Farming and shepherding were the main occupations that were taken up by people all over sub-Saharan Africa from about 2000 B.C.E. These occupations continued to be the major ones until the last years of the first millennium C.E. This spread was gradual due to the Bantu migrations. This process refers to the migration of Bantu-language speakers across the continent of Africa. A major portion of the African continent was occupied by the Bantu-speaking communities in the course of time. Their presence significantly impacted the region as the Bantu migration contributed in the propagation of cultural assimilation, development and progression (Gann & Duignan 175). The social structures also changed and improved as people adapted themselves to the environment. To cut a long story short, these movements consequently resulted in the introduction of innovative foods like bananas, long-distance buying and selling processes etc. As a result, the population in the continent increased noticeably and the people saw the emergence of progressively more multifaceted forms of government. A good number of sub-Saharan African cultures were based on kinship. They were divided into rather undersized rural communities that were grouped into chief-headed districts. Thus, larger and more stabilized realms and domains started to appear with the passage of time. Such larger states usually strengthened and secured their positions by maintaining long-distance trade with others (Bentley & Ziegler).
The beginning, development and progression of normal trans-Saharan trade were impossible without the dynamic input and contributions of West Africans. The West-Africans had gained a perfect understanding of the utilization techniques in order to make the best of the new prospects that commercial contacts provided to the Muslim world. It won’t be incorrect to state that the trans-Saharan trade was not simply a money-making, profitable phenomenon. Instead, it also turned out to be the connecting link between the West African regions and the Mediterranean world as far as intellectualism was concerned (Bentley & Ziegler).
The traders were used to of telling tales of their lands to the native people in the Muslim world. As a consequence, the medieval Arab geographers came to know about the sub-Saharan Africa. The sub-Saharan Africa was also known by the name of Bilad al-Sudan which means The Land of the Blacks. It was a great change as the Arabs were only acquainted with the information that encompassed the coastal or shoreline areas. In European continent, the world witnessed a continuing buildup of gossips about the West Africa and the treasures hidden within it. Such rumors persuaded the Portuguese to travel to the magnificent Guinea which was renowned for its gold deposits (Bentley & Ziegler).
All those infrequent links did make some significant impacts on the affairs of the Savannah States and societies of the West Africa. The trade goods’ flow became a normal matter on which the natives relied particularly. The trans-Saharan trade included gold, ivory, and slaves as its major exports. The networks of the mentioned trade system were both marine and overland. The trans-Saharan convoy routes of camels were particularly significant. As far as maritime was concerned, the African city-states on the eastern side turned out as the major ends at the Indian Ocean seaway. The impact of trans-Saharan trade was also noticeable in the cultural and societal structures of the societies in West Africa. The cross-cultural interactions between the natives and the traders highly influenced the dress codes, eating habits, marriage customs etc. Donkeys and horses were replaced by camels as transport animals thus accelerating the communication process across the desert. Moreover, Muslim traders were able to establish relations with people across Sahara. Ghana became the commercial hub of West Africa. Its main imports were cloth, horses, salt etc whereas it exported gold as its most important valuable. The development of ports also took place in city-states as a result of trading (Bentley & Ziegler).
The societal and cultural development in Africa was also noticeable as social classes and sex and gender relations thrived and improved. However, it is imperative to note here that the Islamic faith was not able to hold back the opportunities women had in sub-Saharan Africa. Slave trade flourished during this period and demand for them exceeded the supply. As far as religious changes are concerned, both Islam and Christianity left a great mark on the west-African society. The Islamic faith particularly appealed the elite classes and they converted to Islam in huge numbers. The African Islam was successful in accommodating gender relations prevalent in African society. The beauty of Islam was that it gave more freedom to the underprivileged women. The people who accepted Islam took the Islamic teachings in a very serious manner and worked for its propagation by building Islamic schools and mosques where experts were invited to teach Islamic principles. It won’t be incorrect to state that Islam did not replace any traditional religion in West Africa and Savannah states. Instead, it became a supplementary religion. In short, the Trans-Saharan Trade significantly influenced the political, economical and social structures of West Africa.
Works Cited
Bentley, J. H., & Ziegler, H. F. Traditions and Encounters: A Global Perspective on the Past. 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2011. Print.
Gann, L. H., & Duignan, P. Africa and the World: An Introduction to the History of Sub-Saharan Africa from Antiquity to 1840. San Francisco: Chandler Pub. Co., 1972. Print.
