Impacts of Trade on Africa

Use the map to identify two goods that Africa imported from Arab traders in Southeast Asia.

Use the map to identify two goods that Africa exported to Arab traders in Southeast Asia.

Be sure to answer the question in complete sentences.

Predict: If Africa is trading with people in Southeast Asia, what might be an additional impact?

Arab Trade Routes in Africa

Identify where were Arab traders were from. Describe how did they got to Africa.

As African civilizations developed, great trading states arose. Traveling across the desert and over the Indian Ocean, traders from these states helped make their people rich and powerful. The civilizations that flourished in ancient West Africa were all based on trade, so successful West African leaders tended to be peacemakers rather than warriors.

Traders moved their goods across the Sahara in large groups called caravans. Camels were the main mode of transportation and were used to carry goods and people. The camel was the most important part of the caravan. Without the camel, trade across the Sahara would have been next to impossible. 

Identify TWO specific cultural traits that were diffused to the continent of Africa by the Arab traders.

The first people to make the trek across the Sahara were the Arab traders who brought their strict Islamic faith across the desert. The Arabs converted many of the merchants of West Africa to Islam, but most of the common people retained their traditional beliefs. The ancient West Africans believed that many gods existed in nature. They did not accept the Muslim belief in one God. However, merchants and traders in West Africa saw many advantages in converting to Islamic religion:

• Literacy spread because belief in Islam encourages Muslims to learn the Quran, which is the holy book of the religion of Islam.

• Many Muslims speak Arabic, the language of the Quran. In time, Arabic became the common language of the merchants and traders of West Africa.

Explain one-way standard of living in Africa was impacted by Arabs.

Criteria for Success:

· Identify a standard of living indicator impacted by Arab trade.

· Describe the standard of living indicator.

· Explain how it was impacted by Arab trade by including evidence from the section.