Explain the significance of Timbuktu in West Africa.(1 point)

Timbuktu was a center for learning similar to the institutions that preceded universities in Europe.

This statement is significant because Timbuktu, particularly during the height of the Mali Empire in the 14th to 16th centuries, became renowned for its scholarly activity, attracting scholars from various parts of Africa and the Mediterranean. It hosted prestigious centers of learning, such as the University of Sankore, where significant advancements in fields like mathematics, astronomy, and Islamic studies occurred, making it a vital hub for intellectual exchange and preservation of knowledge during a time when Europe was experiencing the Middle Ages.