Africa and the Africans in the Age of the Atlantic Slave Trade Chapter 20

While slavery existed in Africa for thousands of years, the AFRICAN DIASPORA out of the continent exploded in dimension because of European and Arab demand for slaves. In the 1400s, the Portuguese expanded their trading centers along the coast of Africa – establishing FACTORIES – fortified centers of trade. EL MINA was a Portuguese factory that brought gold to the Portuguese.

In the initial stages, the Portuguese provided African rulers with slaves – while the Africans traded ivory, pepper, gold, and skins with the Portuguese. The Portuguese and Portuguese mulattoes made treks into the interior of the continent to make contact with peoples for trading purposes. Trading contacts brought about social, religious, and political impacts upon the Africans and Portuguese.

Ghana Ghana – the Gold Coast – the Kingdom of Benin impressed the Europeans with its magnificence. Catholic missionaries moved into the Benin, Kongo, and other kingdoms to convert the rulers to Christianity. In Kongo, the king NZINGA MVEMBA made his kingdom Christian – but the burgeoning slave trade forced him to limit Portuguese contacts. The Portuguese expanded to LUANDA(Angola) and Mozambique – but were soon followed by Dutch, English, and French traders. As time went on, the importance of slavery as a commercial venture overshadowed the trade in gold and pepper.

The Atlantic Slave Trade Changing Demographics For the first hundred years after contact, slavery in the Americas was dominated by the Spanish and Portuguese. Beginning in the mid-1600s, English and French colonies dramatically increased their demand for slaves. The early slaves primarily come from the west coast of Africa and the Senegal states – later the demand shifted to the Gulf of Guinea states.

The Structured Commercialization of Slavery The Royal African Company – organized structure for the procurement of slaves for the English colonies in the Caribbean and Virginia. The Spanish developed an economic system for trading for slaves in which a healthy male slave was termed an INDIAN PIECE and women and children were valued as fractions of the male. Some African kingdoms themselves established mechanisms for the commercialization of slavery. Triangular Trade Shipping interests

African Societies and Slavery In Muslim states, slavery was viewed as acceptable for non-believers, but many of the Muslim states enslaved their captives – whether they were pagan or Muslim. Political instability in much of sub-Saharan Africa led to a rise in military cultures and warfare among the kingdoms of the west and Sudan. One result from this protracted warfare was the capture of prisoners as slaves. Massive amounts of slaves became available for trade with the Europeans – which brought money and guns to African kingdoms.

Asante In the Gold Coast, the Asante rose to prominence. Asante members of the Akan people. Matrilineal clans Osei Tutu d. 1717 – leader who assumed the title of ASANTEHENE as supreme civil and religious leader. Golden Stool

The Asante controlled the slave and gold trade – bringing power and wealth to the Asante rulers. Bight of Benin – Slave Coast – the rulers of Benin controlled trade and eventually added slavery to the pepper, textiles, and ivory trade. DAHOMEY – use of European firearms led the rulers to autocracy – leading it to become a leading slaving state.

East Africa and the Sudan The Swahili trading regions in East Africa continued to develop under the influence of the Portuguese and Ottoman Turks. Trade from the interior brought ivory, gold, and slaves to the coast for shipment to Arabia and the Middle East. The Portuguese also used slave soldiers to push deeper into the interior.

Zanzibar – center of trade and the slave trade in East Africa Islamization continued in East Africa – but a movement of Sufi reformers which directly impacted the FULANI – farming people in western Sudan Religious and political zeal lead the Fulani to expand into the interior

European Settlers and Africans in South Africa Dutch East India Company 1652 Boers Cape Colony 1795/1815 1834 – the British abolished slavery in South Africa Great Trek - voortrekkers

Mfecane – wars of crushing and wandering New African states Zulu Shaka Mfecane – wars of crushing and wandering New African states Swazi Lesotho – less militaristic

The Americas Middle Passage Saltwater slaves Creole Slaves Obeah – African religious practices Candomble – Brazil Vodun – Haiti Palmares – runaway slave kingdom in Brazil Suriname – large Maroon population