Africa and Africans in the Age of the

Atlantic Slave Trade

Part I: The Atlantic Slave Trade

The Portuguese in Africa

►Established Factories El Mina- gold

trade- most important

Not powerful enough to impose will on Africans

Most forts were established only after receiving consent of local leaders

►Portuguese traded for: ivory, pepper, animal skins and gold

►Trade= basis for contact between Africans and Portuguese

►Catholic missionaries went to Benin, Kongo, and other places Kongo= king Nzinga Muemba converts his

entire kingdom Enslavement of his subjects limits on

Portuguese

How they saw each other

►Africans viewed Portuguese as strange but incorporated them into their world

►Portuguese saw Africans as savages who could be civilized and converted

European Colonies in Africa

►Colonies very small, but with lots of missionary work

►By 17th century, Dutch, French, English and others begin to get involved

►By 1600, slave trade dominates all commerce

Statistics

►Between 1450 and 1750, 12 million Africans transported across Atlantic 10-20% mortality rates 10-11 million survived Rate of transport increases over time 80% transported between 1700s and

1800s►High volume necessary due to high

mortality and low fertility

►Rates of trade reflect changing economic and political situation in the New World

►Slave trade with Muslim world continues 3 million transported between 1450 and

1750►Wars increase in Africa as both cause

and effect of slave trade

Demographics

►Trade with Muslim world tended to focus on women

►Atlantic slave trade tended to focus on men

►African population reduced by half of what it would have been without slave trade by 1750

Organization

►Portuguese controlled up until 1630►Dutch seized control of El Mina in

1637, became major competitors►1660 English charter Royal African

Company to engage in slave trade►18th century, France becomes a major

trader

►Both Africans and Europeans involved in slave trade

►Not any more profitable than any other trade of its time

►Part of Triangular trade►Drew African economy into world

economy►Resulted in African economies

becoming dependent on trade with Europe

Part II: African Societies, Slavery, and the Slave Trade

►Slavery had existed in Africa prior to the Atlantic Slave Trade

►Usually focused on enslavement of women

►Islamic forms of slavery also introduced

►Existence of slavery helped Europeans mobilize commerce of slaves by tapping into existing routes

Slaving and African Politics

►Most states in western and central Africa were small and unstable

►Increasing frequency of wars led to increasing need for improved weaponry

►Power shifted due to European coastal presence

►Inland kingdoms gained power by gaining guns and working as intermediaries to the Europeans in the slave trade

Asante

►Gained access to firearms in 1650 and began expanding

►Became the dominant power on the gold coast up until 1820

Dahomey

►Emerged as a power in the 1720►Used access to firearms to form an

autocratic state►Primary economic activity relied on the

slave trade►Growth of absolute rulers paralleled

the rise of absolutism in Europe►Like in Europe, attempts were made to

limit royal authority

East Africa and Sudan

►Swahili towns continue commerce in gold, ivory, and slaves with Middle Eastern markets

►Bantu speaking people dominated the region

►18th century saw Islamization

►By the 1840, new political units were created

►Attempts were made to stamp out paganism and illiteracy

►Large numbers of captives from the religious wars were shipped down the coast to Europeans

►By the 19th century slaves made up to 50% op the population of this region

Part III: White Settlers and Africans in South Africa

South Africa

►By 16th Century, Bantu-speakers occupy southern East Africa Chiefdoms varied in size and power Expansion Competition and conflict

►1652- Dutch East India Company establishes the Cape Colony Dutch enslave local

Africans 1760s Dutch cross

Orange River Dutch gov’t attempts to

limit settlement and slavery, but fails

Boers move north, “Great Trek” to avoid gov’t regulations

Mfecane and Zulu Rise to Power

►1818 rule of Nguni people passes to Shaka

►Shaka builds new military and political organization (Zulu)

►Zulu begin Mfecane in 1840s► Fighting between Boers and

Zulu►1870 Britain crushes Zulu

and end Zulu Wars, the assert control over South Africa

Part IV: African Diaspora

►Slave trade links Africa to World Economy

►Slavery is grueling and deadly►Middle Passage: passage to Americas►Slaves worked in Plantations and

Mines►Hierarchy created by Slave owners to

prevent uprisings►People lose local African identity

Create new family units Growth of communities of runaway slaves