Final answer:
The Silk Road played a pivotal role in enabling the plague to spread from central Asia to western Europe and North Africa.
Step-by-step explanation:
The trade route that played a pivotal role in enabling the plague to spread from central Asia to western Europe and North Africa was the Silk Road. The Silk Road was a network of ancient trade routes that connected China with the Middle East and Europe. It allowed for the exchange of goods, ideas, and unfortunately, diseases such as the bubonic plague.