African countries traded amongst themselves at first and created the Trans-Sahara trade routes through the Sahara desert. In Western Africa the natural resource was gold, and in the Northwest it was salt. This West African trade route in gold and salt created the three wealthiest African Trading Kingdoms of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai.
The trade routes became more established as word spread of the tremendous amount of gold that was for trade in the African Kingdom. Gold was high in demand for trade because it was used to make coins and eventually coins were also good for trade.
The salt was a valuable trade and in high demand because of the many uses. Different cultures used it in a variety of ways such as preservation of foods, flavoring, religious offerings, etc.
The natural resources of salt and gold brought great wealth to Ghana, Mali, and Songhai. They ruled the trade routes and became wealthy from taxing traders that traveled their territories and controlling the price and trade gold that led to development of cultural centers, libraries, schools, mosques, and meeting places for merchants to participate in additional business.
