1. Africa and the Atlantic Slave Trade

2. DO NOW
How had West African coastal kingdoms previously had contact with Europe and the Middle East before 1450?

3. Pre-European African Slavery
Already established in African kingdoms
Conquered peoples enslaved as kingdoms expanded
Women especially were enslaved to expand lineages
Owning slaves was a sign of wealth and status
Used for gold mining, salt production, caravan trading

4. Portuguese in Africa Factories: trading forts on the coast
Traded with African kingdoms (Dahomey, Benin)
Monopoly on Atlantic slave trade ( )
Pre-1450: slave raids
Post-1450: traded for slaves

6. West African Kingdoms
Ashanti Empire ( )
Major producer of gold
Unified by Osei Tutu (r )
Kingdom of Dahomey (ca ca. 1900)
African kingdoms traded slaves with Europeans for rum, textiles, and firearms
Used firearms to strengthen royal authority, build professional armies, expand empires, and capture more slaves
Golden Stool of the Ashanti; king of Dahomey

7. REVIEW When did the enslavement of Africans begin?
What did Europeans trade for African slaves?

8. Elmina Castle Built by the Portuguese in 1482
Later used by Dutch and English until early 1800s

9. Elmina Castle
Slaves were brought to the coast by African slave traders
“Door of No Return”—slaves are lowered on to boats that will take them to the Americas
Up to 200 Africans per cell
30,000 Africans processed through Elmina every year

10. Conditions on a Slave Ship

11. Slave Trade
The Middle Passage: section of the Triangle Trade from Africa to the Americas
1-6 months at sea
Slave ship sailors
Drunk, indebted, former prisoners
Slaves
Attempted revolts, committed suicide

12. Triangle Trade

13. Slave Trade

14. African Slave Trade
Up to 12 million Africans transported to the New World
10-20% died in the Middle Passage

15. REVIEW
What was the section of the Triangle Trade called where African slaves were transported to the New World?
How would you describe the experience of slaves in the slave forts in West Africa and on the slave ships?

16. African Diaspora

17. African Slaves in the Americas
Slaves had high mortality rate, low fertility rate
More slaves had to be continuously imported
African men were taken more than women
Familiar with tropical agriculture
Stronger immunities to malaria and yellow fever
40% of slaves to Brazil
United States: 6 million slaves by 1860
Up to 25% of the population
Caribbean: 80-90% of the population

18. Religious Syncretism
Vodou (Haiti) and Candomblé (Brazil): Fused multiple traditional African religions with Native American and Catholic beliefs
Focused their worship towards a creator deity and various loa or orishas (spirits)
Believed in spirit possession
Created shrines to honor various spirits
Women played prominent roles as priestesses

19. Impact of Europeans on Africa
Manioc/cassava/yams/sweet potatoes and maize were introduced to Africa by Portuguese
Drought-resistant and high calorie content
Replaced other African staple crops

20. REVIEW
Where did African slaves make up the largest percentage of the New World population?
What were the effects of the African Diaspora?