A Look at West Africa through Elements of Civilization

by Arlis Groves

Photo by Arlis Groves

What is “Elements of Civilization”?

It’s a way to organize our thinking about groups of people, cultures, and civilizations.

http://www.hurstville.nsw.gov.au/IgnitionSuite/uploads/images/multicultural-hands[1].jpg

What is West Africa’s. . .Geography

Trade & EconomyTransportation

Protecting & ConservingCommunication

EducationReligion

TechnologyFine Arts & Recreation

Organizing & GovernmentShelter & Architecture

Food & Clothing

Photo by Arlis Groves

West Africa’s Geography

• How the environment & features of the earth affect boundaries of countries, and how people live.

Photo by Arlis Groves

EXAMPLES:

Temperature, mountains, snow, deserts, lakes & rivers, rainfall, Boundary lines (France, United States, Switzerland), Islands, Oceans, etc.

The country of Senegal is Africa’s western-most country. The Atlantic Ocean lies between it and the east coast of the United States.

On your chart, note your observations about West Africa’s geography

Geography Trade & Economy

Transportation Protecting & Conserving

Communication

Sandy beaches

Rocky beaches

TradeTrade and Economy

Making products to buy, sell or trade, or to provide a service.

EXAMPLES:

money, factories, stores, banks, businesses, farmer’s market, any job (farmer, teacher, state worker), bartering, and trading.

On your chart, note your observations about West Africa’s trade & economy

Geography Trade & Economy

Transportation Protecting & Conserving

Communication

Sandy beaches

Small shops on the street

Rocky beaches

Jewelry

Transportation

• A way to move people or goods from place to place.

EXAMPLES:

Roads, trains, horses, planes, foot, cars, riverboats, taxis, trucks, chariots, ferry, pack animals, etc.

On your chart, note your observations about West Africa’s transportation

Geography Trade & Economy

Transportation Protecting & Conserving

Communication

Sandy beaches

Small shops on the street

Busses

Rocky beaches

Jewelry

Protecting & Conserving

• Ways to save ideas, traditions, customs, history, the environment, and things we love.

EXAMPLES:

Family stories, books, museums, photo albums, yearbooks, diaries, holidays, heirlooms, songs, National parks, foster homes, education, clubs, armies, police, recycling, etc.

Preserving History

Preserving Culture

Protecting the Environment

Note your observations about West Africa’s protecting & conserving

Geography Trade & Economy

Transportation Protecting & Conserving

Communication

Sandy beaches

Small shops on the street

Busses museums

Rocky beaches

Jewelry

Communication

• Sharing information, ideas and feelings.

EXAMPLES:

Language (written or spoken) telegraph, telephone, cellular phone, sign language, pictographs, E-mail, newspapers, television, mail, internet, etc.

Graffiti

Storytellinghttp://www.stellulamusic.com/lib/packages/AdvancedGallery/return_image.php?id=528&size=Original

Communicate through education

Note your observations about West Africa’s communication

Geography Trade & Economy

Transportation Protecting & Conserving

Communication

Sandy beaches

Small shops on the street

Busses museums graffitiS

Rocky beaches

Jewelry

Your Task:

•Use your textbook to find examples of the remaining six elements of civilization in Middle Ages West Africa: Religion, Technology, Fine Arts & Recreation, Organizing & Government, Shelter & Architecture, Food & Clothing•Include them in your chart. •With a partner, compare your findings.•Be prepared to share them with the class.

Photo Credits:

•Photos not credited on slides are taken by, C. Carroll, A. Flanders, A. Groves, T. Heil, S. Herzman, C. Lee, Y. Matsui, S. Protheroe, S. Rogers, J. Yap, delegates of Fulbright Summer Seminar in Senegal 2010.