9.2 Trade (N/W Africa)
Why did Ghana's location allow it to control the Trans-Saharan trade?
-Located between North and West Africa, in south Sahara desert
-Traders/merchants had to pass through Ghana, Ghana was able to tax those people
What did North Africans want?
What did West Africans want?
-Gold
-Salt
What Empire did Mansa Musa rule (14th century)?
Mali Empire (in West Africa, succeeding empire of Ghana empire)
How did humans get from Afro-Eurasia to the America?
-Got across Beringia and developed in isolation in the Americas
2 things the Aztec Empire had?
-Jaguar Warriors; capture 4 people in battle, get this position, doesn't matter rich or poor, Meritocracy
-Tribute System; would get annual tribunes from conquered lands, food textiles etc. when took a person it would be a noble for sacrifice
What two things led to a growth in trade between North and West Africa?
-Camels; great for traveling long distances with infrequent water and heavy weight
-Spread of Islam: Muslims invaded Ghana's empire (wanting to convert and control trade) Ghana turned back and some Muslims ended up settling and becoming merchants
What was Gold used for?
What was Salt used for?
-Gold turned into coins, currency
-Salt for 1. diet 2. food preservation 3. taste
Why was Mansa Musa so very very extremly rich?
-Because of the taxes along trade routes (Sundiata founded Mali and took control of these routes)
In what two regions of the Americas did civilizations arise? What crops grew there?
-Mesoamerica (Maya and Aztecs); Maize(corn), beans, tomatoes *not much protein*
-Andes (Incas); Potatoes, quinoa, llamas--both used for travel and eaten+milk used
3 characteristics of Tenochtitlan, capital of Aztec Empire?
-had Aquaducts; water from mountains to city
-had Chinampas; floating gardens, provided food
-Templo Mayor; huge stone stepped pyramid with two temples on top
*also an island in a lake, bridges connected to land to cross*
What is a group of camels and travelers that would travel together called? (defin. of word :"a company of travelers on a journey through desert or hostile regions")
-a Caravan
South of Ghana was Wangara, which had lots of gold. Were the locations of the gold mines well known?
-Locations of gold mines were kept secret
-People would capture miners and torture them to get location, didn't tell it would cost their life
Why did Mansa Musa go on a Hajj (pilgrimage) to Mecca? describe how he traveled there/ how he looked like traveling
-very extravagant, huge caravan(s), lots of people, and lots of gold
The Maya, empire or not?
-Not an empire, city-states, can relate to Mesopotamia and Greece. Also fought like city-states in Mesopotamia and Greece
Where was the Inca Empire located?
Describe the capital of the Empire (name, how high it was)
-The Andes, South America
-Cusco, very high up (10,000 ft) Coca leaves used to deal with the altitude
At what time of day/night did people travel when journeying across the Sahara?
-During night, basically resting when sun/heat is at peak
Taghaza was/is barren, only use was for salt. What are two was Salt was produced?
-Evaporation
-Mining salt deposits
What did Mansa Musa do when he went through cities? How long did it take to cross Sahara one way?
-He gave large gifts of mainly gold
-Took about 4 months to cross one-way
What are 3 accomplishments of the Mayans?
-Hieroglyphic writing NOT LIKE IN EGYPT
-Solar calendar; were advanced in knowledge of solar system because of observatories, mapped out solar calendar waayyyy before europeans
-Huge stone pyramids
What is the Mit'a system, how did it help build the Carpa Nan (what is it also)? How were messages sent, were they written?
-Mit'a system; the Incas system of what they do to the people of lands the conquered, they would make them do labor.
-The labor from the Mit'a system helped build the Carpa nan, a network of roads and suspension bridges
-Quipu; strings would be knotted in a way that was able to communicate numerical information and general information, INCAS DIDNT HAVE WRITING SYSTEM
Describe the pattern of how people would travel/ what location(s) would people stop at?
-People wouldn't travel straight down/up, would go from oasis to oasis
*People also stopped at Taghaza, or other location in middle of Sahara to pick up salt to trade with West Africa*
Who did Ghana tax? How did those taxes help Ghana?
-Taxed merchants passing through
-Finance armies, protect kingdom/empire (also allowed king to conquer more land and Ghana secured trade routes, benefiting traders)
How were Cairo and Timbuktu affected by Mansa Musa?
-Cairo was flooded with gifts of gold from Mansa Musa, inflation happened because of this
-Timbuktu turned into center of Islamic learning because M.M. built mosques and schools there
2 factors that led to the Mayan's downfall?
-Constant conflict between city-states; would fight to get Human Sacrifices, not territory
-Slash-and-burn agriculture; exhausted the lands, crops eventually struggled to grow
Why did the Incas call themselves "Children of the Sun"
-Sun god was very important to them (they were polytheistic)
-Rarely did human sacrifice, when they did they sacrificed young virgin girls that were made to be devoted to the religion;;killed by being drugged and sent up a mountain.