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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090813214816im_/http://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson_images/lesson499/NW_AfricaMap.jpg)
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1743 French Map of Northwest Africa, depicting the areas covered in this curriculum unit.
Courtesy of American Memory at the Library of Congress.
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Subject Areas |
Art and Culture
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Anthropology |
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Architecture |
History and Social Studies
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World History - Africa |
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World History - Ancient World |
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World History - Asia/Far East |
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Time Required |
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Activity 1: 2 class periods (1 for lesson; 1 for assessment)
Activity 2: 2 class periods
Activity 3: 2 class periods
Activity 4: 2 class periods
Activity 5: 2 class periods
Activity 6: 2 class periods
Activity 7: 2 class periods
Activity 8: indeterminate
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Skills |
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Map skills
Observation and description
Historical interpretation and analysis
Critical Thinking
Information gathering
Visual analysis
Communication
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Additional Data |
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Date Created: 10/16/03
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Trekking to Timbuktu—Student Version
Curriculum Unit Overview—Student Version
Salt comes from the north, gold from the south, and silver from
the country of the white men, but the word of God and the treasures of wisdom
are only to be found in Timbuktu.
—An old West African proverb
Introduction:
For many people, Timbuktu is a metaphor for the mysterious, the remote, or the
unobtainable. But the Malian city of Timbuktu was, in fact, once a thriving center
of commerce and intellectual activity. Situated along the Niger River on the edge
of the Sahara Desert, it was a crossroads of trade routes stretching as far away
as Cairo. At its peak in the 16th century, its universities drew scholars from
many great cities of the Islamic world. Today, Timbuktu is but a shadow of its
former glory, its ancient mosques and precious manuscripts threatened by desert
sands and other factors, environmental and manmade. Fortunately, steps are being
taken to preserve the city's fabulous past.
You are on assignment from the popular travel adventure show, Globe Trekker,
to scout out a place for a future episode. Your orders are to go "all the way
to Timbuktu" to find out why anyone would want to go there and to discover the
mysteries, intrigue, and realities of life in this remote part of the world.
Making use of special investigative equipment, several ingenious disguises,
and the ability to travel backwards in time, you will learn about the geography,
history, and unique features of Timbuktu and the surrounding area. Your ultimate
task is to make a detailed and convincing presentation to the executive producers
of Globe Trekker, explaining why Timbuktu is the perfect place for the next
televised adventure.
Here are some questions you'll need to consider for your report:
Where is Timbuktu?
What is the geographical landscape of Mali? How did trade develop in ancient
West Africa?
How did the spread of Islam influence the development of cultures in Mali?
What were the origins of Timbuktu?
What kingdoms flourished in this region in earlier times? How did Timbuktu
become a center of commerce?
Why did it become a center of Islamic scholarship and culture?
What caused the decline of Timbuktu, and how was it "rediscovered" by Europeans?
What problems does the ancient city face today, and what is being done about
them?
In order to build a solid case for a Globe Trekker adventure in Timbuktu,
you will have to be able to:
- Describe the geography of Timbuktu and the surrounding region of Mali
- Explain how the local people made a living in earlier times
- Discuss the influence of Islam upon the local cultures
- Describe the three kingdoms that flourished in the region in ancient and medieval times
- Explain the origin of Timbuktu
- Relate how the city became an important center of trade
- Explain how the city became a center of Islamic scholarship and culture
- Discuss the reasons for the city's decline - and "rediscovery"
- Describe the environmental threats to the ancient mosques and manuscripts
- Discuss efforts being made to preserve the city's ancient past
As you prepare for your trip, you might want to visit the following websites for some general information about the history of Timbuktu:
You're about to set off for the wilds of West Africa! Better start thinking about what to put in your backpack. Make sure you've got some maps and your camera—and, of course, your notebook. And better bring a compass and some binoculars, too.
Here's a list of topics you'll need to cover in your presentation:
Selected EDSITEment Websites
African Studies WWW [http://www.sas.upenn.edu/African_Studies/AS.html]
Internet Public Library [http://www.ipl.org]
Labyrinth [http://www.georgetown.edu/labyrinth/]
National Geographic Xpeditions
Other Information
Standards Alignment
- NCSS-1
Culture and cultural diversity. more
- NCSS-2
Time, continuity, and change. The ways human beings view themselves in and over time. more
- NCSS-3
People, places, and environments. more
- NCSS-4
Individual development and identity. more
- NCSS-5
Individuals, groups, and institutions. more
- NCTE/IRA-12
Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information). more
- NCTE/IRA-4
Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes. more
- NCTE/IRA-7
Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and nonprint texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience. more
- NCTE/IRA-8
Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge. more
- NGS-1
How to Use Maps and Other Geographic Representations, Tools, and Technologies to Acquire, Process, and Report Information from a Spatial Perspective
- NGS-12
The Processes, Patterns, and Functions of Human Settlement
- NGS-17
How to Apply Geography to Interpret the Past
- NGS-2
How to Use Mental Maps to Organize Information About People, Places, and Environments in a Spatial Context
- NGS-3
How to Analyze the Spatial Organization of People, Places, and Environments on Earth’s Surface
- NGS-9
The Characteristics, Distribution, and Migration of Human Population on Earth’s Surface
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