I looked through my previous article to lay out the outline of my ongoing research.
Provisional plan of Unit I chapter 4:
1. European merchants in North Africa
2. Trans-Saharan trade network and West African traders, Wangara
3. Progress of European navigation along the West African coast
4. Rio del Oro, Palola island, Prester John in Africa.
5. Reappraisal
Some changes may occur. Meanwhile, I have reached point 3 in my plan. Not every material will enter in the final version but I need to learn as much as possible about African trade before the contact. By 'contact', I mean the encounter between Portuguese sailors and the people of sub-Saharan Africa in the mid-15th century.
I am still unsure where to end my research and how to depict the Portuguese interference in local business, whether in terms of the Age of Discovery or the context of slave raids. Every significant topic will be mentioned but how to nuance my attitude is still unclear.
I wish I could say more!
A contemporary camel train carrying blocks of salt
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