Africa is home to many of the oldest kingdoms in the world. These kingdoms played an imperative role in the development of trade and economic growth in the area. As time went by, the old kingdoms were replaced by new ones. These transformations were facilitated by conquest and warfare as well as the patterns of trade in the region. Essentially, the history of Africa was shaped by the competition for wealth and the need for independence from powerful kingdoms. This paper will examine the role of trade in the emergence and subsequent history of African kingdoms.
Discussion
Trade played an imperative role in the development of the kingdoms and history in Africa. For example, the wealth derived from the trade was used to create larger kingdoms and empires. These kingdoms created stronger armies to protect their trade relations from external influence. Besides, the kingdoms that sought to control larger trade areas developed stronger armies that helped expand their kingdoms and protect them from external competition.
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Most of the kingdoms engaged in long-distance trade that promoted the local economy and internal trade. For example, merchants traveling across the Sahara required places to rest and get food. This food was usually derived from the local markets that relied on farmers. As such, merchants would move from one place to the other without worrying about shelter and food. The African kingdoms encouraged local farmers to improve their agricultural production. This created unity among the farmers and traders who formed strong trading societies. For instance, the Kuba Kingdom in Congo was made up of different cultures that used the Congo River to transport their merchandise to other areas.
Slave trade also promoted economic development in Africa, especially in the Western region. In West Africa, most of the kingdoms used slaves to carry out heavy duties. For example, the Songhai kingdom used slaves as soldiers as they could not overthrow their masters. Palace slaves helped the potters, artisans, woodworkers, and musicians. Also, some slaves were sent to the villages to work on the farms and produce enough food for the growing population in the kingdom. Besides, the Asante Kingdom in Ghana used its gold to buy slaves from the Portuguese, who got the slaves from Benin. The slaves transformed the Asante kingdom into a wealthy agricultural and mining economy.
Conclusion
The findings of this paper portrayed that trade played an imperative role in shaping the history and kingdoms in Africa. The wealth derived from trade was used to create larger kingdoms, enabling kingdoms to control larger areas. Also, most of the kingdoms promoted long-distance trade that enhanced the wellbeing of the local economy. Besides, the slave trade facilitated economic development and the emergence of new kingdoms in Africa.
