Songhai, Askia Muhammad & Timbuktu
Students investigate how Askia Muhammad used Islamic law and learning to strengthen the Songhai Empire, and how cities like Timbuktu became centers of scholarship as valuable as gold.
Activities, Instructions & XP
Resources
Warm-Up: A City of Books & Learning
Before exploring the rise of Songhai, use headings and images from Issue 09 to infer why Timbuktu became famous.
Activity 1: Timbuktu – Books as Valuable as Gold
Timbuktu was more than a dot on a map. By focusing on mosques, scholars, and the book trade, you see how learning helped Songhai gain respect across West Africa and the Islamic world.
- Re-read the parts of Issue 09 that describe Timbuktu and its scholars, scribes, and students.
- Collect details about schools, mosques, books, and trade routes.
- Use the sentence builder to write a 4-sentence explanation (location → learning → books/trade → impact).
- Make sure someone new to the topic could understand why people traveled to Timbuktu.
Draft each sentence in the accordions below. Then use Generate to combine them into one paragraph.
Paragraph Builder – Timbuktu’s Importance
Generate updates the paragraph. Revise updates the four sentence accordions from your edited paragraph (first four sentences).
Activity 2: Askia Muhammad & Islamic Law Mini-Analysis
Askia Muhammad reshaped Songhai’s government using Islamic judges and learning. Use the sections below to build a strong paragraph.
- Re-read the sections describing Askia Muhammad’s reforms: Islamic judges, government organization, support for learning.
- Use the accordions to plan a 5-part response.
- Press Generate to combine your ideas, then Submit to send your work.
