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Global Trade in Africa
You might think that the idea of global trade began in our modern age due to ease of travel and communication. However, Africa was conducting business with other continents in the 1400s. In fact, most African empires were trading with people outside of Africa. One of the main countries trading with the African empires was Portugal. When Portuguese traders sailed to different parts of Africa, they found cities that were as large, elaborate, and organized as any in Europe. Trade from European countries such as Portugal came to have a large impact on Africa, even affecting the rise and fall of different empires and kingdoms.
Northeast Africa
The early 1400s marked a difficult time for the Egyptian Empire in northeast Africa. The whole empire was suffering from famine and plague, and the Asian conqueror Timur threatened to invade. Nevertheless, the area was in the midst of a strong architectural and artistic period and remained so throughout the 1400s. Many canals, bridges, buildings, and religious structures were built in Cairo and Alexandria during this time.
The Egyptians in this era produced and traded beautiful works of art. Their work included enameled glass, inlaid metalwork, woodwork, and textiles. Many enameled glass works still survive. Historians believe they were highly valued and used for special occasions.
Even though the empire was artistically productive, it had money problems. One cause was that Portugal gained control of Indian Ocean trade in the early 1500s. Egypt could not freely use the ocean for trade. For the most part, they were limited to trading exclusively with the Portuguese. This situation resulted in Egypt suffering within the world trade market.
Eastern and Southern Africa
Eastern and southern African were primarily agricultural regions. This area included many of today’s African nations, such as Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. The area also had several large coastal cities, including Mombasa, Malindi, and Kilwa. The Ethiopian Empire rose up in the late 1300s and was prosperous through the 1500s. Ethiopia traded ivory, gold, and slaves. The Ethiopian leaders ordered many large, ornate churches. They also imported both art and artists’ materials. This trade and import of art helped shift Ethiopia’s culture from agricultural to creative and intellectual.
One of the most impressive cities in Zimbabwe in the 1300s was the city known as Great Zimbabwe. The population of Great Zimbabwe is believed to have exceeded 10,000 people. The members of the elite classes lived in and around large stone buildings and walls. Although it was an inland city, the ruling elite was able to amass great wealth. Historians believe that this wealth came from gold and the cattle trade. The merchants used the trade routes connecting Africa’s interior to its coast. Great Zimbabwe was located along those routes.
Central Africa
In Central Africa, the Kongo and Ndongo were among the more wealthy empires, as they controlled many of the natural resources. Portuguese traders first arrived in this Congo River area in the mid-1400s. From this time on, the Portuguese and the people of Central Africa conducted friendly business transactions that benefited both sides. The Portuguese brought guns, beads, metal goods, and fabric. The Congo traded ivory, gold, and salt. The luxury goods the Portuguese brought to the area allowed leaders to stand apart from commoners and develop elaborate court rituals.
Guinea Coast of Africa
In the mid-1400s, Oba Ewuare became the ruler of the Benin court in the Guinea Coast area of Africa. He set about making major changes in the court’s procedures and building a new palace. Ewuare also waged war against neighboring cities and won. His wars gave more power to the Benin court. The Portuguese traders arrived in Benin in the later 1400s and began trading both goods and artistic knowledge. The artists of the Guinea Coast created beautiful ivory carved items. These ivory carvings were one of the main products that the Portuguese traders wanted. The city’s trade-based relationship with Portugal positively influenced the next 200 years of Benin life.
Western and Central Sudan
The 1400s was a time of turmoil for the western and central Sudan area of Africa. There were ongoing power struggles between neighboring cities and confederations. For example, at one point, the Tuareg took control of Timbuktu and Gao, which were two trading centers. The result was stronger trade for the Tuareg. But a few years later, more struggles resulted in Timbuktu becoming part of the Songhai. Despite all the instability, the people in this area succeeded as salt and copper traders.
Western North Africa
The western part of North Africa was known as the Maghreb region (current-day Morocco and Algeria). This area thrived due to Mediterranean trade and trade with Egypt. The large desert area in the Maghreb region was rich in salt. African empires and other countries were anxious to trade for this valuable mineral.
Trade increased in the late 1400s, when Christians regained control of Spain. At this time, many Muslim craftsmen fled to the Maghreb, bringing new artwork.
The Big Geographic Picture
North Africa was a natural immigration area for Muslims who left Spain. Clearly, people cannot travel by land from Spain and Portugal into Africa, but the land bodies are very close. The Strait of Gibraltar, which connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean, is only about eight miles wide at one point. It is much easier to cross this strait than an ocean. This short travel distance made trade between Europe and Africa a relatively easy task. Once the routes were established, trade between the two regions occurred regularly.
The “global” trading of the 1400s was minimal compared to that of today’s business world. It did, however, forever alter the cultures of African kingdoms and Portugal. In their quest to explore, the Portuguese created many trade routes and opportunities. This trade helped spread art, ideas, and goods throughout Europe and Africa.
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Questions
After reading the passage, answer the following questions:
Multiple Choice: (2 points each)
1. What is a reason that the Egyptian Empire suffered in the 1400s?
A. there were no canals to carry water to the people
B. many people died from a plague
C. the Portuguese brought many diseases
D. explorers from southern African invaded
2. In what way did Africa experience global trade in the 1400s?
A. Africans were trading with many other countries.
B. Africans were traveling around the globe to trade.
C. Africans were trading with at least one other country on another continent.
D. Africans were trading with the Americas.
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Short Answer: (8 points)
In the 1400s the different empires of Africa were competing for power and control. Imagine yourself as a wealthy member of an African empire in the 1400s. How might trade have affected your life? Cite information from the passage to support your answer.