worldhistory
Trans-Saharan network: North Africa, West Africa, Mediterranean
From environmental contrast
Goods
North Africa: cloth, glassware, weapons, books
Sahara: copper, salt, oases dates
South desert: savanna grains, millet, sorghum, forests yams, kola nuts
Arabian camel adopted
Arab caravans + Islam across desert
demand for gold
Exports ivory, kola, slaves
Imports horses, cloth, dates, manufactures, salt
West African civilization 600–1600, Ghana 700–1200, Mali 1230–1500, Songhay 1430–1591, Kanem peak 1571–1603
Monarchies tax caravans, Mali controls key imports
Matrilineal to patrilineal by 1200, women central in farming, weaving
Diasporas: North African merchants in Mali
Trader-borne, mostly peaceful acceptance after 1000
Mansa Musa hajj 1324: huge caravan, much gold, Egypt gold price drops
Shared Arabic from Spain, West Africa to India, SE Asia
Finance tools: banking, contracts, credit sustain long-distance commerce
Technology: rockets improved for naval war