Migration and Trade in Sub-Saharan Africa

Archaeological Evidence

• Humans originated in Sub-Saharan Africa

• Humans began migrating throughout the world

Bantu Migration

• One of the largest migrations in human history

• Bantu People

  • Subsistence Farmers

  • Used iron and stone tools and weapons

  • Traded gold, copper, and salt

  • Swahili: the language of the Bantu people with influence from Arabic

Impacts of the Bantu Migration

• Spread of culture

• Spread of foods

• Spread of ideas

Stateless Societies: societies that were based on families and not central Governments

Western Africa Stateless Societies

• Abundance of natural resources

• Comfortable Climate

Eastern Africa Stateless Societies

• Location to Trade partners

One of the wealthiest empires due to its location at the intersection of trade routes

• Traded Gold and Salt

Charged tax traders that passed through the land on the goods

• Used camels to cross the Sahra desert for trading

Conquered by the Mali Empire

Largest West African empire

Decentralizd Government Structures: smaller regions that are ruled by local leaders

• This allowed the Mali empire to grow wealthy by taxing the trade of gold

Mansa (king) Musa: the 'king' of the Mali Empire and thought to be the wealthiest man of all time

Became ruler when the previous king did not return from a sea voyage

• He was in his 20s

• Began conquering other communities

• Established a university in Timbuktu

Religion

• Muslim: Went on a pilgrimage to Mecca

  • 70,000 people

  • Handed out gold to communities as he went (made gold devalue)

Catalan Atlas

• 1380 world map collection showing the wealth of powerful countries

Grew wealthy from Urban Trade

• Used a system of weights and measurements

Cultural Centers

• Combined Arab, Italian, and Jewish trade centers

Trade Goods

• Ostrich Feathers

• Salt

• Horses

• Cloth

• Art

• Ivory

Located in a region of dense vegetation

• Protection and Defense

• Built Walled cities for defense

Trade Goods

• Palm Oils

• Medicines from Plants

• Ivory

• Textiles

The Empire ended with European Colonization

Located in Eastern Africa

• On the Red Sea

• A major trading partner with Europe

Location Strategy

• Located on trade routes on the

  Red Sea, Nile River

• Located near the Arabian Peninsula

Power and Wealth through trading

Trade Goods

• Tortoise Shells

• Ivory

• Gold

• Precious Stones

Gold Trade

• West Africa was rich in gold deposits

Salt Trade: Most valuable trade goods

• West Africa had very little salt deposits

• Salt was used to preserve food

• Salt needed to be replaced in the body (lost from sweating)

Trade Routes

• Gold Traders traveled through the Sahara Desert (Taghaza Settlement) and would trade gold for salt

Wealth of Empires

• Grew wealthy by taxing the traders for passage through their land

• Traders used camels to transport goods across the Sahara Desert from regions of West Africa