At Least 5 Paragraphs

Africa DBQ

3/29/16

    Africa was once a great continent. It could've been much powerful than most other continents, if they had a chance to build their military, and expand their riches through trade.  They had more than enough, Ivory, gold, silver, and animal skins to trade with, and for their people to have. They had enough food for all of their people to survive on and for their people's wants through trade to be carried out.  They used to have everything they needed and more, they had very educated people such as, doctors, judges, and many more.  Just like many other countries at the time there were artists, and poets beginning to create works of art.  They could've been like many first world countries today.

    (doc2) Africa was well known for having the most gold and jewels.  They had enough to cover even their shields, and swords with it.  Which is part of the reason why a lot of people wanted to take Africa, and colonize there.  If people hadn't colonized in Africa, they could've been the middle of trading at the time.  They could've gotten more crops into Africa to populate and fill the country.  It was obvious that they had more than enough riches to trade with, "At the door of the pavilion are dogs...[wearing] collars of gold and silver, studded with a number of balls of the same metals." (doc2) This was also proved when Mansa Musa stopped at Cairo, Egypt to give out gold to everyone.  "...there was no person, officer of the court, or holder of any office of Sultanate who did not receive a sum of gold from him." (doc4) If there is enough gold to spread through Cairo then they should've been able to trade with people to get other goods for their people.

    Knowing that Africa had many educated men, they could've invented many new, and different inventions, they could've helped us today.  (doc5) "Various manuscripts and written books are brought here, and sold for more money than merchandise." Many of these men read books, and manuscripts, that were sold for more money than most merchandise, mostly because it was hard to copy millions of the same books for different countries.  Also because not many people were focused on learning, more on work and making money to buy food for their family.  But because Africa had the money to buy these books it was probably easy for them to keep a job while also being educated. Many of these doctors, and scientists who read these books would have showed us more views on the world.  They could've made scientific discoveries, with all of the gold that they had they would've had the money to conduct these experiments. 

    In conclusion if no one had colonized, or even touched Africa, they could've been as great as any other country today.  They had enough gold, and riches to keep for themselves, as well as trade with other countries.  Their people were smart, and well organized, they could've done many big things for the world, and could've had the best trade routes in the world still here today.  They were truly on the path to greatness, all they needed was a better military to protect them.