Trans-Saharan Trade - Essay Example

The stretch of the Sahara Desert to the Western African tropical regions formed viable grounds for trade. Berbers pioneered the Trans-Saharan trade that specialized in the trade of salt, clothes, and metal goods in exchange for ivory, gold, and slaves. Trans-Saharan trade brought economic, social, political, and intellectual impacts to West Africa and the Mediterranean region.

Social Impacts

The Berbers gained flocks of goats, sheep, and camels to boost their social status (Shillington 85). The territory around the Sahara region would also value slaves because they provided labor. Berbers would trade in North Africa to get slaves. Additionally, the trade also led to the adoption of Islam religion. The encounter of West Africans with the Arabs helped Northern Africa to become a part of the Islamic influence. The Trans-Saharan region had been prepared for the acceptance of Islam's faith in the 7th century. Islam was one of the influential factors in the civilization of West Africa where Europeans had refused to penetrate due to the desert conditions.  The cultural transformation entailed value for human life, novelty, and social prestige.

Political Impacts

Powerful kingdoms arose in West Africa due to Trans-Saharan trade. Soninke of Ghana and Mandinka in Mali participated in the trade and accumulated enormous wealth (Shillington 88). Wealth gave the kingdoms the power to maintain rule and influence in trade. However, the region was not safe and secure due to the gold and ivory trade. Kingdoms would attack each other when traversing the desert. Robbers attacked and hijacked caravans and charioteers. Additionally, kingdoms required slaves, and led to a reduction of people. People fled and moved southwards to escape the mistreatment. The spread of Islam brought tension in Western Africa as traditionalist communities resisted the influence of the religion and created a balance.

Economic Impacts

The interactions between Arabs in North Africa and the trading parties from Western Sudan led to the development of infrastructures such as trade roots, monuments, and schools. According to Shillington, the development of fundamental trade centers such as Taghaza, Fezzan, Gao, Tadmeka, Wakata, and Kumbi-Saleh brought commercial and administrative organs that were responsible for the trade of goods (p. 92). Communities gained gold, ivory, and slaves to boost their economic power in the trade. Local leaders use forced labor to collect goods and make profits from the inferior trading communities. The economic benefits of Trans-Saharan trade were felt in Mali, Songhay, and Bornu due to participation in commercial trade.  

Intellectual Impacts

Knowledge increased as West Africans interacted with the pilgrims from the Mediterranean region (Shillington 87). West Africans learned the Arabic language and writing and gained access to Arabic literature. Financial intellects also devised a monetary system based on gold to facilitate trade. The Almoravids also came up with a currency that was used in Marrakesh. The gold reservoirs attracted Arab and European settlers such Portuguese and medieval documents were compiled to spread the knowledge of the trade to the world. 

Trans-Saharan Trade brought political, economic, intellectual, and social impacts in the Western, Northern, and Mediterranean regions. The fall of the empire, the adoption of Islam, and the cultural shock that came in West Africa define the transformation that the region went during the trade. The end of the trade and the arrival of European conquerors formed a new channel in Africa.