Question

Which two factors explain why salt was so valuable to West Africans?

a Salt helped prevent dehydration in the hot climate.
b Salt was used as a form of currency.
c Salt was one of the exotic goods traded by the Asian traders.
d Salt was used to preserve food.
e Salt was available only in Zimbabwe.

Answer 1

The correct answers are B) salt was used as a form of currency and D) salt was used to preserve food.

The two factors that explain why salt was so valuable to West Africans are salt was used as a form of currency and salt was used to preserve food.

Salt for West Africans was of the utmost importance. It served as a currency that allowed themto trade gold for salt. Yes, salt was a necessary element for people to survive because salt was used to preserve food. West Africans knew how to find grains of salt from the river beds after rainfall. People from the North of Africa had abundant gold, but no salt. So they often traded gold for salt with Western Africans. So the two factors that explain why salt was so valuable to West Africans are salt was used as a form of currency and salt was used to preserve food.