ACTIVITY: Contextualization - Mansa Musa

An incredibly wealthy ruler, Mansa Musa both shaped and was shaped by historical circumstances. In this activity, you’ll examine Mansa Musa and his world.

Complete the activity online

You can complete this activity on your device by following this link. Make a copy of the Google doc so that you can fill out the activity. Navigate to “File” in the menu bar and select “Make a copy.” Then, use that copy to complete the activity.

You'll also want to keep this video handy: Mansa Musa and Islam in Africa.

Download or print the activity

You can also download a printable PDF of this activity at this link.

You have been introduced to the historical thinking practice of contextualization, and now you’ll deepen your understanding of this practice by considering the conditions that existed that allowed Mansa Musa to embark on a 3,000-mile journey in the fourteenth century. This will help you learn that context may not just be about the events of the historical time (a common misconception) but that context can involve other factors and underlying causes.

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