بسم ميحرلا نمحرلا هللا

*Faculty : International Relations and Diplomatic Studies*Course Title : Contemporary African Politics*Semester :6*Phone number : 0912870536

Impact of Slave Trade in Africa

*Origins of the Atlantic Slave Trade

*Effects of the Slave Trade

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Origins of the Atlantic Slave Trade

▪ European landowners needed a large supply of workers on American plantations

Portuguese Slave Traders

▪ The Portuguese were the first Europeans to Explore Africa.

▪ They were more interested in trading for gold than for slaves.

▪ The colonization of the Americas changed the focus of trade.

Portuguese explorers initiated contact with the African coast in the early 15th century…they built “factories” (forts) for trade…the most important was El Mina…these forts were established with the consent of local African kings seeking trade alliances and military support

Portugal control slave trade until 1630…then the Dutch seized El Mina…meanwhile, the British and French began to seek slave trade to supply labor for their New World colonies…by the 1700s France was dominating trade

Captured slaves were made to walk for days to the slave factories on the West African coast- they were often tied together to stop them running away. It is thought that 30% of captives died on the journey to the coast.

They were then taken to slave factories- fortified towers where they awaited their journey to the New World in horrible conditions.

Spain and Portugal lead the way

▪ During the 1600’s, Brazil dominated the sugar market – and as it grew, so did the need for slaves.

▪ During the late 17th century, nearly 40% of the slaves from Africa were taken to Brazil.

▪ Brazil, by the end of the slave trade, had 10 times the amount of slaves than in North America.

Slavery Spreads

▪ England then dominated the slave trade from the 1690 until 1807.

▪ By 1830, there were nearly 2 million African slaves in North America.

If the Spanish used Native Americans as slaves, why would they feel the need to bring slaves from Africa to the Americas?

Sugar plantations and tobacco farms required a large supply of workers to make them profitable for their owners.

Because so many Native Americanshad died from overwork, Malnutrition, and European diseasesthe Europeans brought Africansto the New World and forcedthem to work as slaves.

The Mean Idea:

▪ To meet their growing labor needs ,

▪ European enslave millions of Africans in forced labor in the Americas.

Effects of the Slave Trade

▪ Millions of Africans were sent to the Americas

▪ Importation of slaves into the U.S. ended in 1807

A lower population

The large numbers of Africans who were kidnapped significantly reduced Africa’s population.

It is estimated that Africa’s would population would have been 50 million instead of 25 million in 1850.

Loss of fit workers

The bulk of Africans kidnapped to be slaves were young and fit (usually men).

This left less people to work and grow crops in Africa, spreading poverty.

The African economy was effectively destroyed by this and the influx of cheap European goods

Poorer health

As Africans were moved across the continent, it meant that diseases spread too.

Also because there was less food due to young, fit workers being kidnapped, people were more likely to fall ill.

Violence and war

The fact that many slaves were prisoners of war led to more fights between different African tribes.

Many of these divisions and wars continue to haunt Africa today

Where people lived

As the slave factories were found on the African coast, this led many Africans to move inland.

This also led to further war and disputes over access to land and water supplies

Wealth for some Africans

Some Africans greatly benefitted from the slave trade.

Many African kings and chiefs became very rich by selling slaves, and benefitted from access to goods such as guns

Racism

▪ Racist ideology owes much of its origins to the slave trade. Europeans soon thought themselves superior to those who they treated like animals – this was a way for them to justify treating other human beings as property

Did African slaves have an impact on the economy of the Americas?Yes….. No…..

*African slaves were free labor.*They were used to harvest natural resources.*They helped to build much of Latin America.*A lot of the natural resources were sent back to Europe.*Many of the European countries became wealthy and the population in Europe increased.

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