HIST134 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Trans-Saharan Trade, John Mbiti, Gold
Document Summary
From 300 ad to 1200 ad: culture/social organization/trans-saharan trade/role of islam. Settled agriculture and iron smiting and farming and hunting: iron allowed for better farming and weaponry used for taking over neighboring villages. The different kingdoms in the sahel decided to join together and create the kingdom. The army was assembled as needed and could get up to about 200,000 people. Trading kingdom (where they got most of their wealth from. Imported a lot of salt from the desert berber nomads: salt was a super imported commodity. Traded salt for gold, leather, cotton (native to the region), and crops. Gold was the most important export/traded a lot to. Europe/ gold coins were a sign of power: as a kingdom they were able to work as the middle man. Matrilineal society: inheritance and family line passed was traced through mother/ kingdom doesn"t pass through sons.
