Why are the Berbers important?

From about 2000 bce, Berber (Amazigh) languages spread westward from the Nile valley across the northern Sahara into the Maghrib. Meanwhile, Berber merchants and nomads of the Sahara had initiated a trans-Saharan trade in gold and slaves that incorporated the lands of the Sudan into the Islamic world.

What role did the Berbers play in West African history?

The Berbers were nomads whose camel caravans carried trade goods to buyers across the desert.

What tribe lived in the Sahara desert?

The Tuareg people (/ˈtwɑːrɛɡ/; also spelt Twareg or Touareg; endonym: Imuhaɣ/Imušaɣ/Imašeɣăn/Imajeɣăn) are a large Berber ethnic group that principally inhabit the Sahara in a vast area stretching from far southwestern Libya to southern Algeria, Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso.

How did the Berbers impact world history?

They had an important role in the heartland of Islam. Their power carved empires out of settled society. Berbers: They build Almoravid Empire (1000s) in Morocco. They conquered Spain and brought sophisticated Islamic culture there.

What did the Berber rights movement fight for?

In Algeria, the movement demanded linguistic and cultural rights and sometimes used violence to achieve its goals, as in the Berber Spring of 1980, in which dozens were killed. In Morocco, the Berber identity movement made similar demands, in addition to land-usage rights, but has been largely peaceful.

What role did Berbers play in the Western Sudanic empires quizlet?

What role did Berbers play in the Western Sudanic empires? The Berbers were traders who crossed the desert; they introduced Islam to market towns in the Western Sudan. All of the following were true of the Mali Empire EXCEPT: Mali built a Trading Post Empire along the East African coast.

Are Berbers nomads?

Berbers, or Amazighs, are an ethnic group comprised of several nations, mostly indigenous people of North Africa. Because of the harsh environment of the Sahara desert that has prevented any serious attempts at agriculture from taking root, some of the Berbers chose to live as nomads rather than sedentary agrarians.

How do Berber nomads travel across the Sahara Desert?

In the days of large camel trains consisting of hundreds of camels, Berber nomads took their caravans of camels across the Sahara, trading in goods such as dates, cloth, desert salt, gold and slaves. However, these days there are very few camel trains left; mostly they carry salt from the desert salt mines, but convoys of trucks are replacing them.

How has the desert influenced the Berber culture?

Traditionally, Berbers used their unique ability to cross the Sahara to act as key players in the trade network between North Africa and the Middle East. Even today, Berber trade caravans make their way across the desert to support their way of life. Another way their harsh environment has influenced their culture is navigation.

Who are the Berbers of North Africa?

The Berbers: The North African Nomads Who Live In The Sahara Desert Meet The Berbers Of North Africa: The Nomads Who Survived Where No One Else Could The Sahara was once a grassy woodland until human activity and a changing climate turned it into the immense desert we know today. The Berbers were the only people who decided to call it home.

What happened to the Berbers in the Middle East?

After many years of war among Berber tribes and the disintegration of Berber dynasties, the Berbers of the desert plains were gradually absorbed by the Arabs, while those who lived in inaccessible mountain regions, such as the Atlas, Rif, Aurès, and the Kabylia retained their culture and warlike traditions.