Africa in the Age of the Atlantic Slave Trade Mr. Millhouse AP World History Hebron High School

Volume of the Slave Trade 15th century minimal – to Atlantic island plantations 16th century – small 17th c. increase to 16,000 per year 18th c. most of trade, 7 million slaves, 80% of all trade over all years 19th c. slows down, under attack, still exports to Cuba & Brazil (1.7 million)

African Slave Trade

African Slave Trade

Middle Passage

American Sugar Plantation

African Slavery Slavery was common in African society Where? The Kongo, Ghana, Benin, etc. All land was owned by the state Owning slaves was a way to gain wealth Slaves were used for servants, concubines, and field workers Arrival of Europeans provided new opportunities for expansion of slavery

Slavery & African Politics Competition between rival kingdoms led to endless wars Kingdoms trade slaves for guns Wars led to political centralization Slave trade shifts balance of power From Sudanic Africa to the Gold Coast, the Kongo, and Angola

The Asanti: A Sample Kingdom Asante is on the Gold Coast Modern day Ghana Asante were members of the Akan people Began as twenty small states Matrilineal clan lineage Most prominent clan was the Okoyo Access to firearms allowed the Okoyo to centralize their authority after 1650 CE Under the leadership of Osei Tutu (d. 1717)

Asanti Kingdom Other Akan clans forced to pay tribute Clans maintain some autonomy A council advised the ruler on important issues Used an ideology of unity to overcome clan divisions Dealt directly with the Dutch at El Mina Slave made up 2/3 of trade by 1700

The Kongo Centralized kingdom Converted to Christianity Maintained diplomatic ties with Portugal Attempted to abolish the slave trade Portugal monopolized trade with the Kongo Cowries, slaves, Asian luxuries Loango, capital city of the Kongo

Cape Colony Dutch East India Co. establish a colony at the Cape of Good Hope in 1652 Provision ships headed to Asia Large fertile lands were great for farming Used slave labor Slaves brought from Indonesia and other parts of Asia Eventually enslave the natives Dutch settlers, called Boers, move to Cape Colony in search of land 17, 000 settlers, 26,ooo slaves, and 14,ooo natives by 1800

East Africa & the Arrival of Europe Swahili city-states continued traditional commerce in the Indian Ocean Portuguese settlers on the coast used slave soldiers to expand their territories Established plantations growing Asian spices using African slaves Some African states copied European plantation system Zanzibar had 100,000 slaves by 1860

Sudanic Africa Fall of Songhai brought period of violent Islamization Islamic elites vs. animistic natives Violence helped supply slaves to coastal regions In the 1770s Muslim reform movements began to spread a “purified” Sufi Islam Movement had a major impact on Fulani tribe of the Western Sudan

The Sokoto Caliphate Founded by Usman Dan Fodio Believed he was an instrument of Allah Preached jihad against Hausa kingdoms Usman’s son founded the Sokoto Caliphate in northern Nigeria Attacked neighboring Muslim kingdoms Effects of reformist Islam Spread literacy, new centers of trade emerged, attempts to eliminate pagan practices