2.4 Trans-Saharan Trade Routes

Mali

• Took over after the fall of the Ghanaian State

• Heavily profited from the gold trade

Sundiata

• Mali’s founding ruler

• astute and capable ruler

• Used this muslim connections to establish trade relationships

Mansa Musa

• Known for his religious leadership, he deepened the support for Islam in Mali

• He began his pilgrimage in 1324 to Mecca

• His pilgrimage displayed Mali’s wealth

  • he distributed gold to those who hosted him

• Back from his return he

  • established schools in timbuktu

  • built mosques in Muslim trading cities

Songhai kingdom

• had taken over its place as the powerhouse in West Africa

Timbuktu

• One of the cities that accumulated wealth

• developed into a center of Islamic learning

• Mansa Musa built Islamic schools in Timbuktu after his pilgrimage

Mecca

• Islam’s holiest city

• Muslims make pilgrimage to mecca as a part of their five pillars

trans-saharan trade

• Gold was their most precious commodity

• Brought wealth to the societies of West Africa

Camel saddles

• saddle developed by the Somalis were most impactful

  • designed to carry loads up to 600 pounds

without the development of this saddle, camels could not have been able to carry such heavy loads in trade.