1. Turbulent centuries in Africa Made by: Manisha Saha

2. Portugal gains footholds The Portuguese who explored Africa’s coasts in the 1400s were looking for a sea route to Asia that bypassed the Mediterranean. They wanted to buy goods directly from their product, if trading through Arab middlemen. The Portuguese began carrying their strategy to west Africa, by building small forts to collect food and water and to repair ships. From west Africa, the Portuguese sailed their ship around the continent. They continue to make forts and they attracted to east Africa coastal cities such as Mombasa and Malindi.

3. The African Slave Trade Explodes Slavery had been existed in Africa, rather than around the world. The Arab empire used slave labor, that captives from East Africa. In the Middle East, enslaved Africans worked on the farming estates. The other people became artists, soldiers, or merchants.

4. Europeans Enter The Slave Trade The Europeans brought large numbers of slaves to perform labor on their plantation. Rich Europeans also brought slaves for their household servants. Each year traders shipped tens of thousands of enslaved Africans across the Atlantic to work on sugar, rice, tobacco, and other plantation in Americas.

5. New African States Arise The Asante Kingdom The Asante Kingdom was occupied by the present-day Ghana. The Military leader, Osei Tutu did the control of the trading city of Kumasi. The Asante had to face a great challenge in Denkyera, the powerful enemy kingdom. He realized that if to stand with Denkyera, he had to unite the people of his kingdom. He claimed that his right to rule came from heaven and the people of the kingdom were linked by spiritual bonds. Asante defeated the Denkyera in the 1600s.

6. The Oyo Empire The Oyo empire arose from successive waves of the settlement by the Yoruba people present-day Nigeria. The leaders used wealth from the slave trade to build up an impressive army. The Oyo empire used the army to control the neighboring kingdom of Dahomey.

7. The European Presence Expands Several European powers had established forts along the western coast of Africa. The Portuguese established permanent footholds throughout the continent. The Dutch arrived the southern continent. They build the Cape Town the first permanent European settlement to sail ship in the east Indies. In 1600s the British and French had reached present-day Senegal. The French established fort in the region. The British established the African Association.