While it may look like snow, it is not.This precious commodity is salt!

And you may not believe this but thehuman body needs salt.

Salt is needed by the human bodyto help muscles and nerves to

work and to regulate blood pressure.

If the human bodygoes for a long

period of time withoutsalt, it will die.

As agriculture developed, salt becamemore important. Farmers ate less meat than hunters and gatherers. Therefore, they needed more salt.

Africa washome to

many greatkingdomsprior to the

arrival of theEuropeans.

A series ofpowerfultrading

kingdomsemergedin WestAfrica.

The WestAfrican

kingdomscontrolledimportant

trade routesthat connected

North Africaand West Africa.

North Africa was rich in the salt thatWest Africa lacked. West Africa was

rich in gold. The Trans-Saharan trade led to an exchange of salt for

gold.

Ghana was called the “land of gold”but it did not have gold. Instead,

the trade routes passed through Ghanaand the kings of Ghana taxed allentering and exiting the kingdom.

The kingdomof Ghanaemerged

as early as500 A.D. Itcollapsed in

the 11th century.

The kings of Ghana used their wealthto build a powerful army and keep

the peace within their empire.

Religious Muslims invaded anddestroyed Ghana in the 1100s

but another West African kingdomrose to power to protect

the valuable Salt for Gold Trade.

The Big Eight• Why is salt essential for human beings?• What did West Africa lack?• What did North Africa possess?• Describe the Trans-Saharan Trade.• Which was the first powerful West African

kingdom?• Why was Ghana called the “land of gold” if

it had no gold?• How did Ghana use its wealth?• What led to the decline of Ghana?