a. List any three articles of trade exported to North Africa from Western Sudan during the trans-Saharan trade.
b. Highlight any four factors that contributed to the decline of the trans-Saharan trade.
Explanation
(a)
- Gold
- Slaves
- Hides and skin
- Ostrich feathers
- Gum
- Kolanuts
- Ivory
- Beeswax
- Camwood
(b)
- The North African towns were embroiled in internal and external conflicts.
- The cities of Gao, Timbuctu/Timbuktu and Janne declined in economic importance.
- The Portuguese exploration of Africa opened a new window of trade with Europeans on the coast of West Africa.
- As the trade in gold was declining the trade in slaves was increasing rapidly on the West African Coast.
- The Europeans introduced items of trade which were cheaper and more attractive.
- The Moroccan invasion of Songhai in the 16th century.
- The power struggle in Bornu and Hausaland in the 17th and 18th Centuries.
- Iron items were used for religious purposes.