Africa and the Africans: Age of Atlantic Slave Trade

Africa and the Africans: Age of Atlantic Slave TradeCh 20

I. IntroductionSlavery was a common practice throughout ancient times into the modern era.

Slaves consisted of people from conquered territories or POWsSlavery was also result of debt

Slavery in AfricaBetween rival tribesArabs enslaved conquered AfricansEuropean enslavement result of mercantilism

II. Atlantic Slave TradeResult of European Expansion to India/ChinaDominated early on by Portuguese

Factories: forts/ trading postEl MinaExchanged European goods for gold and ivory etc.Permission from local rulers

Eventually pushed inwardSome African kingdoms were very wealthyTried to convert Africans

II. Atlantic Slave TradePortuguese looked strange and were incorporated into African art (Religious perceptions)

Portuguese- Savages/Pagans

Initially a legitimate trade relationship1441 Slave trade greatly increased

II. Atlantic Slave Trade Expansion

1450-1489- 12 million slaves shipped10-20% died in transit18th century boom

Low reproductive ratesHigher in southern US

Plantations create demand (Atlantic)Male labor

Muslim haremsTrans-Saharan -women

II. Atlantic Slave TradeOrganization

Dutch and British take over trade from Portuguese

British Royal African Company (1660’s)Supplied Barbados, Jamaica and Virginia

SpanishIndies Piece- Healthy African Male

Women and children fraction of thisMulattos or Africans purchased and sold slavesProfitable but sometimes only 5-10%

III. African Societies, Slavery and Slave Trade

Types of African SlaveryPeasantChattel (property)

Slavery was only way to increase socioeconomic statusUsed as servants, concubines, soldiers and laborers

Women focus to increase family line (harem)Polygamy

Islam- only allowed for non-believers

African slave trading kingdomsAsante

Gold CoastControlled gold and slave trade

BeninSlave trade profitable but not dominant

DahomeyRoyal court controlled slave trade

Swahili CoastTraded predominantly with Arab states (harem focus)Conversion also a focusSometimes got violent

III. African Societies, Slavery and Slave Trade

IV. White Settlers in Africa

Dutch East India CompanyBoers/Afrikaners settled in Cape Colony

Great Trek

ZuluShaka Zulu- brutal ruler who brought more power to Zulu

Reorganized militaryLed to Mfecane- wandering warsCompeted with settlers in South

Spread of Africans and their cultureSlaves (along with gold and ivory) traded for guns, cloth and tobaccoSaltwater slaves- African BornCreole slaves- American Born

Mulattos

Skin color hierarchyWhite- light-dark

Numerous RebellionsSuriname- fairly successful rebellion- Dutch

V. Diaspora

VI. AbolitionEnded slave trade

MoralEnlightenmentLed by EnglandFinally ended in 1888 in Brazil