1. West African
Slave Trade

2. LEQ’s … How did slave trade begin and expand in Africa?
What effect did the Europeans have on the slave trade?
What was the Triangular Trade?

3. Ancient Egypt had slaves – for over 400 years
Before Europeans ever arrived in Africa there was already an established slavery institution:
Ancient Egypt had slaves – for over 400 years
Tribes, kingdoms, empires – traded slaves for centuries
Muslims – huge market in slaves
Trans-Saharan trade routes – major commodity – slaves

4. The practice of slavery had been in operation in Africa and in central Europe for centuries. For example, Muslim slave traders from Arabia and Turkey had transported enslaved Africans and Europeans into South East Asia and the Iberian Peninsula for centuries. However, nothing in the past equaled the Atlantic slave trade in size or in the extent and depth of its impact on the world.

5. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to get involved in the slave trade. When the Portuguese first sailed down the Atlantic Coast of Africa in the 1430s, they were interested in one thing – gold. Ever since Mansu Musa, the king of Mali, made his pilgrimage to Mecca in 1325, the region had become known for its gold. However, there was one major problem - the trade routes from sub-Saharan Africa were controlled by the Islamic Empire.

6. Flashback … who was Mansa Musa
One of the Muslim rulers of the Mali Empire
Therefore, being Muslim he had to travel to Mecca.
WHY?

7. Devout Muslim Haj to Mecca – 1324 60,000 people 80 camels
2 tons of gold to be distributed to the poor
Why would he take a Haj to Mecca?
One of the 5 Pillars of Islam … once in your life take a haj to Mecca!
Why would he want to distribute gold to the poor?
One of the 5 Pillars of Islam … give to the poor!

8. Therefore … Europeans saw all this gold that Mansa Musa had and thought that Africa had an abundance of gold! So off to Africa the Europeans went in search of this priceless gold!

9. However – major problem. The trade routes were controlled by Arabs
However – major problem! The trade routes were controlled by Arabs! Berbers controlled the north/south routes and the Bedouins controlled the east/west routes. They charged major taxes to any who used their services across the Sahara!

10. Therefore, in search for this wealth of gold and a route around the Islamic trading routes, the Portuguese began sailing to the west coast of Africa.

11. Finding this successful, they began establishing trading posts in regions today known as Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, and Guinea.
Note the Bight of Benin and Bight of Biafra

12. In the beginning, the Portuguese traded copper ware, cloth, tools, wine, and horses for gold, pepper, and ivory. There was little market for slaves in Europe, so originally, the Portuguese did very little trading in slaves.

13. However, as the Portuguese continued sailing further down the coast of Africa they found they could make a considerable fortune in gold by transporting slaves from one trading post to another along the coast of Africa.

14. European traders dealt with African suppliers, seldom capturing the slaves themselves.

15. African tribes continued trading in slaves; however, now for different reasons …to obtain firearms for protection from other tribes!

16. Muslim merchants wanted slaves to use as porters on the trans-Saharan trade routes as well as to sale in the Islamic Empire.

17. Muslim merchants were set up all along the African coast, as far as the Bight of Benin.
This area was reached by the Portuguese at the start of the 1470’s. It was not until they reached the Congo coast in the 1480’s that they outdistanced Muslim trading territory.

18. As Portuguese trading continued along the coast, trading posts continued to be built. Built more as a fort to protect arms and ammunition (which eventually was added to the list of items traded to the Africans), they remained trading posts rather than military forts.

19. They began establishing forts and trading posts as well.
Other European countries soon followed – 1st Dutch, then English, Danish, and Swedish
They began establishing forts and trading posts as well.
Soon the slave trade became more profitable than gold

20. With the successful voyage of Vasco da Gama to India and the establishment of sugar plantations on Madeira, Canary, and Cape Verde Islands (islands off the coast of West Africa), there was an emerging market for slave workers on the sugar plantations.

21. Eventually, the opening of plantations in the New World added to this market for slaves, thus expanding yet again the slave market. The expanding empires in the New World lacked one major resource – a work force.

22. The indigenous people proved unreliable – most were dying from diseases brought over from Europe – and Europeans were unsuited to the climate and suffered from tropical diseases. Africans were excellent workers – they had experience with agriculture and herding cattle, they were used to tropical climate, and they were resistant to tropical diseases.

23. It is estimated that as many as 15 million people were transported as slaves, with unknown numbers dying enroute. Most of the enslaved people ended up in South America or the Caribbean, while nearly 500,000 were transported to North America.

24. Became known as The Triangular Trade
1st passage
Europe to Africa with goods
Middle passage
slaves from Africa to Americas
3rd passage
from Americas back to the European country with raw materials

25. Trading items 1st passage Middle passage 3rd passage
textiles, rum, brandy, shells, guns
Middle passage
slaves
3rd passage
Cotton, tobacco, sugar

27. First held in slave camps until loaded on slave ships
The Middle Passage
First held in slave camps until loaded on slave ships

28. This map shows various slave holding points in Western African used by European traders around The greatest numbers of enslaved persons taken from Africa came from the Congo region. Out of these ports came 10 to 15 million African captives. Before the 1830s, almost four times as many Africans came to the Americas as European migrants, and almost all of them left from the points indicated on this map.

29. Horrific conditions of the slave ships
Extremely crowded

30. Two thoughts – loose packing
“Stored” like cargo
Two thoughts – loose packing v.
tight packing

31. Diseases and malnutrition Slaves were forced to “dance” for exercise

32. Many Africans died
Some by suicide

33. Others were killed because food and water supplies were low –
often by being thrown overboard

34. Finally, Slavery Abolished
1807 – Britain banned slave trade
1807 – US outlaws importation of slaves
British abolish slavery
1840 –Bight of Benin slave trade collapsed
1865 – abolished in US with the 13th Amendment and end of Civil War
1888 – banned in Brazil
Portugal last European country to abolish slavery

35. Horrific Numbers 4 centuries of Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade
12 million Africans taken to New World and Europe
17 million Africans taken to coast of Indian Ocean
5 million Africans transported via Red Sea, Sahara, and from East Africa to other parts of the world
4 million died before ever being shipped to other countries
Of course, these are just the numbers we know about!

36. This map depicts the forced movement of millions of enslaved Africans to the Americas over a span of 4 centuries.

37. So, what have you learned?
Which European country was the first to get involved in the West African Slave trade?
Why did they come to Africa originally?
Which African ruler made gold famous and how did he accomplish this?
Where was the market for slaves originally?
Whose successful voyage to India opened new markets for slaves?
Where were these first new markets and for what purpose were slaves needed?
Why were Africans valued so on plantations?
What is the Triangular Trade?
Can you describe the various passages?
Describe the Middle passage.
Describe the reasons for the end of the West African slave trade.
Which European country was the last to stop slave trading?

38. What, to you, was the worst aspect of slavery?

39. Words to know …
Triangular Trade
Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade
The Middle Passage
Indigenous
Know the importance of the following people in regards to the slave trade…
Mansa Musa
Vasco da Gama

40. Sketches of slave trade from …

41. Indigenous – native to or originating in a particular country, land, or region.