Trade was very important to the economy of the Ancient African Empires. The African Empires traded with other nations. The would take goods from Western and Central Africa and send them on the trade routes to Europe, India and the Middle East.
The main goods that were traded were gold and salt. The West African gold mines made the West African Empires very rich. They also traded Kola nuts, ivory, cloth, metal goods, beads and slaves.
Major trade centers developed and grew. Timbuktu, Gao, Djenne and Sijilmasas were trade centers in West Africa. Tunis, Marrakesh and Cairo were trade centers along the coast of North Africa. Anothr important trade center was Adulis on the Red Sea.
Trade goods were moved from Western and Central Africa
Regional trade in early africa was important because it laid a basis in many ways for a high class society. The unique sources of africa allowed people to trade with each other for things they need but couldn't make themselves. People in africa sold Ivory, Gold, iron, and salt which were all valued very high by traders. The iron allowed the Africans to make tools allowing them to make a surplus of crops. This made traders want to come back so that they can get more of the resources not near them that they can sell for a profit. But there was one negative too traders coming so often Ghana decided to jail some of the traders. This affected many other
Showing how African colonies and exports were important to the European nations as they gained power and wealth from their control over the African
Africa accomplished great feats, but some of the most historical ones are from the trade throughout Africa, Political Status, and culture in Africa. Trade in Africa thrived in the Kingdom of Aksum, known as Ethiopia today, as African traders used their nautical skills to reach nearby lands to trade goods and ideas. The Kingdom of Aksum was located in a unique location where it thrived in multiple trade routes. This unique location of, “Aksum reached its height between 325 and 360 A.D.” (Doc 1).
They had worked together for a while, each advancing their trading areas, and gaining more supplies. Mali would import were things like gold, and in return they would trade and get things they weren't able to get themselves. Other than that, they would trade things with gold. Gold was Africa's currency and was a great deal, for wealth and
Even though these aspects describe the ways that change occurred with trade between Afro-Eurasia, one important part did stay the same. North Africa was consistent and always a key part of trade between the continents of Europe, Africa, and Asia. In 300, North Africa was the only area that traded with the Mediterranean. In the time of the gold-salt trade, European venders and Islamic merchants arrived in North Africa. North African merchants still traded even when Europeans started to shift the balance of trade to the Americas starting from the mid-1400s. This is how trade systems between Africa and Europe stayed the same between the years 300-1450.
People of the early African kingdoms were able to create successful trade routes with Europe and Asia, become very wealthy from conquering and gaining land, and were able to have a strong central government. All of this was done before the Europeans had reached Africa. Trade flourished on the East African coast, especially when trading was established with India and Arabia. African kingdoms were prosperous, because of their success with not only trading but also with their ability to conquer land. A governmental structure is key to allowing any kingdom to thrive, and the African people were able to achieve this.
Gold was plentiful and enabled Ghana’s rulers to engage in years of prosperous trading. Ghana soon became a leading force in the trans-Saharan trade network. The “trans-Saharan trade was the transit of goods between sub-Saharan Africa and the northern Arab and European worlds. Goods included precious metals, such as gold, as well as slaves. The trade route was in operation between the seventh and 14th centuries, expanding the more established trade route of the Silk Road between Europe and the Middle East”. (Reference.com)
Goods were the original agenda foreign people like the Europeans and Arabs came to Africa. Africa had numerous resources such gold, ivory, rice and grains. That Europeans could use to sell to others and trade for other luxuries. Trade was something the three worlds knew best and America knew the game well. With America having corn, beans, squash and beaver fur Europe was quickly interested.
In the African continent, they developed an economic relationship with the European nation. There was clear signs that European needed connections. Prior to their relationship, african rulers had established trade links with the Mediterranean world, Western Asia, and Indian Ocean region. The expansion provided Europeans goods that included, cloth, iron, copper, jewelry, beads, and more. In exchange, Europeans return with textiles, carving, spices. The main trade however was
of miles off their travel distance around Africa, bringing a great wealth of trade from Asia that
trade between Africa, Europe, and North America. By trading rum, money and goods were brought
Africans also worked in silver, gold, copper, and bronze. Lastly, internal slave trade played a role in the economy. Slaves represented a small part of the total value of African exports (Klein 56).
During the eighth century throughout the late sixteenth century, one trade route entranced everyone involved from the Mediterranean to the Africa’s. The Trans – Saharan Trade was an important trade route that ran across the Sahara between the Mediterranean countries and West Africa. In the beginning stages of the Trans- Saharan trade many small trade routes were being used throughout the period. this is because travelling across the Sahara before the domestication of the camel was difficult. The Trans-Saharan trade route did more than attract traders. This route was an economical boost for many and also connected the West African people with the Mediterranean people.
Slaves had been captured along the west coast of Africa with the cooperation of African kings and merchants. In return, the Kings and merchants would receive a variety of goods such as beads, cowrie shells, textiles, brandy, horses, and most importantly gun. The export of trade goods from
The Atlantic Slave Trade was a part of African history that had made one of it's biggest impact on Africa's relation with the world and more importantly on the inner workings of the country itself due to its large-scale involvement of many of the people in the continent. Although the slave trade was so long ago the impact can still be seen in Africa's social workings within the people, its economy in the local and global market, and within the political landscape of the countries.