Lesson: Medieval Mali
Year: 7 | Subject: History | Time Allocation: 100%
Class/Set: ____________ Date/Term: ____________
LO (WALT): To explain how the Empire of Mali became one of the wealthiest and most influential civilisations of the medieval world.
Success Criteria (WILF):
- I can locate the Empire of Mali on a map and identify its key natural resources.
- I can explain the mechanics of the Trans-Saharan trade route using the gold-salt exchange.
- I can analyse the impact of Mansa Musa’s pilgrimage to Mecca on Mali’s international reputation.
1. Starter (15%)
- Display: Show the 1375 'Catalan Atlas' depiction of Mansa Musa seated on a throne, holding a large gold nugget.
- Observe: Ask students to identify three symbols of power in the image (e.g., the crown, the orb/nugget, the throne).
- Question: Prompt students to consider: "If this map was made in Europe, what does it tell us about how famous Mali was in the 14th century?"
- Discuss: Briefly establish that Mali was not an isolated kingdom but a global superpower of its time.
2. Main Activity (70%)
Teacher Input:
- Locate: Use a digital map to show the Niger River and the vastness of the Sahara Desert, highlighting Mali’s position as a 'middle-man' between North African salt mines and West African gold fields.
- Explain: Outline the "Silent Trade" system. Explain that salt was as valuable as gold because it was essential for preserving food and maintaining health in hot climates.
- Narrate: Describe the 1324 pilgrimage (Hajj) of Mansa Musa. Highlight that he travelled with 60,000 men and so much gold that he caused mass inflation in Cairo by giving it away.
- Model: Demonstrate a PEEL (Point, Evidence, Explanation, Link) paragraph on the board.
- Point: Mali’s wealth came from controlling trade.
- Evidence: They taxed every load of salt and gold that entered or left their borders.
- Explanation: This meant the King (Mansa) became incredibly rich without having to mine the gold himself.
Student Task:
- Label: On a provided map of Africa, students must mark the Niger River, the city of Timbuktu, and draw the Trans-Saharan trade routes.
- Task A (Analysis): Complete a PEEL paragraph answering: "Why was control of the Trans-Saharan trade routes the main reason for Mali’s prosperity?"
- Task B (Evaluation): Write a 50-word 'Official Proclamation' from Mansa Musa to the people of Cairo, explaining why he is visiting and what he intends to do with his gold.
- Support: Provide a 'Tier 3' vocabulary bank: Commodity, Pilgrimage, Inflation, Sovereign, Caravansary, Prosperous.
3. Plenary (15%)
- Check: Use a 'Hinge Question' to assess understanding of Mali's cultural significance.
Which of the following best explains why Timbuktu became a world-famous city?
a) ☐ It was the only place in the world where you could find salt.
b) ☐ It was a centre of Islamic learning, housing thousands of rare manuscripts and universities.
c) ☐ It was built entirely out of solid gold blocks to impress European explorers.
d) ☐ It was the capital city where Mansa Musa lived for his entire life.
- Consolidate: Ask students to share their Task B 'Proclamations' to check for historical empathy and factual accuracy regarding the Hajj.
4. Resources
- Image of the Catalan Atlas (1375).
- Outline maps of Africa and the Sahara.
- PEEL paragraph writing frames.
- Tier 3 Keyword bank.
⚠ TEACHER’S GUIDANCE
Pedagogical Opportunities 💡
- Challenging Misconceptions: Many Year 7 students may enter the lesson with a 'Eurocentric' view of the Middle Ages (knights, castles, etc.). Ensure you explicitly compare the wealth of Mansa Musa (estimated at $400 billion in modern terms) to contemporary European monarchs to provide scale.
- Oracy Focus: During the 'Silent Trade' explanation, have two students 'act out' the trade without speaking—placing an item, beating a drum, and retreating. This helps EAL/SEND learners grasp the concept of trust in trade.
- Literacy Scaffold: For Task A, provide the 'Point' and 'Evidence' for lower-ability students, allowing them to focus on the 'Explanation' (the 'why').
Answer Key & Mirror-Labeling 🔑
- Task A Answer: A successful PEEL paragraph should identify that Mali sat between the source of salt (North) and gold (South). By taxing these commodities, the Empire secured a consistent and massive income, which funded the army and the building of mosques/universities.
- Task B Answer: Proclamations should mention the Hajj (religious duty), the generosity of the King, and the display of Mali's power. Correct answers will avoid saying he wanted to 'buy' Egypt, focusing instead on his journey to Mecca.
- Plenary Answer: The correct answer is b) ☐. While trade brought the money, Timbuktu’s specific fame was as a 'City of Letters' and scholarship.