Tran-Sahara and the Bantu

Berbers Convert The Caliphate conquered Egypt Shortly after, North African Berbers convert Known as traders and warriors

Trans-Saharan trade Routes crossed the Sahara desert Connect Africa with the Mediterranean world The most Important goods gold and salt Estimated 8 tons gold exported

Why Salt? Salt was rare in many areas. Needed in diets, Food preservation Salt + gold traded pound for pound Who were Berbers trading with? (even used to build homes) Currently salt $2 per lb of salt to almost $20,000 for lb of gold

The Bantu Migration

The Word Bantu A group of about 500 African languages Approx. 90 million speakers today. Swahili is most common YOLO Hakuna Matata

Origin + = Lived in West Africa Developed Agriculture Population grew Allowed specialization Began expanding around 1500 BCE due to: Cultivation of cereal crops Development of iron + =

Cereal and Iron Cereals have more caloric density, more pop growth. Need more room for people and crops Iron tools allowed "slash-and-burn" agriculture. More food, see above Made deadlier weapons

Expansion More resources/population made both pressure and capability to expand Occupied most of Africa south of the Sahara by 300 CE was not conscious, More like people gradually seeking more or better land

Results These areas were not unoccupied. Indigenous people pushed off of good land or eliminated Bantu culture and language dominates the south of Africa to this day.