The Trans-Saharan Trade Route and Its Impact on West African Empires

The video covers major trade routes, focusing on the Trans-Saharan trade route, which connected the Middle East and North Africa to Sub-Saharan Africa. Key players included Islamic Empires and West African empires like Ghana, Mali, and Songhai. The trade involved camels, gold, and salt, with Mansa Musa exemplifying the wealth of West Africa. The spread of Islam brought education and social changes. The Americas had interregional trade, with the Aztecs and Incas having distinct economic systems. European trade networks included the Hanseatic League and Vikings, who facilitated trade and exploration.

Which empires were major players in the Trans-Saharan trade route?

• Umayyad and Abbasid Dynasties

• British and French Empires

• Roman and Byzantine Empires

• Mongol and Ottoman Empires

What animal was crucial for the Trans-Saharan trade route?

• Horses

• Llamas

• Elephants

• Camels

Why was salt a significant trade item in the Trans-Saharan trade?

• It was a rare luxury item.

• It was essential for food preservation.

• It was abundant in West Africa.

• It was used as a currency.

What was the impact of Mansa Musa's pilgrimage to Mecca?

• It caused economic instability in cities he visited.

• It led to the discovery of new trade routes.

• It resulted in the spread of Christianity.

• It initiated the transatlantic slave trade.

How did the spread of Islam affect West African societies?

• It introduced new educational systems.

• It caused the rise of matriarchal societies.

• It isolated West Africa from the rest of the world.

• It led to the decline of trade.

What was a major consequence of the Trans-Saharan trade route?

• The isolation of Sub-Saharan Africa.

• The spread of Islam and cultural exchange.

• The decline of the Silk Road.

• The rise of the Roman Empire.

What was a key difference between Aztec and Inca trade systems?

• Aztecs focused on interregional trade, Incas did not.

• Incas traded with Europe, Aztecs did not.

• Incas used a capitalist system, Aztecs did not.

• Aztecs were more capitalist, Incas were more communal.

What was the Hanseatic League?

• A cultural exchange program in the Mediterranean.

• A military alliance in Europe.

• A trade network in the North and Baltic Seas.

• A religious movement in Northern Europe.

How did the Vikings contribute to trade in Europe?

• By building the first European trade ships.

• By creating a unified European currency.

• By raiding and trading, facilitating trade in Northern Europe.

• By establishing trade routes in the Mediterranean.

Which areas did the Vikings explore beyond Europe?

• Asia and the Middle East

• South America and Africa

• Australia and New Zealand

• Iceland, Greenland, and the Americas