Which of the following was a key accomplishment of the people of Songhai?
A.
They had a strong military and became the largest empire in West Africa.
B.
They established a center of Islamic scholarship.
C.
They worked with iron and prospered from the gold-salt trade.
D.
They dominated in the trade of ivory, enslaved people, and animal skins.
The correct answer is: A. They had a strong military and became the largest empire in West Africa.
To find the correct answer, let's analyze each option:
A. They had a strong military and became the largest empire in West Africa.
B. They established a center of Islamic scholarship.
C. They worked with iron and prospered from the gold-salt trade.
D. They dominated in the trade of ivory, enslaved people, and animal skins.
To determine the key accomplishment of the people of Songhai, we need to explore the history of the Songhai Empire. The Songhai Empire was a powerful state in West Africa that existed from the 15th to the 16th century. It succeeded the Mali Empire and was known for its political, economic, and cultural achievements.
Option A states that Songhai had a strong military and became the largest empire in West Africa. While this is true, it does not capture the key accomplishment of the people of Songhai, but rather describes their expansion and the nature of their empire.
Option B states that they established a center of Islamic scholarship. This is accurate as the Songhai Empire adopted Islam and became a center of Islamic learning and scholarship, attracting scholars from different parts of the Muslim world.
Option C indicates that they worked with iron and prospered from the gold-salt trade. This is partially correct, as the Songhai Empire indeed had a thriving economy thanks to its control of the gold and salt trade. However, their involvement with iron does not specifically define their key accomplishment.
Option D suggests that they dominated the trade of ivory, enslaved people, and animal skins. While trading was indeed significant in the Songhai Empire, it does not represent their key accomplishment in terms of their achievements or contributions.
Based on the analysis, the correct answer is B. The key accomplishment of the people of Songhai was establishing a center of Islamic scholarship.