1. Muslim Empire How could the extent of the Muslim empire affect Africa?
New languages, Trade, Cultural Diffusion, Religion, Math, Medicine, Moral Conduct, Family Life, Business Matters

2. Africa Gold and Salt Trade
Arab and Berber traders took salt from the Sahara to trade for gold in West Africa. (and vice versa)
Clothes and weapons from the Mediterranean port were taken to West Africa.

3. Discussion Questions
What are the challenges and impacts between West Africa trade routes, the Sahara, and the Mediterranean ports?
Compare the Africa Gold and Salt Trade to the Silk Road?
Similarities:
Long distances, cultural diffusion, growth of wealth, trading slaves, trading ideas
Differences:
Silk Road- silk and spices, and covering several continents
African Gold and Salt- gold, salt, all in Africa

4. Effects of Cultural Diffusion
Blending new languages
New trading settlements emerge along the coast of Africa
Growth of commerce and trade in East Africa
Interactions with Muslims bring wealth to Asia and Africa.

5. Advancements Astrolabe – navigation = stars
Spurred by contact with Europe, i.e., telescope
Trigonometry
Medical advancements
Algebra

6. Caliphates
Caliph- successor or deputy. Name given to leaders after Muhammad’s death.
Caliphate- government

7. Specific Caliphates
Fatimids- traced ancestry to Muhammad’s daughter and controlled areas in North Africa, Arabia, and Syria. Capital City was Cairo.
Abbasids- took power and murdered members of the Umayyad’ family. Built their capital city in Baghdad. Controlled modern areas of Iran, Iraq, and Central Asia.
Umayyad- surrounded themselves with wealth, caused a split in the community. As a result 3 parties develop: Shi’a (descendents of Muhammad), Sunni (Muslims who left and lost touch with religion), and Sufi (no life of luxury, spiritual life, and focused on Quran and its traditions).

8. Fatimid Empire
( )
Capital: Cairo
Abbasid Empire
( )
Capital: Baghdad

9. Vocabulary
Qadis- a judge in a Muslim community, whose decisions are based on Islamic religious law.
Imams- A ruler claiming descent from Muhammad and exercising authority in an Islamic state.
Both are officials that created and interprets laws.

10. Start Spread of Islam Map
Umayyad Empire
Africa Gold and Salt Trade

11. Fatimid Empire
( )
Capital: Cairo
Abbasid Empire
( )
Capital: Baghdad