Trans-Saharan trade

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/trans-saharan-trade

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the key trading hubs?Timbuktu, Gao, Djenné, Sijilmasa, Awdaghost, Ghat
2. Why were camels so important for the caravans?Camels could travel long distances with little water and carry heavy loads, making them perfect for desert journeys.
3. How did the trade help West African empires like Mali grow?The empires controlled the routes and traded gold and salt, earning money that built armies, schools, and art.

Trans-Saharan Trade: The historical system of overland trade routes that traversed the Sahara Desert, linking sub-Saharan Africa with North Africa and the Mediterranean world.
Caravan: A group of merchants, travelers, and their animals and goods, traveling together across deserts or other difficult terrain for mutual protection and support.
Mansa Musa: The ninth Mansa (meaning 'king of kings' or 'emperor') of the Mali Empire, renowned for his immense wealth and his pilgrimage to Mecca in the 1320s.
Taghaza: A historical salt-mining settlement in the Sahara Desert, crucial for the Trans-Saharan trade due to its valuable salt deposits.