The Rise of Capitalism and

SlaveryReading: Smith, et al., 491-492, 551-555, 581-609. 610-620, 818-819

Maps of Africa

Africa

• Much of Africa was very wealthy and prosperous before Europeans

• Africans early learned Metalworking and the crafting of gold.

• Architecture of Africa was very impressive in some spots

Time Line of Africa• 6020 BCE Africans living in what is now

the Congo used marks on bones to develop numeration system.

• 300 BCE Africans in Kenya develop a complex calendar system based on astronomical reckoning.

• 1290 CE. The Dogon of the Mali Kingdom plot the orbits of various universes and star systems including Sirius B.

Major Kingdoms in West Africa

• Old Kingdom of Ghana

• Mali– According to tradition

founded by Sundiata– Reached height under

Mansa Musa (ca. 1312-1327)

• “Lord of the blacks of Guinea”

• Maybe wealthiest man in world

• Established centers of learning

• Traveller Ibn Battuta impressed by stability and court

• Possibility of Atlantic voyages

Songhay Empire

• Gradually Succeeded Mali– Never controlled as

much trade as Mali– Muhammad Touray

Askia – used Islam to gain power in late 15th century– Songhay becomes Muslim state

• Prior to Askia’s rise, most of West Africa polytheistic—believed there were divine spirits in everything – could be mediated with rituals and sacrifices

– Expanded cultivation and canals

– Contributed to terraced rice cultivation

Empire of Benin

• 1486 – Portuguese visit obas (rulers of Empire of Benin)– Obas believed to be

channel through which spirits worked in world

– Controlled trade and production

– Portuguese Negotiated with Ozolua the Conqueror, who ruled from 1480-1504

Portuguese Relations with Benin

Benin believed obas descended from Olokun, god of the sea

Gave Portuguese a special status because they came from the Atlantic

Ozolua wanted to trade for guns and manillas (brass bracelets)

Portuguese reluctant to trade guns unless population converted to Christianity

Imported bracelets from Germany and Flanders to trade with Ozolua

When missionaries converted Ozolua’s heir, the guns arrived and the Portuguese helped Benin fight against neighboring Oyo

Temporarily powerful enough to restrict slave trade, but eventually forced to reopen it to compete with rivals, who also began to trade for guns

Slavery in West Africa• West Africans used

slaves before the Portuguese– Number of slaves =

wealth and status• Slaves taken as

prisoners of war• People gave others

slaves to pay off debts• Those caught

committing crimes given to crime victims

• Worked in hardest labor as field hands

– Slaves added to lineage• Most lost slave status

after a number of years or because bought freedom – not a permanent status

Portuguese as Slave Traders

• 1400s African Kings allowed Portuguese to set up trading posts—”factories”—along the coast

• Before 1450 – slaves so available, Portuguese began sending small numbers of slaves to Portugal

• 1460 – sending 500 slaves a year to Portugal• 1472 – Portuguese discovered then converted

Sao Tomé into sugar plantations• 1500 – sending 1000 slaves a year to Portugal,

others to work on sugar plantations in Azores and Spanish territories

• 1501 – Began sending slaves to Americas – totally changed nature of slavery – becomes almost permanent condition

Central African Kingdoms

Kongo, Ndongo, Luba and Lunda

King Afonso and Kingdom of Kongo

• Manikongo ruled kingdom as semi-divine spokesman of the gods

• Nkuwu/Nzinga was baptised King João I– Constructed Church

with Portuguese workers and architects

– Urged Conversions to Christianity

– Invited Portuguese assistance to build up army

– Much exchange with Portugal

– Had reverted to African beliefs at death in 1509

King Afonso I C. 1509, In struggle for

power, Nzinga Mbemba converted and became King Afonso I – supposedly defeated rival when massive number of soldiers had a vision of Santiago (Saint James) Began using Portuguese

language in court Used Portuguese

mercenaries in expansion of empire

Wealthy Kongolese went to Portugal for education

One Kongolese became an Archbishop

Controlled slave trade and owned thousands of slaves himself

But trade in slaves overwhelmed him, as much of kingdom devoted all energies to capturing slaves to supply Portuguese – eventually led to civil wars and decline but not until end of 17th century

Queen Nzinga

• Ndongo was ruled by Queen Nzinga from 1623-1663

• Sometime in 1640s, announced she would become a man– Wanted her subjects to call her

king– Had multiple husbands she

required to dress as women and live as concubines

• At first converted to Christianity to get Portuguese help, then renounced both the faith and the Portuguese, then returned to both

• An effective military leader who consolidated power

• Ruthless and calculating, probably used Portuguese more than they used her

• Succeeded by sister Barbara• Women continued to rule Ndongo

for 75 of 100 years after Nzinga’s death

Mutapa Empire – East Africa

• Mutapa Empire controlled gold fields of Great Zimbabwe

• Mwene Mutapa facing external and internal threats, calls on the Portuguese– Offered them rights to

trade, mines, the right to build churches

• By 1607, the Portuguese controlled all the gold, copper, and iron of the empire as well as all trade

• With Portuguese encouragement, Muslims persecuted

Most slaves in the Americas were men. Why?

• Theory 1: Europeans only think men good for labor.

• Theory 2: Africans want to keep women for labor

Coastal Chiefs in West Africa begin to trade slaves for guns.

Triangle Trade and Rise of Capitalism

• Portuguese central to slave trade before Spanish

• With Portuguese weakness, Spain monopolizes slave trade—the Asiento

• 1714 – End of War of Spanish Succession, England wins Asiento

• Question: How important is slave trade to rise of European countries, especially England?

Impact of Slavery• Impact in West Africa:

– More men than women—polygamy

– Interior chiefs decline in power– Coastal Chiefs thrive, often with Portuguese help

• Portuguese provide guns• Portuguese train soldiers• Active trade with Portugal• Influence of Christianity extensive

– Economies begin long decline

• Impact in East Africa:– Chinese wanted slaves for prostitution

• Most slaves were women

– Portuguese wreck, destroy, kill enemies/rivals

– Invited into Mutapa Empire and get control of gold and slaves

– Much political instability, economic disorder