TRANS-SAHARAN TRADE ROUTESINCLUDING: IBN BATTUTA, MANSA MUSA, AND THE BANTUSChelsey Lin, Frances Feng, Mike Abel, Ange Wu, Austin Ginos

AP WorldPeriod 8

Trans-Saharan Trade Routes, Background

The Sahara desert was a major obstacle that hindered interaction between Africa, Europe and Asia

Camels replaced horses and donkeys in 300 C.E., increasing communication across the Sahara

Muslim merchants crossed the Sahara desert, bringing the Islamic faith with them

Gold-Salt Trade Kingdom of Ghana

Most important commercial site of west Africa

Ghana kings converted to Islam by 10th century

Exported: gold, ivory, and slaves

Imported: salt and horses Gold-salt between the Ghana

Empire and the Arab desert merchants flourished Ghana kings maintained tight

control over kingdom’s gold production in order to keep gold prices high (e.g. only the king could possess gold nuggets)

Taxed traders who used trade routes that passed through Ghana

Mansa Musa After the fall of the Ghana empire, a 2nd

major gold-salt trade route was established, passing through Tunis and Cairo Egypt’s influence over western Sudan

Mali Empire Mali rulers, unlike Ghana kings, did not restrict

availability of gold Mansa Musa

Sundiata’s grandson Famous Muslim Ruler Skilled military leader

Hajj to Mecca in 1324 Gave away enormous amounts of gold during

his trip, to the point where the value of gold declined in Egypt for 12 years.

Built Mosques in Timbutku and Gao

Ibn Battuta One of the most famous travelers

during the Post-Classical Era Battuta’s Travels

Visited most countries of the Islamic world Went to Egypt, Syria, Persia, Iraq, East

Africa, Yemen, Anatolia, Russia, India, Constantinople, China, and Sumatra

Dedicated Muslim Praised those who studied the Qu’ran Criticized those who did not strictly

practice Islam’s moral code Hajj and travels lasted twenty-seven years Significantly spread of Islam in Africa

Bantus The Bantu Migrations started around 200

B.C.E. and continued for the next 1000 years Iron metallurgy allowed the Bantu speaking

tribes to explore to central and southern Africa

Trade allowed agriculture, materials, and animals that the Bantus needed to survive such as bananas, salt, and horses

Cultivated bananas along with yam and sorghum

At first, Bantu society was kin-based and stateless. As population increased, chiefdoms began to develop. Increased population also strained resources.

As Bantu speakers and Arabs began to trade, new people and a new language was created

Swahili: a blend of Arab and the Bantu language

QUIZ

A. SilkB. SaltC. PaperD. Cowrie shells

What was a major item in the Trans-Saharan trade routes?1)

A. The majority of Ghana were Hindu and practiced the caste system while the Mali rulers were devout Muslims

B. Mali rulers such as Mansa Musa did not restrict the availability of gold while the Ghana rulers did

C. The Mali empire does not existD. The Ghana kingdom remained isolated and

developed an ethnocentric view of themselves while the Mali empire participated heavily in the Trans-Saharan trade routes

What was a major difference between the Ghana kingdom and the Mali empire?

2)

A. Swahili was a type of architecture found in Eastern Africa

B. Swahili was a language and culture developed from Bantu language and Egyptian; influenced Africa by becoming the common language

C. Type of food made by Arabs and given to the Bantu speaking people; promoted peace between the people

D. Swahili was a language and culture that developed from the interaction of Africans and Arabs along the east African coast; it became the common language for Arab merchants and the Bantu speaking people

What was Swahili and how did it influence Africa?3)