Discuss the organization of the trans saharan trade.

Answers

-Beginning of Trans-Saharan Trade was due to the fact that North Africa was rich in the salt that West Africa lacked while West Africa was rich in gold.
-The Trans-Saharan trade led to an exchange of salt for gold.The trade was between people of the western Sudan and Arabs from North Africa.
-Because of the long distance involved, the traders had to organize themselves very well.
-Traders travelled in large caravans of camels and traders to enhance their security.
-The rich traders from North Africa initiated the trade. They provided trade goods, camels and horses to
middlemen who coordinated the trade.
-The middlemen would contact desert guides known as takshifs who also acted as desert guards. They
protected the traders and guarded the oases in the Sahara .The Tuaregs also provided the traders with
security and acted as interpreters.
-The caravans usually departed from the north after the rainy season when sandstorms would subside for
smooth travel. The traders made stops at the oases to refresh themselves and let their camels drink water.
-They carried gifts for leaders of the communities along the route to appease them and as reciprocation for security while traveling through their kingdoms. Rulers of western Sudan offered service to the traders while they were in the territory.
-The trade was conducted in barter/ exchanging one good for another/ silent trade. Some of the caravan
traders used agents who sold goods on their behalf in the interim period between their departure back to the north until the time they came back to western Sudan.
-The rulers of western Sudan controlled trade/regulated amount of gold to be sold. The traders paid taxes to the kings of western Sudan.
-The main items of trade were gold and salt i.e. from the west came gold, ivory, slaves, ostrich feathers,leather, kola nuts and pepper. From the north came salt, horses, weapons, iron implements, clothes, silk and beads.
-Arabs and Berbers financed the trade.

OR

Describe how the Trans - Saharan trade was organized

i) The trade was between people of the Western Sudan and Arabs from North Africa

ii) Traders crossed the desert using camels

iii) The traders traveled in large caravans to enhance their security

iv) The Tuaregs/Berbers acted as guides to the traders through the desert

v) Tuaregs provided them with security

vi) The traders made stops at the oases to refresh themselves and let their camels drink water

vii) The Tuaregs took care of the oases

viii) The Tuaregs acted as interpreters at times

ix) The trade was conducted in barber/it involved exchanging of one good for another/silent trade

x) The rulers paid taxes to the kings of the western Sudan

xi) The traders paid taxes to the kings of the western Sudan

xii) The main items of trade were gold and salt

Githiari answered the question on October 13, 2017 at 20:23

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Discuss the organization of the trans saharan trade.

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