TRADE IN AFRICA

1. TRANS- SAHARAN TRADE

Qn What was Trans- Saharan trade?

Trans- Saharan trade was the type of trade carried out by the people of West and

North Africa across Sahara Desert.

Trans- Saharan traders moved in caravans/ convoys/large groups.

QN Why did Trans- Saharan traders move in caravans?

For protection against bandits.

For safety

Trans Saharan trade routes

Items of trade from;

1. West Africa North Africa

- Slaves - guns

- Ivory - gun powder

- Gold - clothes

- Salt - utensils

- Skins and hides - ornaments

- Tortoise shells - jewelry.

Problems faced by Trans- Saharan traders

Attacks from bandits

Strong sand storms

High temperatures

Shortage of safe drinking water.

N.A

W.A

Effects of Trans- Saharan trade

Qn How did Trans- Saharan Trade affect the people of Africa?

It united Africans of western and Northern regions

New trade items were introduced

African chiefs and kings grew rich

It led to the growth of ancient kingdoms e.g. Ghana

It improved on peoples living standards

Negative effects of Trans – Saharan trade

It led to depopulation of west Africa

It led to displacement of people.

It led to decrease vin the number of elephants in West Africa.

Guiding questions

1. How were oases important to Trans- Saharan traders?

2. How was Gore Island important to Trans- Saharan trade?

3. Why did Trans- Saharan traders move in caravans?

4. What was the main item of trade from West Africa during Trans- Saharan trade?

2. TRANS- ATLANTIC TRADE/ TRIANGULAR TRADE

Trans – Atlantic Trade was the type of trade carried out by the people of Africa, Europe,

North and South America across Atlantic Ocean.

It was also called triangular trade.

QN Why was Trans-Atlantic trade sometimes called Triangular Trade?

The trade routes formed a triangular shape when joined.

Triangular routes

Items of trade during Trans- Atlantic trade

a) From Africa to Europe

- Slaves

- Ivory

- Gold

- Skins and hides

b) From North America

- Sugar canes

- Tobacco

- Silver

- Cotton

- Tea

- Copper

c) From Europe to Africa

- Guns

- Spirits

- Gunpowder

- Clothes

- Iron Bars

- Bronze

Africa

Europe

Atlantic Ocean

South

America

North America

Effects of Trans –Atlantic trade to Africa.

QN How did Trans-Atlantic trade contribute to the development of West Africa?

It led to introduction of new trade items into Africa

It opened Africa with the rest of the continents

African chiefs and kings grew rich

It led to depopulation of West Africa

It improved on people’s living standards

Other types of trade long ago.

a. Long distance trade

- Long distance trade was the type of trade carried out by the people at the East African

Coast and the interior.

- It was called long distance trade because it involved moving long distances.

- Arab traders were the main controllers of long distance trade.

Effects of long distance trade

It united the coastal and interior people.

New items of trade were brought

It led to development of coastal towns

African chiefs and kings grew rich

It led to development of ancient kingdoms like Nyamwezi, Wanga and Buganda.

led to reduction in the number of elephants in East Africa due to ivory trade

It promoted peace and unity.

Qn: How did Ivory trade affect the number of elephants in East Africa?

TRADE TODAY

b. Monetary trade

This is the type of trade where money is used as a medium of exchange.

Legitimate trade

This was the type of trade that replaced slave trade.

1. INTERNAL TRADE

QN What is internal trade?

Internal trade is the type of trade carried out within the boundaries of a country.

Internal trade is also called domestic/ home trade

Advantages of home trade

Qn : How is internal trade important in the development of a country?

It promotes peace and unity

It promotes friendship

It promote s security

It promotes cooperation

It improves on living standards of people.

It creates market for local goods

It leads to development of transport and communication network.

It promotes urbanization

It promotes industrialization

It is a source of government revenue.

2. INTERNATIONAL TRADE

This is a type of trade carried out amongst many countries

There are two types of international trade;

- Bi – lateral trade

- Multi-lateral trade

Meaning of terms

a. Bi- lateral

The type of international trade carried out between two countries

b. Multi –lateral

The type of international trade carried out among many countries.

NB: the geographical location of Kenya and Tanzania contributed to their success in

international trade.

Qn: How has the location of Kenya and Tanzania contributes to their success in

international trade?

They have sea ports that handle their imports and exports.

Their goods do not delay on the way

Their goods are not over taxed

Their goods have privacy.

Qn How has the location of Uganda and Rwanda negatively affected their success in

international trade?

Their goods lack privacy

Their goods are over taxed

Their goods delay in transit

They lack seaports that would handle their imports and exports

GUIDING QUESTIONS (Answer these questions)

1. What is the difference between imports and exports?

2. What is the difference between excise and custom tax?

3. Why should a country like Uganda export processed goods than raw materials?

4. Why should a country like Uganda use more than one seaport in importing and

exporting her goods?

5. Give a reason why Uganda mainly uses port Mombasa than Port Dar-salaam in

exporting and importing her goods?

6. Why should a country with a fast growing population modernize her agricultural

sector?

Advantages of international trade

It creates a wider market for goods

It promotes international friendship

It creates employment chances

It promotes unity

It promotes urbanization

It promotes industrialization

It is a source of government revenue

It leads to development of transport and communication network

It improves on people’s living standards

It promotes cooperation

It promotes security

Reasons why Uganda should be in friendly terms with her neighbours

To promote unity

To promote friendship

To create a wider market for goods

To promote trade

To allow free movement of people and goods from one country to another.

To get goods she does not produce.

Effects of European Traders in Africa.

QN How did the coming of European traders affect the development of Africa?

They introduced new trade items

They linked Africa to Europe

They opened Africa to external trade

They exploited Africa’s resources

THE COMING OF EUROPEANS TO AFRICA

For a long time, Africa was often referred to as a dark continent by Europeans because

little information was known about the interior of Africa.

Groups of Europeans that came to Africa

Explorers -Christian missionaries

Colonialists/Administrators -European traders

White settlers

THE COMING OF EARLY EUROPEAN EXPLORERS TO AFRICA

Vocabulary

a. Explorers

These are people who travel to unknown lands to learn more about them.

b. Exploration/ Expedition

-Exploration is the act of travelling to unknown lands to study and know more about them.

Qn. Who were explorers?

Explorers were people who came to Africa to study Physical features.

PORTUGUESE EXPLORERS

They came from Portugal

They never entered the interior of Africa but simply sailed along the Coastal areas of

Africa.

Their main aim was to discover the shortest sea route from Portugal to India(Europe to

India)

NB: Portuguese were interested in discovering the shortest route to India in order to trade in silk

and spices

Examples of Portuguese explorers

Bartholomew Diaz -

Vasco Da Gama

Prince Henry the Navigator

Reasons for the coming of the Portuguese.

To discover the shortest sea route to India

To spread Christianity

To build a resting base at the East African coast

To attack Islam and its followers

To acquire over sea colonies

BARTHOLOMEW DIAZ

He was the first Portuguese explorer to reach the Cape of South Africa.

He named Cape Town as Cape of storms

WHY?

Due to strong storms that defeated Portuguese explorers to sail to India

NB: King John II renamed “Cape of Storms” as Cape of good hope”

WHY?

To encourage Portuguese explorers

King John II had hoped that the “Cape of Storms” would give away to the far East.

VASCO DA GAMA

He discovered the shortest sea route to India

He made two journeys to East Africa i.e.

1st journey (1497) – To discover the shortest route to India

2nd

journey (1502) – To trade with East Africa

He was not welcomed by Arabs to East Africa on his 1st journey

WHY?

Arab traders did not want Europeans to interfere with their trade.

NB: Sultan Sayyid Ali was the Sultan of Malindi who welcomed Vasco Da Gama

Ahmed Bin Majid guided Vasco Da Gama to India.

PRINCE HENRY THE NAVIGATOR

He was the prince of Portugal

He was a professional sailor

He built a school of sailors at Sagres

Contributions of Prince Henry the Navigator

He built a school of sailors at Sagres

He sponsored many voyages.

EUROPEAN EXPLORERS IN AFRICA

For many years, Africa was often referred to as a dark continent by

Europeans because,

i) Little information was known about the interior of Africa

ii) Europeans did not have much information about the interior of

Africa.

Therefore, Many European countries like Britain, Germany, Portugal,

Scotland, France, Spain and many others sent explorers to Africa to

find out the unknown (mysteries) about African continent.

Reasons for the coming of explorers to Africa

To discover sources of major rivers in Africa (WHY?)

To study the physical features of Africa.

To find out possible chances of trade with Africa.

To win fame and prestige

Reasons why explorers wanted to discover the source of river Nile.

To control Nile Valley countries

To have full control over river Nile

To strengthen their position in Egypt.

For navigation.

Examples of European Explorers that came to Africa

a) To East Africa,

John Hanning Speke

James Augustus Grant

Richard Francis Burton

Sir Samuel White Baker

Joseph Thompson

Jacob Erhardt

Johan Rebmann

Ludwig Krapf

Count Samuel Teleki

Dr. David Livingstone

Henry Morton Stanley

James Bruce

Richard Riese Kandt

Adolf Gotzen

Dr. Gastav Fisher

b) To West Africa,

Mungo Park

John Lander

Richard Lander

Mary Henrietta Kingsley

Gordon Laing

Dr Gaspard Mollen

N.B Most European explorers that came to East Africa entered through

Tanzania instead of Kenya which was a shorter route.

WHY?

Feared dangerous wild animals in the interior

Feared hostile tribes

Feared tropical diseases like Malaria.

Tanzania had safer routes

Explorers entered East Africa through Bagamoyo in Tanzania.

(Bagamoyo was the entry point for most explorers to East Africa)

WHY?

Bagamoyo had safer routes.

The people of Bagamoyo were friendly (Due to the hospitality of the

people of Bagamoyo).

NOTE. Most Exploeres to East Africa first visited Zanzibar

Reasons why most explorers to East Africa first visited Zanzibar

To get permission from the sultan of Zanzibar

To get porters/helpers

To learn Kiswahili/local language.

To get guides and guards

To get interpreters

Chief Rumanika of Karagwe was very helpful to early explorers in

East Africa.

HOW?

He sheltered them

Treated James Augustus Grant.

Fed them

Gave them guides

Signed treaties of friendship with them

Gave them hospitality

ACTIVITY 10

1. State one reason for the coming of early explorers to Africa.

………………………………………………………………………………………

2. Name the first European explorer to come to Uganda.

………………………………………………………………………………………

3. How was river Nile a major factor for the coming of early explorers

to Uganda?

………………………………………………………………………………………

4. Mention one reason why explorers were interested in discovering

the source of river Nile.

………………………………………………………………………………………

5. Give one reason why most explorers to East Africa entered

through Tanzania instead of Kenya which was a shorter route

……….………………………………………………………………………………

6. How was Bagamoyo important during exploration of East Africa?

………………………………………………………………………………………

7. State two reasons why explorers to East Africa first visited Zanzibar.

i)…………………………………….……ii)………………………………………

8. Give any two ways in which chief Rumanika of Karagwe was

helpful to early explorers to East Africa.

i)……………………………………………………………………………………

ii)……………………………………………………….…………………………....

9. Name any one country that sent early explorers to East Africa.

………………………………………………………………………………………

10. How was the Royal Geographical Society helpful to early

explorers to Africa?

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