Mali: An Ancient Empire
Faces - The Magazine of People, Places and Cultures for Kids|March 2020
The Republic of Mali was once part of the Mali Empire, an ancient empire that controlled a large portion of West Africa. A West African prince named Sundiata Keita established the empire in 1235. He united a group of indigenous groups and waged war against the Sosso people who controlled the region at the time.
Christine Graf
Mali: An Ancient Empire

The Mali Empire expanded rapidly and reached its height in the 13th century. Mali’s emperors (called mansas) grew rich and powerful because they controlled the Trans-Saharan trade routes. These routes were used to transport salt from the Sahara Desert and gold from the gold mines of West Africa. At the time, salt was considered as valuable as gold. It was used to preserve meat and season food. Salt was highly valued in other parts of Africa where the mineral did not occur naturally.

Because of its location near the Niger River, the Malian city of Timbuktu became a major center for African trade. When camel caravans arrived in Timbuktu from the north, the goods they carried were loaded onto boats and transported south on the river. All goods that passed through the Mali Empire were heavily taxed, and the empire prospered.

Because of trade, Timbuktu became the empire’s most important city. It was a center of culture, education, and the Islamic religion. Islam was introduced to the Malian people by the mansas, and it remains the predominant religion in Mali. Before the introduction of Islam, animism was widely practiced. People who practice animism believe that every person and thing have spirits or souls.

Esta historia es de la edición March 2020 de Faces - The Magazine of People, Places and Cultures for Kids.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

Esta historia es de la edición March 2020 de Faces - The Magazine of People, Places and Cultures for Kids.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE FACES - THE MAGAZINE OF PEOPLE, PLACES AND CULTURES FOR KIDSVer todo
Animal Central
Faces - The Magazine of People, Places and Cultures for Kids

Animal Central

From golden frogs to big cats to colorful birds, the national animals of Central America represent the geography and cultures of the region. For a quick sampling of creatures plain and beautiful, common and rare, read on.

time-read
3 minutos  |
January 2021
31 Countries Biosphere
Faces - The Magazine of People, Places and Cultures for Kids

31 Countries Biosphere

The Trifinio Fraternidad Biosphere Reserve is located at a spot where El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras converge. A biosphere is the layer of planet Earth where life exists.

time-read
2 minutos  |
January 2021
THE LEGEND OF THE QUETZAL BIRD
Faces - The Magazine of People, Places and Cultures for Kids

THE LEGEND OF THE QUETZAL BIRD

A Mayan Tale retold by Pat Betteley illustrated by Amanda Shepherd

time-read
4 minutos  |
January 2021
Semana Santa GUATEMALA'S HOLY WEEK
Faces - The Magazine of People, Places and Cultures for Kids

Semana Santa GUATEMALA'S HOLY WEEK

What if Easter preparations meant dyeing sand, collecting pine needles, and staying up all night to work on an art project that you knew would be ruined the very next day? Well, welcome to Guatemala’s Semana Santa, or Holy Week.

time-read
4 minutos  |
January 2021
ME OH-MAYA!
Faces - The Magazine of People, Places and Cultures for Kids

ME OH-MAYA!

The Maya are groups of people who live in parts of Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala. Their ancestors created a great society. At its peak, from 600-900 C.E., the Maya civilization was more advanced than its neighbors in the Americas.

time-read
3 minutos  |
January 2021
Playing Games Honduras-style
Faces - The Magazine of People, Places and Cultures for Kids

Playing Games Honduras-style

Would you play the same games in Honduras that you do in the United States? You might. Children in Honduras enjoy many of the same games North Americans do. They go fishing and shoot baskets. They play sandlot baseball—called bate (BAH tay). They fly kites and ride bikes. Their parents may go horseback riding or play golf or tennis.

time-read
3 minutos  |
January 2021
LIVING A LONG LIFE IN THE Blue Zone
Faces - The Magazine of People, Places and Cultures for Kids

LIVING A LONG LIFE IN THE Blue Zone

Most people would like to live as long a life as possible. No one really knows why some people live longer than others, but did you know that where you live can play a big part in how many years you’ll be alive? If you live in a Blue Zone, chances are that you will live much longer than people in other parts of the world.

time-read
2 minutos  |
January 2021
ATTENTION WORLD: Belize Saves Their Coral Reef
Faces - The Magazine of People, Places and Cultures for Kids

ATTENTION WORLD: Belize Saves Their Coral Reef

Sea turtles float in clear waters, colorful corals hug the ocean floor, and aquatic animals glide among the mangrove roots. Welcome to the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System, the second-largest coral reef in the world (Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is number one). Several years ago, this reef was in crisis, heading toward destruction. But the people of Belize fought back to save their reef’s health.

time-read
3 minutos  |
January 2021
The Panama Canal
Faces - The Magazine of People, Places and Cultures for Kids

The Panama Canal

The Panama Canal is a 51-mile long canal that connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

time-read
2 minutos  |
January 2021
This is Central America!
Faces - The Magazine of People, Places and Cultures for Kids

This is Central America!

It’s time to visit Central America. But first, it helps to know exactly where Central America is. Despite its name, it is the southernmost part of North America, which can seem a little confusing. It makes up most of the isthmus dividing the Pacific Ocean from the Caribbean Sea. An isthmus is a narrow strip of land that connects two larger landmasses and has water on both sides.

time-read
4 minutos  |
January 2021