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    Sahara Trade Notes

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    pmahi2303
    The document summarizes trade across the Sahara desert between West Africa and North Africa between the 3rd-16th centuries. Camels were used to transport goods across the desert in caravans along established trade routes. Goods traded included salt, gold, cloth, spices from North Africa in exchange for crops, timber, ivory from West Africa. This trade led to the rise of three great West African kingdoms of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai and the spread of Islam to West Africa.

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    Sahara Trade Notes

    Uploaded by

    pmahi2303
    22 views3 pages
    The document summarizes trade across the Sahara desert between West Africa and North Africa between the 3rd-16th centuries. Camels were used to transport goods across the desert in caravans along established trade routes. Goods traded included salt, gold, cloth, spices from North Africa in exchange for crops, timber, ivory from West Africa. This trade led to the rise of three great West African kingdoms of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai and the spread of Islam to West Africa.

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    Sahara Trade notes

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    The document summarizes trade across the Sahara desert between West Africa and North Africa between the 3rd-16th centuries. Camels were used to transport goods across the desert in caravans along established trade routes. Goods traded included salt, gold, cloth, spices from North Africa in exchange for crops, timber, ivory from West Africa. This trade led to the rise of three great West African kingdoms of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai and the spread of Islam to West Africa.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    22 views3 pages

    Sahara Trade Notes

    Uploaded by

    pmahi2303
    The document summarizes trade across the Sahara desert between West Africa and North Africa between the 3rd-16th centuries. Camels were used to transport goods across the desert in caravans along established trade routes. Goods traded included salt, gold, cloth, spices from North Africa in exchange for crops, timber, ivory from West Africa. This trade led to the rise of three great West African kingdoms of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai and the spread of Islam to West Africa.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 3

    The SAHARA is the world’s largest hot DESERT.

    Around 5th century people from WEST AFRICA traded with NORTH AFRICAN countries as well as people located
    close to the Mediterranean Sea.
    They traded SALT, mined in the Sahara Desert, and GOLD, mined along the Niger River.
    Trade across the Sahara led to the establishment of THREE GREAT KINGDOMS in
    West Africa between the 3rd and 16th centuries:
    1. Ghana
    2. Mali
    3. Songhai

    MALI – COUNTRY IN AFRICA


    TIMBUKTU IS A CITY IN MALI

    CAMEL CARAVANS as the means of transport they also called ‘SHIPS OF THE DESERT’. Traders travelled with
    groups of camels that carried goods or people and some even travelled with slaves to cater to them. The groups
    of camels were called camel caravans.

    Back in the day people used oxen, horses and donkeys to travel.
    By the 5th century, travellers and traders from Egypt brought camels into the desert. Camels soon became the
    most widely used form of transport in the desert.

    Reasons:
    • They could carry the same load as oxen, but for a much greater distance.
    • They had no problems walking in soft sand.
    • They could cope well with extreme heat and cold, and needed very
    little water.

    As the salt trade became busier, traders created routes throughout West Africa and the Sahara, linking oases
    formed from town, where travellers could rest and get water. The caravan routes connected African cities with
    Europe and the Mediterranean Sea.
    Dangers of travelling by camel caravan were:

    • sandstorms to the North African nations by Arab


    • heat traders which influenced their language,
    • a lack of food and water along the way
    religion, art, culture and architecture.
    Not only were goods traded, but culture
    and religion were also introduced to • losing the way
    formerly isolated regions. Most notably, in • attacks by thieves.
    the 9th Century, Islam was brought

    GOODS BROUGHT FROM EUROPE AND NORTH AFRICA


    The Sahel stretched from north of the forests of Central Africa to south of
    the Sahara Desert. It was a busy contact point between North Africa and
    communities south of the Sahara. The three great kingdoms developed in the Sahel.
    These North African traders brought salt, cloth, horses, dates, spices and camels into West Africa. In
    exchange, traders from south of the Sahara offered gold, nuts, timber and ivory, as well as ostrich and
    peacock feathers.

    Not only were goods traded, but culture and religion were also introduced to formerly isolated regions.
    Most notably, in the 9th Century, Islam was brought to the North African nations by Arab traders which
    influenced their language, religion, art, culture and architecture.

    the people of Mali also used boats on the river Niger for transporting large loads. The land
    around the Niger River was fertile and produced more crops than the local people needed. Therefore,
    the people of Mali could trade their extra grains and fresh produce with people living in drier regions,
    and in oasis towns in the Sahara Desert.

    The spread of Islam across North Africa and into West Africa via traders in the 9th century
    Trans-Saharan trade increased the spread of Islam across North and West
    Africa. The Muslim faith soon began to spread from the Arabian Peninsula, across the Red Sea, into
    nearby areas of Africa. Egypt was the first African country to come under the influence of Islam, which
    then spread to other parts of Africa. The indigenous Berber people of North Africa west of the Nile River
    valley became almost entirely Muslim.
    THE KINGDOM OF MALI

     The kingdom of Mali was one of three


    powerful West African kingdoms that
    existed long ago.
     The establishment of Islam in North Africa
    become popular and caused trade across
    the Sahara to grow rapidly because many
    traders were Muslim.
     The Muslim faith began to spread into
    West Africa.
     Muslim traders settled among the local
    people, built mosques, and converted
    many locals to Islam.
     It was at this time, around the 8th century, that Muslim scholars began to write down West
    African history. These scholars even became advisors to local kings on trade, law, and
    government matters.
     By the time the kingdom of Mali was established in 1235, Muslims played an important role in
    government affairs.
     The founder of Mali, Sundiata Keita, was not a Muslim, but converted
    to Islam.
     Sundiata ruled for 25 years, and his people loved him. They called him
    the Lion King.
     Sundiata was a good and popular king. Some of his achievements
    included the following:

    - He built a strong army.


    - He encouraged farming and introduced cotton plants to Mali.
    - He encouraged trade and invited traders from other countries to come to Mali.
    - Although he was a Muslim, he allowed his people to keep their traditional African religions.
    - He allowed slaves to work for their freedom.

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