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Medival Africa

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Medieval Africa

Medieval Africa developed as a result of trade. The Trans-Saharan trade route connected the Sudan and Niger regions of Africa to the Mediterranean, and from there to Islamic states and later to Europe. The Trans-Saharan routes depended on camels. By 700 CE, humans had learned to domesticate camels. Camel’s unique attributes made them perfect for making the desert journey across the Sahara, turning it into a viable trade passage. Traders took camels in caravans, large groups of traders, animals and trade goods that travelled together.

The first state to develop in the Niger region was Ghana, around 900 CE. Ghana developed to control the Trans-Saharan trade. Ghana was a monarchy, and the state made money by taxing merchants. Gold and iron were produced in Africa and traded north. Salt and manufactured European goods were traded south. Historians have limited information about Ghana because there were few literate people. Most of our records come either from travelling merchants or from stories passed down orally by professional story-tellers called griots.

Mali replaced Ghana by 1100 CE. Trade volume continued to increase over the entire period, so by the middle of Mali’s dominance, Mali was a rich and well-known trading kingdom. One of the best examples comes from the story of one of Mali’s kings, Mansa Musa. As Muslim traders came into Ghana and then into Mali, they brought the Muslim religion. In Ghana, many merchants converted. By the time of Mali’s rise, a majority of the elite converted, including the king. As a Muslim king, Mansa Musa was expected to go on pilgrimage to Mecca. He was also expected to give out charity. Records show that he left Mali with over 80 camels laden with gold. He gave out so much gold in Cairo that he inflated and ruined the economy. It took Mansa Musa over a year to travel to and from Mecca,

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