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From 1200 to 1450, the trans-Saharan trade routes connected West Africa with the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean.

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key trade items were gold from west Africa and salt from the Sahara

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The Sahara Desert (the largest desert in the world) lengths about 3.5 million square miles from the Nile River to the Atlantic Ocean.

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The Sahara was not a barrier; it was seen as a navigable sea for trade and exchange.

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Key factors for trade included valuable goods and efficient transportation methods.

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Camels were an important technology for travel; they could go up to ten days without water and carry heavy loads.

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Merchants often rented camels and traveled during colder months to cover about 20 miles a day.

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Trade production from agriculture, and control over trade routes were the primary reasons for the success of the Mali and Songhai empires.

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Berbers controlled salt mines and exchanged them for gold.

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To protect their wealth, empires protected the location of their gold mines.

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Northern Islamic empires helped trans-Saharan trade grow.

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While many West Africans converted to Islam, Arab traders traded a range of items, which increased trader's beliefs and communication.

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West African empires experienced a golden period because of trade, with cities developing into centers of learning.

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notable people like Mansa Musa drew attention from Europe by showcasing the region's wealth.

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By the 15th century, new maritime routes and European discoveries decreased the impact of the Saharan trade routes.

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Large caravans continued crossing the desert until the early 1900s when steamships and railroads were common.