The TRANS-SAHARAN TRADE Network, Explained [AP World History Review—Unit 2 Topic 4]

all right we've looked at Silk Roads we've looked at Sea roads and now it's time to consider some sand roads namely the trans Saharan Trade Network in Africa so if you're ready to get them brain cows milked let's get to it so the trans aaran network was a series of trade routes that connected North Africa and the Mediterranean world with interior West Africa and to some degree the rest of subsaharan Africa and just like other trading routes we've covered in unit 2 they existed long before our period began around 1200 but in this period these

routes began expanding and that's going to lead to some juicy consequences But first you need to know the causes of that expansion and the big one here is Innovations and transportation technology now in case you don't know the Sahara Desert is you know a desert and a giant one at that and the environment there is as we say here in the South about as dry as a popcorn fart the point is this is not easy terrain to cross and so a massive turning point in the development of these networks was the introduction of the Arabian

camel about a thousand years before our period started but in our period we start to see the use of camel Saddles both for riding and for carrying bigger loads of merchandise additionally just like on the Silk Roads Caravan surarai were established along these routes as well and if you forgot what those are they're basically little rest stops along the trade routes where Merchants can rest and sleep and eat and with Merchants now able to travel more comfortably and carry bigger loads and find shelter along the way by 1200 the trans Sahara Network expanded larger than

it had ever been and I know you're sitting there thinking but heimler what did they trade I got you boo various regions exported gold and crops like colon nuts which were a fabulous source of postclassical caffeine other regions exported horses and salt and it was especially salt that was in demand across the continent and so the point is each region specialized in creating and growing various goods and that difference created the demand to trade with each other and created the occasion for the expansion of those trade networks now just like we've seen with other trade

routes the expansion and increased use of the trans Saharan Network also led to the rise and expansion of powerful states and the most important one you need to know is the Empire of Mali right here now this state had been established in the 13th century but Islam had been introduced to this region hundreds of years earlier and what happens during this time when a state converts to Islam well if your answer was they get connected into the economic trade Partnerships throughout Dar alislam well then you're right and that religious and economic connection meant that Molly

once it was established grew exceedingly wealthy because of its participation in the trans Saharan Trade Network and not only did Molly export goods of their own most notably gold but they also gained wealth and power by taxing other Merchants traveling the trade routes through their territory and I reckon we ought to get our comparison pants on because that sounds an awful lot like how the sult native malaka gained power and wealth in the Indian Ocean trade both of them controlled strategic points along hi trffic trade routes and both grew in power and wealth because of

it and without doubt the most extravagant example of Molly's wealth was on display and it most powerful and influential ruler mansam Musa hey grandpy what's that thing you say about rich people well that boy's got enough money to burn a whip mule that's it and I have no idea what that means but manam Musa had that wet mule kind of money and let me illustrate manam Musa as a Muslim decided he would embark on the Hajj which is a pilgrimage to the Muslim holy side in Mecca and he went ahead and left with a giant

Entourage and stopped for a while in Egypt to resupply and while they were there manam Musa and his crew injected so much gold into the Egyptian economy that the value of all existing gold plummeted the point is he could do all that because Molly had grown so rich by participating in trade across the trans Saharan network with the expansion of Molly's power under the influence of Mana Musa he further monopolized trade between the North and the interior of the continent both increasing the wealth of Molly and facilitating the growth of existing trade networks Okay click

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