Africa and Africans in the Age of the Atlantic Slave Trade

1. Africa and Africans in the Age of the Atlantic Slave Trade

2. Part I: The Atlantic Slave Trade

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. Asante • Gained access to firearms in 1650 and began expanding • Became the dominant power on the gold coast up until 1820

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. Part III: White Settlers and Africans in South Africa

20. South Africa • By 16th Century, Bantu-speakers occupy southern East Africa • Chiefdoms varied in size and power • Expansion  Competition and conflict

21. 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

22. 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

23. Part IV: African Diaspora

24. 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