Africa and the Africans: Age of Atlantic Slave TradeCh 20

I. Introduction

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

Slaves consisted of people from conquered territories or POWs

Slavery was also result of debt

Slavery in AfricaBetween rival tribes

Arabs enslaved conquered Africans

European enslavement result of mercantilism

II. Atlantic Slave Trade

Result of European Expansion to India/China

Dominated early on by PortugueseFactories: forts/ trading post

El Mina

Exchanged European goods for gold and ivory etc.

Permission from local rulers

Eventually pushed inward

Some African kingdoms were very wealthy

Tried to convert Africans

II. Atlantic Slave Trade

Portuguese 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

Expansion1450-1489- 12 million slaves shipped

10-20% died in transit

18th century boom

Low reproductive ratesHigher in southern US

Plantations create demand (Atlantic)Male labor

Muslim haremsTrans-Saharan -women

II. Atlantic Slave Trade

OrganizationDutch 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 this

Mulattos or Africans purchased and sold slaves

Profitable but sometimes only 5-10%

III. African Societies, Slavery and Slave Trade

Types of African SlaveryPeasant

Chattel (property)

Slavery was only way to increase socioeconomic status

Used 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 Coast

Controlled 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 focus

Sometimes 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 military

Led to Mfecane- wandering wars

Competed with settlers in South

Spread of Africans and their culture

Slaves (along with gold and ivory) traded for guns, cloth and tobacco

Saltwater slaves- African Born

Creole slaves- American BornMulattos

Skin color hierarchyWhite- light-dark

Numerous RebellionsSuriname- fairly successful rebellion- Dutch

V. Diaspora

VI. Abolition

Ended slave tradeMoral

Enlightenment

Led by England

Finally ended in 1888 in Brazil