade and traditions in ancient West Africa.
National Humanities Center
National Humanities Center: Toolbox Library: Kongo, Making of African American Identity: V. 1
Eight watercolor drawings and an accompanying narrative from an Italian Catholic missionary about the peoples in the Kingdom of Kongo (present-day Angola).
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: West African Society at the Point of European Contact
Prior to European contact, western Africa's powerful kingdoms supported the arts, technology, and thriving economies. Read about the areas from which slaves were transported before the transatlantic trade began.
BBC
Bbc: The Story of Africa West African Kingdoms
The story of the Songhay Empire is discussed on this website. From its origins, to its expansion under the rule of Sonni Ali the Great, to its height in power under Mohammed Ture, and finally to the collapse of the empire - it is all...
Other
Timbuktu: The Songhai Empire
This site provides a brief explanation and picture of Timbuktu, part of the Songhai Empire.
Countries and Their Cultures
Countries and Their Cultures: Yoruba Cultural Relations
The name "Yoruba" appears to have been applied by neighbors to the Kingdom of Oyo and adopted by missionaries in the mid-nineteenth century to describe a wider, language-sharing family of peoples. These peoples have gradually accepted...