West Africa

Ancient West Africa had a big impact on history and is still important to us today. West Africa was very hot and dry due to being located by the Saharan Dessert. According too EBSCO it had very rich heritage and strong empires and was home to the richest person ever, Mansa Musa.  West Africa was also home to Trans-Saharan trade routes that carried salt and gold from West to South Africa

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• West African mosques were an incredibly important part of day to day life as they served as both places of worship, as well as of trade and communal interaction within a society as a whole. 

• The development of cowries by West Africa had a significant impact by providing a currency for trading goods and services and slave trade. Without cowries it would be much harder to trade goods and services with other civilizations. Cowries were seen as a currency for trade in many regions. Cowries had an important role in slave trade by being apart of the monetary system.

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• The Domestication of Camels positively improved West Africa by providing a way to travel far distances across harsh conditions to trade and travel. Camels have adapted to these harsh conditions with various features to sustain and thrive in scorching and freezing conditions.

• Ancient West African universities played a significant role in West African history. It gave Africans more academic opportunities and more academic freedom. Universities provided wide ranges of studies, including education on religion. These universities helped advance west African culture and spread it around the world. Universities enlightened young Africans in the ancient time periods and still teach young Africans today.