Africans in America the Terrible Transformation 1450-1750 in...Slavery was common in African society...
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Africans in America the Terrible Transformation 1450-1750
Transcript of Africans in America the Terrible Transformation 1450-1750 in...Slavery was common in African society...
Africans in America the Terrible Transformation 1450-1750
15th century minimal – to Atlantic island plantations
16th century – small 17th c. increase to 16,000 per year 18th c. most of trade, 7 million slaves, 80%
of all trade over all years 19th c. slows down, under attack, still
exports to Cuba & Brazil (1.7 million)
Status came from owning other Africans… Social status ranged from owning many to
being one. Slaves were spoils of war.
Characteristics
• Slaves were inherited
• Served variety of functions (servants/laborers)
• Better treatment than Europe
Slavery was common in African society
Where?
▪ The Kongo, Ghana, Benin, etc.
All land was owned by the state
▪ Owning slaves was a way to gain wealth
Slaves were used for servants, concubines, and field workers
Arrival of Europeans provided new opportunities for expansion of slavery
Slavery in all parts of Africa Large numbers of slaves Well developed slave trade
markets/routes Most go to Middle East, some Europe
• **Political fragmentation
• Lack of unity and large-scale power
Stage 1: 1441-1500 – Role of Portuguese First to engage in exploration/slave trade
Domestic servitude in Europe• Africans held advantage in trade• 1000/YEAR
Stage 2: 1500 – 16501.Labor intensive agriculture in New World 2.Native Americans were ineffective labor sourceNot enough, Why?
• Africans were more secure labor source
• Role of Catholic Priests – Bartholome de lasCasas
• Pushed for Amerindian rights
Results:
By 1650, most slaves went to Brazil and Americas…
Slaves originally arrive as indentured servants 2000/year between 1500-1650 Dutch, French, English
Stage 3: 1650 – 1800
Reasons for increase: Growth of plantation economy Price of slaves increases
Africans promote the increase
Civil Wars on the rise
Demand for Guns
Rulers could not control commercial mindset of elites
European coercive tactics
By 1750 – 10% went to N.Amer. …rest in the Americas
Every European nation involved No laws prohibiting trade 1400 –1800:
12 million slavesMostly from W. Africa
Destination NumbersBrazil 3,646,800
British West Indies 1,665,000
French West Indies 1,600,200
Spanish America 1,552,000
Dutch West Indies 500,000(702,000 to Cuba alone)
North America 399,000
Danish West Indies 28,000
Total 9,391,000
Stage 4: 1800’s
Age of Enlightenment & Revolutions –Concepts of human rights & freedoms
Abolition Movements
Role of Great Britain- led abolition movement Dawn of the Industrial Age – decreased need
for slave labor, also, economic models favored paid vs. free labor
Competition between rival kingdoms led to endless wars Kingdoms trade slaves
for guns
Wars led to political centralization
Slave trade shifts balance of power From Sudanic Africa to
the Gold Coast, the Kongo, and Angola
Asante is on the Gold Coast
Modern day Ghana
Began as twenty small states
Most prominent clan was the Okoyo
Access to firearms allowed the Okoyo to centralize their authority after 1650 CE
Under the leadership of Osei Tutu (d. 1717)
Controlled the gold and slave trade
Allowed subgroups to keep some of their autonomy
United the Fon People
Used firearms to increase power
Characteristics
Authoritarian
Aggressively conquered areas around it
Centralized kingdom Converted to Christianity Maintained diplomatic
ties with Portugal Attempted to abolish the
slave trade Portugal monopolized
trade with the Kongo
Cowries, slaves, Asian luxuries
Loango, capital city of the Kongo
Dutch East India Co. establish a colony at the Cape of Good Hope in 1652
Provision ships headed to Asia
Large fertile lands were great for farming
Used slave labor
▪ Slaves brought from Indonesia and other parts of Asia
▪ Eventually enslave the natives
Dutch settlers, called Boers, move to Cape Colony in search of land
▪ 17, 000 settlers, 26,ooo slaves, and 14,ooo natives by 1800
Swahili city-states continued traditional commerce in the Indian Ocean
Portuguese settlers on the coast used slave soldiers to expand their territories
Established plantations growing Asian spices using African slaves
Some African states copied European plantation system
Zanzibar had 100,000 slaves by 1860
Fall of Songhai brought period of violent Islamization
Islamic elites vs. animistic natives
Violence helped supply slaves to coastal regions
In the 1770s Muslim reform movements began to spread a “purified” Sufi Islam
Movement had a major impact on Fulani tribe of the Western Sudan
Founded by Usman Dan Fodio
Believed he was an instrument of Allah
Preached jihad against Hausa kingdoms
Usman’s son founded the Sokoto Caliphate in northern Nigeria
Attacked neighboring Muslim kingdoms
Effects of reformist Islam
Spread literacy, new centers of trade emerged, attempts to eliminate pagan practices
