Warm-Up C2If YOU were there …You are a trader in a caravan heading into West Africa in about 1000. The caravan carries many goods, but the most precious is salt. Salt is so valuable that people trade gold for it! The gold traders never meet you face to face, though. You wish you could talk to them to find out where they get their gold.

Why do you think the traders are so SECRETIVE?

EconomicsTrade Begins • After the Islamic Empire captured

North Africa, they brought many camels with them.

• These camels enabled for the first time Trans-Saharan Trade (trade across the desert).

• This trade was highly desired, because West Africa was rich with salt and gold, and everyone wanted it.

How was Trans-Saharan Trade made possible?

Why did people want to trade with West Africa?

EconomicsTrade Begins • This long-distance trade

stretched from the Bambuk-Bure and Akan goldfields in the South to Morocco in the North.

From North to South, where did Trans-Saharan trade routes stretch?

EconomicsA Transportation Problem • As Northern Africa begins to

trade with West Africa, a problem arises.

• The traders must change their mode of transportation in the Sahel, that ecological zone of transition.

• Camels can only be used in the desert, so donkeys had to be used in the Savanna

How does the change in ecological zones effect the Trans-Saharan trade network?

What animal can be used in the Savanna, but not in the desert?

EconomicsThe Growth of Cities • Cities began to grow in the Sahel

to serve as places where traders can stop and switch modes of transport.

• Cities like Kumbi-Saleh, Timbuktu, Gao became major centers of trade in the Sahel.

• Silent Barter was often used in these cities to protect the identities of some of the traders.

Where do cities begin to develop in West Africa? Why?

Name some of the most important trading centers in West Africa.

What is the purpose of Silent Barter?

EconomicsThe Growth of Kingdoms • The 3 kingdoms of Ghana, Mali,

and the Songhai taxed this trade, and it is where they received most of their wealth and power.

• Their economy was also supported by a surplus of grain produced by the peasant farmers (majority of the people).

What 3 kingdoms became rich and powerful from taxing trade?

Other than trade, how else was the economy of West Africa supported?

EconomicsThe End of the Kingdoms • In 1591 Morocco led a surprise

invasion across the Sahara and into the Songhai.

• Morocco used new firearms (guns) to easily defeat the Songhai army.

• Controlling West Africa from the other side of the Sahara proved to be too difficult for Morocco, and they had to withdraw.

Who invaded West Africa?

EconomicsThe End of the Kingdoms • Trade of salt and gold started to

shift to the Atlantic coast where new European ships began to travel.

• As a result of Morocco’s invasion and less trade across the Sahara, no significant kingdoms in West Africa would emerge.

• A new form of trade does develop, the trans-Atlantic slave trade.

Where did the salt and gold trade begin to shift towards?

What are the two reasons for the decline of civilization in West Africa?