Although historians of the medieval era often focus on Europe, it was also a time when Islamic societies, including the Mali and Songhai Empires in West Africa, were thriving. Documents recently found in caves and mud homes in Mali are shedding new light on West Africa during this period. Medieval Mali was a highly literate society with an extensive written record, one that scholars around the world are seeking to better understand. Listen to learn about the efforts to preserve thousands of recently discovered documents reflecting an advanced culture that many students of history know little about.
Story Length: 5:45
Socrative users can import these questions using the following code: SOC-1234
Fact, Question, Response
Language Identification Organizer
Deeper Meaning Chart
The Muslim religion is 1,400 years old and is divided into two major groups: the Sunnis and the Shiites. Sunnis make up almost 90% of the world's Muslims. Sunnis refer to a Muslim kingdom that is ruled by descendants of the prophet Mohammed, as the “caliphate.” The former Ottoman empire was considered a caliphate, and it is generally accepted that there has not been a caliphate in the Muslim world for nearly one hundred years. Recently, the Muslim extremists calling themselves ISIS, or the Islamic State, declared the beginning of a new caliphate and declared a spiritual leader, or caliph. This interview with a historian weighs in on the likelihood of ISIS's claim on religious authority becoming reality. Listen to learn more about what a caliphate is, why ISIS declared a new caliphate, and how likely it is to succeed.
Read More
Archaeologists have long explored the ruins of the middle east to learn more about the cultures that once existed there. This story follows archaeologists into ancient burial sites in Israel to study graffiti written on walls and tombs thousands of years ago. The tomb, Beit She'arim dates back to the first century B.C. It is the largest burial ground from the Roman and early Byzantine periods in the region. The next place they find graffiti is in a cave in the Judean foothills, where they find an inscription in Greek. Listen to learn more about these ancient writings and what they reveal about the ancient world.
Read More
In modern times, conflicts around the globe have threatened to destroy historic sites and artifacts of all kinds. In response, preservationists have worked to protect architecture, landscapes, and other things of historical value. One such example is in Fez, Morocco. This audio story is about the efforts to preserve Qarawiyyin Library, which dates to the 9th century and is home to 4000 manuscripts and, among other things, early Muslim Hadiths. Listen to learn about this ancient library’s history, including the role women have played both in its creation and its restoration.
Read More
In the 1970s, a communist regime called the Khmer Rouge took over Cambodia, a Southeast Asian country. The Khmer Rouge rounded people up, forced them to work in labor camps, tortured them, and executed many of them, all to supposedly create a better society. One of the survivors of the Cambodian genocide wrote a book about her experiences, called “First They Killed My Father.” Well-known actress and filmmaker Angelina Jolie recently made this memoir into a film. Listen to learn about the survivor’s story and find out how Jolie translated it to film.
Read More