Question

Trans-Saharan Trade in Ancient Africa
Source 1:
Trade has played an important role in the economy of West Africa since very early times. As early as 300 AD, camel caravans carried salt from mines in the Sahara Desert to trading centers along the Niger River in present-day Mali. Their mission was to exchange the salt for the gold that was mined in forests near the headwaters of the Niger. West Africa’s first kingdom, Ghana, became wealthy . . . because it controlled the trade routes and commercial activities in its region.

The spread of Islam across North Africa in the seventh century dramatically increased trans-Saharan trade. As the market expanded, strategically sited towns became major centers of commerce, welcoming merchants from distant lands.
— National Endowment for the Humanities

. . .

Source 2:
It is a village with no attractions. A strange thing about it is that its houses and mosques are built of blocks of salt and roofed with camel skins. There are no trees, only sand in which there is a salt mine. They dig the ground and thick slabs are found in it, lying on each other as if they had been cut and stacked under the ground. A camel carries two slabs. The only people living there are the slaves of the Massufa, who dig for the salt.
— Ibn Battuta, The Travels of Ibn Battuta, 1829



Public Domain.

Multiple Choice Question
Based on the sources, how did this trade affect the people of the region?

A.
Rulers grew wealthy, but many people were forced to labor as slaves.

B.
Both the rulers and the least wealthy were harmed by increased trade.

C.
Rulers lost power as the poor grew wealthy and gained influence.

D.
Both the rulers and the least wealthy people benefitted significantly.

Answer 1

A.

Source 1 shows rulers and towns grew wealthy from controlling and expanding trans‑Saharan trade; Source 2 describes people forced to dig salt as slaves. Together they indicate rulers profited while many common people were compelled to labor.