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Unit notes and practice questions

Grade 9 History unit 5

Everything here is for unit 5 of the Grade 9 History textbook: what the chapter covers, the short notes, practice questions with their answers, and the lesson video where one exists.

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2
Cards
10
Practice questions on unit 5
85–104
The textbook pages for unit 5

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The Temari lesson on unit 5

A short video lesson on this chapter, made by Temari. It loads only when you press play.

Southern Africa: the Shona, the Khoi-Khoi and the San · 4 min · 2 past exam questions worked through

Parts of the lesson

Tap a part to play the lesson from there.

What unit 5 covers

  1. 1.Languages and Peoples of Africa
  2. 2.States in North Africa
  3. 3.Spread of Islam and its Impact in West Africa
  4. 4.States in Western Africa
  5. 5.Equatorial, Central and Eastern Africa
  6. 6.Southern Africa
  7. 7.Africa's Intra and Inter-continental Relations
  8. 8.Trans-Saharan trade
  9. 9.Early Contacts with the Outside World

Short notes for unit 5

The cards filed under this chapter on the Grade 9 History page. Open one at a time.

Super-FamilyMajor SubgroupsGeographic Region and Key Notes
Niger-Congo (Congo-Kordofanian)Niger-Congo, Kordofanian (Bantu branch includes over 450 languages like Kiswahili)Largest number of speakers: West Africa and sub-Saharan Bantu Africa: Kordofanian in Nuba hills
Afro-AsiaticBerber, Chadic, Coptic (Ancient Egyptian), Cushitic, Omotic, SemiticSecond largest: North Africa, Sahara, Horn of Africa, Lake Chad: Omotic spoken only in Ethiopia
Nilo-SaharanChari-Nile, Songhay, Saharan, Meban, Koman, FurThird largest in speakers: scattered across north-central and eastern Africa
KhoisanKhoikhoi, SanCharacterised by clicking sounds: spoken in and around the Kalahari Desert (Botswana, Namibia, South Africa)

When you use it

Use when identifying the linguistic classification, branches, or geographical distributions of African language families.

Watch out

Do not classify Omotic outside Ethiopia: it is spoken exclusively within Ethiopia. Kiswahili belongs to the Bantu branch of Niger-Congo, not Afro-Asiatic.

Drafted from Grade 9 History, pages 85-104, then checked twice before it went up

Empire or StateFounders / Notable RulersCapital and Economic BaseFactor of Decline or Fall
Ghana (4th c. to 1076 AD)Soninke peopleKumbi Saleh: trans-Saharan gold and salt tradeInvaded and captured by the Almoravids in 1076
Mali (1235 to 15th c.)Sundiata Keita, Mansa Musa (r. 1312 to 1337)Timbuktu: Islamic learning centre and trans-Saharan tradeInefficient leadership and external attacks by the Tuareg
Songhai (14th c. to 1591)Songhai people (kings accepted Islam in 11th c.)Gao: trans-Saharan trade and forest goldMoroccan invasion using firearms at the Battle of Tondibi in 1591
Kanem-BornuMuslim ruling dynastyGrassland trade routes: taxes and protection of caravansTrade routes shifted from inland routes to the Atlantic coast
Hausa States (1000 to 1200 AD)Pastoralists and farmers (Kano, Katsina, Zazzau)Walled Kano: agriculture, crafts, leather, textiles, tradeGradual political shifts and regional power struggles

When you use it

Use when comparing the timeline, economic foundation, capitals, and collapse of West African trading empires.

Watch out

Songhai fell specifically to Moroccan forces at the Battle of Tondibi in 1591, whereas Ghana fell to the Almoravid invasion in 1076.

Drafted from Grade 9 History, pages 85-104, then checked twice before it went up

Practice questions on unit 5

10 multiple-choice questions written against this chapter, each with its answer and the reason. Try one before you open the answer.

Question 1

Which sub-family of the Afro-Asiatic language super-family is spoken only in Ethiopia?

  1. A.Berber
  2. B.Cushitic
  3. C.Omotic
  4. D.Semitic
Show the answer and why

Answer: C Omotic

Why

According to the textbook, the Omotic sub-family of the Afro-Asiatic super-family is spoken only in Ethiopia.

Question 2

Who was the founder of the Mali Empire?

  1. A.Sundiata Keita
  2. B.Mansa Musa
  3. C.King Susenyos
  4. D.Muhammed Ali
Show the answer and why

Answer: A Sundiata Keita

Why

Sundiata Keita founded the Mali Empire of the Mandinka people after the fall of Ancient Ghana.

Question 3

The name Zimbabwe comes from a Shona word that means:

  1. A.Coastal traders
  2. B.Stone houses
  3. C.Gold mines
  4. D.Great warriors
Show the answer and why

Answer: B Stone houses

Why

The textbook states that Zimbabwe's namesake is a Shona (Bantu) word meaning stone houses.

Question 4

Where was the capital city of the Funj Sultanate established in 1504?

  1. A.Gao
  2. B.Kumbi Saleh
  3. C.Sennar
  4. D.Sofala
Show the answer and why

Answer: C Sennar

Why

The Funj Sultanate was established in 1504 in present-day Republic of Sudan with its capital at Sennar.

Question 5

Which language super-family has the largest number of speakers in Africa?

  1. A.Khoisan
  2. B.Nilo-Saharan
  3. C.Niger-Congo (Congo-Kordofanian)
  4. D.Afro-Asiatic
Show the answer and why

Answer: C Niger-Congo (Congo-Kordofanian)

Why

Based on rough estimates, the Niger-Congo (Congo-Kordofanian) super-family has the most significant number of speakers, followed by Afro-Asiatic.

Question 6

Which Ethiopian ruler attempted to establish smooth diplomatic relations with Mamluk Egypt between 1434 and 1468?

  1. A.Zara Yacob
  2. B.Susenyos
  3. C.Ezana
  4. D.Lalibela
Show the answer and why

Answer: A Zara Yacob

Why

Ethiopian ruler Zara Yacob (r. 1434-1468) tried to create smooth relations with Mamluk Egypt, although the good relations were short-lived.

Question 7

Ancient Ghana came to an end in 1076 after its capital, Kumbi Saleh, was captured by the:

  1. A.Ottoman Turks
  2. B.Almoravids
  3. C.Portuguese
  4. D.Tuaregs
Show the answer and why

Answer: B Almoravids

Why

Ancient Ghana ended in 1076 when the Islamic Empire of the Almoravids invaded and captured the capital, Kumbi Saleh.

Question 8

In 1505, the Portuguese built a trading fort at which coastal port to exploit the East African gold and ivory trade?

  1. A.Sofala
  2. B.Mogadishu
  3. C.Malindi
  4. D.Timbuktu
Show the answer and why

Answer: A Sofala

Why

Attracted by the East African gold and ivory trade, the Portuguese established a trading fort at Sofala in 1505.

Question 9

From which neighbouring kingdom did Islam spread into the Hausa city-states?

  1. A.Kongo
  2. B.Kanem-Bornu
  3. C.Great Zimbabwe
  4. D.Mamluk Egypt
Show the answer and why

Answer: B Kanem-Bornu

Why

The textbook specifically mentions that Islam spread to Hausa land from Kanem-Bornu.

Question 10

Around 1000 AD, what major economic shift took place among the Khoi-Khoi people?

  1. A.They shifted from hunting to sheep and cattle breeding.
  2. B.They abandoned farming to become coastal fishermen.
  3. C.They shifted from pastoralism to large-scale gold mining.
  4. D.They abandoned animal breeding to live only by gathering wild plants.
Show the answer and why

Answer: A They shifted from hunting to sheep and cattle breeding.

Why

The Khoi-Khoi were initially hunters, but starting around 1000 AD, they changed their way of life to breeding sheep and cattle.

The app holds 12 questions on this unit, marked as you go. These are the first 10.

The textbook pages for unit 5

Unit 5 runs from page 85 to page 104 of the Ministry of Education edition.

Ministry of Education edition, English, 217 pages

Download the PDF

All Grade 9 History short notes

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