TOPIC 3: DEVELOPMENT OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES AND THEIR IMPACT
This chapter will focus on the
different economic levels of development achieved by man from the period of
pre-history specifically enlightening on the three-litchis of the continent of
Africa up to 19th century. Also to examine the factors that influenced the
existed economic activities as well as the impact of such activities on the
respective society
The economic activities in
pre-colonial Africa
The environment as an entity does
influence economic activities and there is a strong relationship between the
environment and economic activities. Several economic activities developed
amongst the different people of Africa ranging from:
·
Agriculture
which involved the growing of crops and rearing of animals.
·
Handcrafts
industries which depended on skilss or hand to make and produce goods.
·
Mining
concerning with the process of extracting underground minerals for man‟s use.
·
Trading
involving the buying and exchanging of goods and services.
·
Fishing,
lumbering, Hunting and gathering all these differed from area to area. Basing
on the environment and the skills that the people living in a given community
were gifted with.
AGRICULTURE
It is believed that in Africa, agriculture
started about 6000 years ago. The use of discovered tools and weapons led to
the development of crop cultivation and domestication of animals. True plant
domestication probably began when the weakest plant were rejected and only
seeds from the strongest plants were set aside for re-sowing mainly yielding
grasses (cereals) and the same applied to animal domestication.
The
Relationship between Agriculture, the Environment and Technological Development
Contributions of technological
development to development of agriculture;
After a through look into different
agricultural practices that existed in Africa, it is equally paramount to know
the contributions of technology to the development of agriculture in Africa.
The increased use of iron tools
amongst the different societies of Africa, led to the increase of land for cultivation, which
resulted into increased agricultural productivity. The food storage skills
insured an insurance against loss of future crops through natural disasters
such as drought or flood thus food supply throughout the year. Some communities
whose soils easily exhausted developed the use of manure which renewed the land
and thus increased production. The development and use of irrigation opened up
the once un-cultivatable to be productive for agriculture once again.
Not only did the technological
improvement contribute to the development of agriculture but also the
environment had the great bearing on the development of agriculture in Africa.
The reliable rainfall
supplemented with the fertile soils in given areas resulted in the development of
permanent crop agriculture or cultivation accompanied with increased agricultural
production
Pest free and disease free
areas were suitable for both crop and animal husbandry, as they would attract
settlement. Also in place is the availability of iron technology in given
societies making it possible for the making of iron tools which advanced on the
methods of production and thus increased productivity.
It ensured man with reliable
food supplies, The
impacts of agricultural development are immeasurable as it ensured man with
reliable food supplies, permanent settlement, labour specialization and surplus
production and thus increase in population.
Farming was not suitable in
every environment, the
disadvantage of settled farming may also have been apparent through farming
could support a larger population; it left the people more exposed to the
dangers of famine caused by natural disasters such as drought and floods.
The
Types of Agricultural Practices in Africa
Different types of agriculture
developed in the different African societies these included:
·
Permanent
crop cultivation
·
Mixed
farming
·
Pastoralism
·
Shifting
cultivation
Successful agriculture depended on
the ecology or natural fertility of the soil, adequate rainfall, technical
skills of the famers and the ability to find most suitable and successful
crops. However, this was not a simple task as it required patience and the
ability to learn more from experience. It was the trial and error system.
Permanent crop cultivation
This involved the growing of
perennial crops as potatoes, bananas, yam, beans and maize on a permanent
basis. This was majorly employed in areas where there was extra land. Not every
society could practice this form of agriculture but the environment dictated
the terms.
Areas that received heavy and reliable
rainfall were free from pests and diseases, having fertile soil did serve best
for permanent crop cultivation. With the development of iron technology
societies which practiced this moved from communalism to feudalism. In East
Africa it was majorly practiced in the interlacustrine regions such as Buganda,
Kagera Kenyan highlands, Ankole around Mount Kilimanjaro, parts of Kigoma and
rungwe. In West Africa in the Fante, Yoruba, Ashanti, Ife and Akwam.
With the development of permanent
crop cultivation people begn to live in larger, more permanent settlement, the
permanence of settlement quickened the development of instrument production,
there were increase in population as a result of improved diet, food supply
became more regular and abundant, brought important social as well as technical
changes many developed into centralised states for example Fante, Benin, Oyo
and Meroe.
Lastly was the development of
handcrafts industries such as iron smelting and social differentiation.
Mixed farming
This is an agricultural system which
involves growing of crops and rearing of animals on the same piece of land. It
evolved in areas which supported both pastoralism and crop cultivation. Crops
grown in this agricultural practice included cereals such as millet, sorghum,
cassava and maize animals kept included cattle, goats, sheep, cows and donkey.
The mixed farmers existed because
the areas they lived had unreliable rainfall and their soils could easily be
exhausted so one thing had to supplement the other. Mixed farmers in East
Africa included the Gogo, Sangu, Sukuma, Kurya and Fipa in Tanzania, Luyia in
Southwest Kenya, the Basoga and Gisu of Eastern Uganda. The relation of
production was mainly communal with low production, division of labour based on
age and sex
The mixed farmers in East Africa
demonstrated achievement in their practices as they developed centralised
political organisations for example the Busoga in Uganda under Omuloki,
specialised in different activities. Specialisation in these societies resulted
into development of trade, at first it was among the mixed farmers and later it
resulted in the formation of long distance trade.
Shifting cultivation
This involves spending a given
period of time working on land and moving from one area that is exhausted to a
new fresh piece of land. It was mainly practiced by the people who lived in
grassland plateaus for example Miombo wood land savanna in central Tanzania
were the rainfall was little and unreliable and the soil could be easily
exhausted
These soils could support the growth
of cassava, sorghum, maize, millet, cowpeas, pumpkins plus many more other
crops.the rearing of livestock was made difficult due to the fact that these
areas were infected with tsetse flies and other livestock diseases. The soils that
easily became exhausted necessitated people to move from one place to another
in search of the fertile piece of land. However people in some communities were
living a settled life even if they were practicing this type of agriculture.
Pastoralism
This involves the keeping of
livestock. The herding of domestic animals (cattle, sheep or goats), which were
real and potential source of food particularly; milk, meat, animal skins and
the herds were also exchanged with the different neighboring societies.
Areas with semi arid and arid
conditions like scanty rainfall, (rainfall that is just enough to support the
growth of pasture), poor soils which could only support pastoralism as the
major economic activity within the area. In East Africa the dry areas include
the lift valley areas of Tanzania and Kenya comprising of societies like the
Maasai, Nyaturu, Barbaig and the karamanjong in Uganda.
Where the people were largely
pastoralists their settlement tended to be less permanent as they moved in
search of varying season pastures and water.
These people had no centralised
political system they used the age set system in their production and they also
kept large herds because of their use value and prestige.
How
Agriculture Changed Man's Life
The development of agriculture
changed man's life in various ways, for instance;
·
with
the development of permanent crop cultivation people began to live in permanent
settlement,
·
there
was increase of population,
·
development
of instruments of productions,
·
development
of centralized states,
·
development
of trade, and
·
the
division of labour.
Handicrafts,Industries
and Mining in Pre-Colonial Africa
Handcrafts can be defined as the art
of using your skills and hand to designs and fashion things, or it's an
activity done with on's hands requiring artistic skills. Such goods may include
tools, baskets, and cloth to mention but a few. In pre-colonial Africa
different hand crafts industries emerged as man specialized on to other
activities apart from agriculture. These included iron making industries,
basketry, spinning and weaving cloth making, carving, canoe making and many
more.
The
Meaning of Handcrafts, Industries, and Mining
Mining industries:
Are industries which involve the
process of extracting underground minerals such as copper, gold, tin and salt
mining industries.
An industry is a place where
transformation of raw materials into finished goods is carried out. The natural
resources that existed in a given society determined the nature of industries
to be found in a given area.
The
Types of Industries and Their Advantages in Pre-Colonial Africa
Types of industries
·
Iron
industries
·
Salt
making
·
Copper
industry
·
Handcrafts
industries
Iron industries.
The discovery of iron resulted in
drastic socio-political and economic changes. The people who were dealing in
iron were called blacksmiths a person whose job is to make and repair things
made with iron, learns how to identify rocks containing iron ore.
In the way of trying to maintain
monopoly over the knowledge of iron making it was kept as a secret and in many
societies it was even ritualised (made a religious thing). Different society
had different beliefs as many believed that the women were not allowed to
furnace as it was presumed that the iron would be spoilt.
Methods of obtaining and processing
iron:
Blacksmiths identified the rocks
that were bore iron ore collecting them and smelting the iron found in the
trenches or clay furnaces. They had to use charcoal fuel and maintained the
high temperatures in the furnaces by fanning the live charcoal with bellows.
The smelted iron was then shaped into different forms and tools like spear
heads, knives, axes, panga and wire. The places where the iron industries were
found included the Venda people of Northern Transvaal, the Mashona people of
Zimbabwe, the Iteso of Eastern Uganda, along Kilambo falls, Futa Djalon, Meroe
and many others.
Salt making industries
Salt is not only a food ingredient
but was also used to preserve food. The increased use of salt resulted into the
development of trade and agriculture as salt led to more food production, the
use of salt was found in almost all communities as it was important in
different communities.
Methods of obtaining and processing
salt:
There are four methods of obtaining
and processing salt in different communities, these included:
Traditional method
Under the tradition method salt was
obtained from the reeds growing in marshy areas, gathered, dried and burnt to
ashes. The ashes were then collected, filtered and the liquid was boiled to
evaporate, the residue was used as salt. The Manganja people settled along Lake
Nyasa commonly used this method.
Mining of salt bearing rocks
Rocks contained salt was dug out and
the crystals were used. In here the rocks that contain salt are identified and
are dug out, it is probably the most commonly used method of obtaining and
processing salt. Place were it is used include Kasese, Bilma, Taghaza, Katwe
and many others.
Boiling and evaporation
Under this method as the spring
waters boil underneath the earth's surface, they do evaporate and spill over
the land surface where they cool to form salt crystals which crystals are used
as salt. This was commonly practiced in Uvinza, Shinyanga and also among the
Venda people.
Developed among the coastal regions
Along the coastal regions salty
waters were trapped into pans and left to evaporate the heat of the sun. The
crystals that did remain behind after the evaporation of salty waters were then
used as salt.
Gold industries
Gold is one of the most precious
minerals and it was not found in every area as other minerals which makes it
precious and valuable. The communities that mined gold showed drastic social,
political and economic developments.
Methods of obtaining and processing
gold
Panning method
This method was commonly carried out
along the river beds where alluvial gold was extracted. It was somehow tiresome
as people had to try several times in order to obtain the mineral. This method
was common among the Sabi people living along river Zambezi
Shaft method
This method was commonly used in the
areas with gold veins. Here the gold was dug out by using wooden, stone and
iron hammers, then collected in wooden baskets and taken to furnaces were it
was turned into different ornaments such as bangles, earrings plus many more.
Copper industries
The copper industry is believed to
be the oldest industry that existed in almost all pre colonial African
societies. Different societies did participate to the industries due to the
fact that the copper existed in their communities.
Methods used in obtaining and
processing copper
Identification of a copper belt
The copper was dug out and then
taken to the furnaces where it was smelted. The smelted copper was turned into
different tools which were relatively important to the society for example wire
traps, knives axes etc. the areas that carried out this included places where
the copper belt were found for example the Katanga copper belt and Kasese.
Handcrafts industries
Cloth making industries (weaving and
spinning):
These industries were concerned with
making clothes and developed in areas where cloth making materials were
available. Spinning and wearing, making of bark –cloth developed in areas with
cotton and appropriate tree barks.
Famous spinning and weaving
societies in Africa include Yoruba people of West Africa, Sumbawanga in
Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique as well as the people found in Lake Rukwa valley
in Tanzania as for bark cloth areas North of Lake Victoria, interlacustrine societies
for example in Buganda they used the Mvule tree to make (Olubugo) bark cloth
which was very expensive and it was only the rich and the nobles who could
afford it
Basketry and carpentry
Closely associated with agrarian
societies whose style of life was more complex and sophisticated and in places
that were privileged with palm and special reeds holding vessels specialised in
the making of baskets and mats plus special leather work was needed for making
leather clothes, sandals, bags, and beddings from animal skins and hides. It‟s
associated with pastoralists such as Tuareg, Beja, Ajar, and Somali who made
tents.
Canoe making
The art of making canoes developed
in areas bordering lakes, rivers and oceans. Different societies who carried
this had their major economic activity as fishing which in many cases
supplemented agriculture.
This therefore means that nature of
resources available in a given society determined the nature of handcrafts
industry present in that society.
Trade in pre colonial Africa
Trade refers to the exchange of
goods or services with money or other goods or is the buying and selling of
goods
The development of agriculture
brought important economic changes as people were now able to produce surplus
food which is more than needed to feed their own immediate family thus the
surplus could be traded between neighboring settlement in exchange for raw
materials luxuries and other items not produced within the community
It is clear that societies are not
fully self sufficient. Therefore, interactions say between pastoralists with
cultivators and agriculturalists with craftsmen in order to exchange goods are
required. The major means of distributions from one hand to another were
through gifts, tributes and taxation.
The exchanges carried out were not
aimed at getting profit but it was after the use value of commodities and also
strengthening relations. For example a person who exchanged his cattle with
millet was not in search of profit.
Before the emergence of groups of
people who specialised in trade the exchange system was barter this involved
the exchange of goods for goods.
As societies developed trade
development was also inevitable basing on the fact that some societies were not
having specific resources which could only be obtained through the exchange.
Increase in surplus production supplemented with the development of industries,
the presence of safe routes and the regional specialisation not forgetting the
love for adventure cemented the development and expansion of trading activities
in pre colonial Africa.
The expansion of trading activities
resulted into two major types of trade emerging in pre colonial Africa.
1.
The
local trade (internal exchange relations). This developed within given
community.
2.
Regional
trade (long distance trade). Where there emerged groups of people who
specialized and could buy goods from producers in order to sell them later at a
profit.
The
Uses of Different Types of Minerals in Pre-Colonial Africa
All in all the handcrafts and mining
industries had far reaching effects to the communities and societies of pre
colonial Africa. Increased food production was evident as tool of production
was improved up on through the technological development, trade was also
increased as the volume of food traded and the demand increased this in turn
acted as a source of income to many societies which later rose socially,
politically and economically more settled populations and communities new political
system and organizations, the blacksmith became recognized, influential and
famous people in the society, the iron tools could dig and cut faster and
deeper than the stone tools and many others.
Trade
in Pre-Colonial Africa
The
Basis of Trade in Pre-Colonial Africa
Local trade
This was conducted from the village
among the homogenous community, it did not require specific places to act as a
markets, there was no need of middle men as goods passed freely from the hands
of producers to consumers.
Many pre colonial African societies
at first developed this trade as it availed them with the commodities they
needed with much ease. People living within a given community exchanged
commodities amongst themselves in order to fill the missing link; for example,
cultivators could exchange their food with the livestock from the pastoralists,
other commodities exchanged included iron tools, ornaments, animal skins and
agricultural produce.
Generally speaking, the exchange
which started with the intention to cement the existing social bonds amongst
the different societies resulted in the growth of several industries,
simulation of production for goods required in the exchange. It also led to the
increase in incomes of the people who actively participated in the trade, the
emergence and development of relationships among people of different localities
for example the Sukuma trading with the Maasai and also the availability of all
goods in the community brought about by increased production and the expansion
in the exchanges.
The
Types of Trade, Types of Commodities and the Societies Involved
Regional trade
Trade between East and Central
Africa started from the 1st millennium AD as they traded in raffia cloth, ivory
and hides, copper from Katanga exchanged with salt from Uvinza.
This was concerned with the exchange
of goods with people from different regions. This called for specialisation and
dealt with the commodities which were relatively scarce and geographical un
evenly distributed among the people of different ethnic groups. Regional trade
involved different regions in the trading process. In East and Central Africa
it came to be known as long distance trade while in West Africa it was called
trans Saharan trade.
Long Distance Trade
It is called long distance trade
simply because it was carried out long distance as people/traders had to move
for long distance going on exchanging goods with other societies and the major
aim was to get profit for example a salt traders was exchanged salt foe hoes
not because he wanted to use hoes but he wanted re sell them at a profit later.
Professional traders (trade being
their major occupation) came from Yao, Chewa and Bissa of Central Africa.
Imbangala and vimbundu from Angola, Dyula merchants and the Marabouts of West
Africa. In East Africa the Nyamwezi, Yao and Kamba were famous long distance
traders, through trading and supplying ivory, slaves and copper to the exterior
of East Africa Indian ocean coast. This organisation required fixed places to
act as markets and the use of middlemen as the entrepreneurs.
In East Africa it was mainly carried
out during the dry season and during the rainy season they settled down for
agricultural activities.
By the10th century AD the Yao and
Chewa were exporting ivory and iron to the coast. The Shona of Zimbabwe
exported ivory and gold to the coast which were then exported to the Far East
and then return they imported glass wear, cowrie's shells, beads, cotton cloth
and porcelain from the far and Middle East. They used organised caravans for
security reasons and distance standard currency such as bars of iron or copper
and slabs of salt.
The long distance trade was a
blessing for many societies in East and Central Africa as it gave rise to the
notorious and professional long distance traders like Tip Tippu, Mzilikazi, and
Mlosi etc
In addition to that prominent rulers
such as Muteesa of Bugnanda, Mirambo of Unyamwezi, Kimweri of Usambara and
Mkwawa of the Uhehe were able to conquer and rule weaker and neighboring
societies. All this was facilitated by the acquisition of fire arms and
ammunition which were important commodities from the East coast.
Expansion and consolidation of
various kingdoms for example Buganda, Bunyoro, Yao and Nyamwezi led many of the
participants to became very rich and famous from the huge profits that were
enjoyed from the trade.
The trade acted as a stepping stone
for the spread of Islam in the interior of East Africa. Many of the traders
preaching Islam at the same time carrying their trading activities. Slave trade
paved its way to the interior as the interior was exposed to traders.
The Trans Saharan Trade
Trans Saharan trade is also
sometimes referred to as caravan trade. It was carried out across the Sahara
desert. The trade involved different zones ranging from forest i.e. involving
the forest states such as Benin, Oyo, Kanem Bornu and many more, the savannah belt
which involved the Western Sudanic states such as Ghana, Mali and Songhai, the
Sahara desert and the North Africa, the Mediterranean world and Europe.
Factors for the rise of the Trans
Saharan Trade (causes)
The introduction and use of the
camels, which were
introduced in Africa during 100A.D. CamelS replaced horses and donkeys as they
were more resistant to desert conditions and could also move faster to the
desert. This therefore facilitated the development of the trade as a more
efficient means of transport had been introduced
Political development that
during the 7th and 16th century. This includesthe Western Sudanic states whose rulers
promoted the expansion of the trade. They ensured this by giving a leading
hand, security, freedom of movement and also encouraging people to prepare the
goods that were necessary in the trade a thing that did not existed before.
The conquest of North Africa by
the Arabs, between
641 and 708 the Arabs conquered North Africa, astraders naturally they
introduced their trading system and on top of that they increased the use of
camels in North Africa and in the Sahara desert.
Development of production, in various regions of the
Sudanic zone the production increased it meant that the supplies of commodity
to be used in the trade were available. As no single community is
self-sufficient this meant that the different communities had to depend on each
other for various raw materials and goods.
Organization of the trade:
commodities used; different regions had
different commodities that they concentrated on, from Europe and Muslim North
Africa included manufactured goods, textile, copper, silver, woolen garments,
brass, tin and horses
From the Sahara were salt mined
at Bilma, Taghaza,
Taoden, Idjil and Awlil, copper mined at Takkeda, tobacco and dates inclusive.
The savannah region had millet,
sorghum, wheat, gum and ostrich feathers and livestock as well as gold that
were mined from Wangara.
The forest zone was well known for
gold mines at Akan and Lobi, kola nuts, ivory and the slaves.
The first medium of exchange was the
barter system where goods were exchanged for goods but as the people became
professional traders the medium of exchange also changed the traders started
using cowries and at a later stage they started using the French franc and then
the Spanish and Australian dollars.
As caravans were organised they had
to follow specific trade routes that gave them a sense of direction on their
way through the trade. The major trade route that was used included;
·
From
Ghat and Tripoli to Ehyot.
·
From
Ghana to Morocco via Audaghast.
·
From
Timbuktu to Tunis via Taghaza.
·
From
Borno to Tripoli.
·
From
Kano to Tunis and Tripoli via Agades.
·
From
Timbuktu to Tunis via Wangala, Ghademes and Ghat.
The
Impact of the Following Types of Trade: Local Trade, Regional Trade
Impacts of the Trans Saharan Trade
Contributed to the formation of West
African states and kingdoms, the profits that were raised from trade helped in
the development of different states, these were got through the taking over
charge or control over the trade routes and every one using that route had to
pay tax or tributes.
For example Ghana Empire conquered
Audaghast in 990 A.D. in view of controlling the salt mines in that area, Mali
and Songhai extended their control as far as Taghaza and Takedda for economic
reasons. It is therefore true to say that trade facilitated the rise and
consolidation of the different states.
The spread of Islam was greatly
accelerated by the Trans Saharan Trade in West and North Africa. The traders
were serving two masters at a go as they were traders and also acted as
teachers of Islam (evangelists) a thing that improved on the literacy rates in
the region.
Growth of towns and cities, due to the trade many areas
which were once villages turned into towns in what is known as urbanisation.
Small villages turned into large towns and cities such as Kumbi Saleh, Gao,
Kano, Jenne, Timbuktu plus many others.
Improvement of political
administrations, the
caravan trade also improved political administration of the different kingdoms
through the use and employment of well educated Muslim traders who had been
attracted by the trade. Many of the states were also applying the Islamic ways
of administration in their different areas or jurisdiction
Exploitation of natural
resources, as the
influx of the Whites increased, this marked the beginning of the exploitation
of natural resources that were endowed in Africa. It is also believed that this
was the time of unequal exchange between Africa and Europe began.
Provision of constant and
regular source of income, The
attractive profits from trade provided constant and regular source of income
for the different states. This was mainly raised from the custom duties that
imposed on the imports and over goods of great political importance such as
horse and the different metals that were imported into the state.
Trade also provided the sources for
undertaking wars of conquest and expansion through the supply of effective
means of war fare, such as horses and metals that could be used in the making
and designing arms as spears, arrows head and axes.
The Trans Saharan Trade
This was the trading relation
between the people of Western Sudan (Sudanic/Savannah region) and the people of
North Africa passing across the Sahara desert. Camels were used as the means of
transport during this trade. Societies that participated in the Trans Saharan
Trade included;
·
The
Berbers of North Africa and brought them to West Africa via the Sahara desert.
·
The
Arabs and the European stationed in the Mediterranean costs of North Africa.
These supplied goods to the Berbers and Tuaregs who in turn sold them to the
people of West Africa. The said Arabs and purchased the items brought from West
Africa.
·
The
West African tribes of both the Sudanic region and the forest regions to
include the Mandika, Fulani, Hausa, Edo etc. these supplied items to the
Berbers and Tuaregs who crossed the Sahara and purchased the items brought from
North Africa.
Commodities involved
From North Africa the
commodities were:
·
Cotton
and silk clothes
·
Swords
·
Guns
and gunpowder
·
Horses,
etc.
from West Africa the
commodities were:
·
slaves
·
ivory
·
ostrich
feathers
·
kola
nuts
·
Gold
·
Salt
·
Food
stuff
Trans Saharan trade was firstly
carried out through barter system and there after some media of exchange like
cowries shells, silver, coins, etc. replaced the barter system.
Trade routes
The Trans Saharan Trade was carried
out via the routes namely:
·
The
western routes
·
The
Central route
·
The
Eastern route
The Western route emerged from Fez
in Morocco via Siljilmasa, Taghaza, Taoden, Walata, and Audaghost up to
Timbuktu. This route was famous because of salt mines at Taghaza and gold mines
Wangara.
The central route emerged at Tunis
in Tunisia via Tuat, Taotek, Tadmekket, Timbuktu, Gao, and Kano up to Katsina.
The Eastern route to the other hand
emerged from Triplin in Libya, Alexandria and Cairo in Egypt to Bilma via
Murzuk, Ghat and Agades. This route was significant because of salt mines in
Bilma.
Factors for growth of Trans Saharan
Trade
Several factors contributed to the
growth and development of Trans Saharan trade. These include:-
·
Political
stability in both North Africa and West Africa, hence a conducive ground forthe
trade activities to flourish.
·
The
desire by European traders of such items as ivory, gold and slaves which were
tobe obtained only from Western Sudan.
·
The
desire of European commodities by the people of Western Sudan.
·
Production
of surplus commodities such as kola nuts, salt, fish and other food stuffsin
Western Sudan. These had to be exported to other regions including
NorthAmerica.
·
The
introduction and use of camels as animals of transportation, these were able
tocarry huge quantities than horses and human porters. They were also tolerable
indesert conditions.
Factors for the fall of Trans
Saharan Trade
By the second half of the 19th
century, the trans Saharan trade was almost collapse of this trade was a result
of the following factors:
·
Introduction
of trans Atlantic trade which altered the trade route of Trans Saharan Trade.
·
The
emergence of other sources of salt and gold needed by European traders due
toopening up of mines in the Americas.
·
Scarcity
of water in the desert discouraged the voyages via the desert.
·
Eruption
of wars (jihad) in the Maghreb region particularly Morocco. This disrupted the
trade.
·
Colonisation
of West African states by European powers in the last quarter of 19thcentury
deteriorated the trading relations with North Africa
Effects of the Trans Saharan Trade
The Trans Saharan Trade had to a lot
of effects as follows:-
·
It
led to development and growth of towns and cities in both North Africa and
theWestern Sudan, example being Walata, Kano, and Timbuktu etc.
·
It
led to emergence of rich merchants classes in Western Sudan as these merchants
accumulated a lot of wealth from the trade.
·
It
led to the spread of Islam, Arabic culture and language in Western Sudan.
·
It
led to intermarriages between the people of Western Sudan, the Arabs and
AfroArabs from North Africa.
·
It
led to the growth and consolidation of Sudanic states namely Ghana, Mali,
Songhaiand Kanem Bornu.vi. It stimulated the state of warfare between Western
Sudanic states and forest states dueto the desire for slaves.
Mining and hand craft industries
Mining
This is the extraction of minerals
from the underground parent rocks. By the period before and around the 19th
century, minerals that were being mined in Africa include the following:-
·
Copper
·
Gold
·
Iron
·
Bronze
·
Silver
·
Salt.
Most of the minerals were to be
taken to handcraft industries where they were then processed into different
items. Some other minerals such as salt were to be consumed directly while some
other minerals were to be used as media of exchange in trading activities.
Prominent areas in Africa where
mining activities were being practiced include the following:-
·
Katanga
in Zaire where there were copper mines.
·
Tshikapa
in Zaire, Machili, Lusu, Klambo falls and Ingombe ilede.
·
Gokomere,
Mabven, Malapiti and Chivi in the Limpompo valley of Zimbabwe iron wasmined.
·
Mashona
and Matebele lands in Zimbabwe as well as Ashanti in Ghana where gold wasbeing
mined.
·
Uvinza
in Western Tanzania and Taghaza in Mauritania where there were extraction
ofsalts.
Hand crafts industries
These were factories that
manufactured different items through the use of machines operated manually (by
hand). Such industries include those that dealt with metal works namely:
·
Iron
processing industries
·
Copper
processing industries
·
Salt
making industries
The said metal working industries
were mainly located near their respective mining areas. Prominent societies
that were experts in metal works include:
·
The
people of Chipembe, and Kalomo in Zambia, the people of Mwavarambo,Phopo and
Nkope Bay in Malawi as well as the Yoruba and the Edo of Nigeriawho were
experts in iron smelting industries.
·
The
Shona and Ndebele of Zimbabwe, the Akan and the Asante of Ghana whowere famous
in gold coast smithing industries.
·
The
Manganja of Malawi and the people of Taghaza were experts in salt making
industries.
Other industries apart from metal
work industries dealt with cotton and raffia cloth making among the Fulbe, the
Felleme and Trakrur of Senegal and among the societies Guinea and Zimbabwe.
Other industries were those dealing
with Basketry, Pottery and wood carving. Wood carving industries were common
among the Makonde of Tanzania and the Yoruba of Nigeria.
Items made from the said handcraft
industries were to be sold in exchange with other products like agricultural
products, animal products etc.
THE MAP OF TRANS SAHARAN TRADE
ROUTES
BASIC ASSIGNMENT/ACTIVITIES TO DO
1.
Define
the following terms Technology Agriculture Trade Environment Development
2.
List
the four agricultural processes that were carried out among the different
societies in East Africa.
3.
Mention
any four advantages and effects of agriculture to the different African
societies.
4.
Mention
the different handcrafts that existed in pre colonial African societies.
5.
Outline
the different types of trade that where present in the pre colonial African
societies.
6.
What
factors contributed to the development of trans Saharan trade?
7.
Mention
the different regions that participated in the Trans Saharan trade.
8.
Mention
four notorious and professional long distance traders.
9.
List
the different methods in the obtaining and processing of salt in the pre
colonial African societies.
10.
What
factors gave rise to the Trans Saharan trade?
11.
List
four principles of trade routes that were used in trans Saharan slave trade.
12.
What
were the impacts or effects of trans Saharan trade?
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