Transatlantic Slave Trade: European and West African Interactions

What were the main factors that separated West Africa from Western Europe in the 15th century?

The Sahara Desert and difficult sea travel.

Who was Prince Henry the Navigator?

A Portuguese noble who sought to find a source for gold and was a major figure in the early days of the Portuguese Empire.

What was significant about the Portuguese ships during the 15th century?

They were the most powerful due to their triangular sails.

What islands did the Portuguese first transport captured Africans to?

The Azores, Cape Verde, and São Tomé & Príncipe.

How were most enslaved people in West Africa acquired?

They were primarily war captives.

What were some ways out of enslavement in West Africa?

Assimilation, marrying into a community, manumission, and concubinage.

How did slavery in West Africa differ from slavery in the Americas?

Slavery was not inherited, did not create an underclass, and some enslaved people could become wealthy.

What initiated the slave trade between Africans and the Portuguese?

Kidnappings that led to warfare and trade negotiations.

Who were the Taino people?

An Indigenous group encountered by Christopher Columbus during his voyages to the New World.

What factors contributed to the decline of the Taino population?

Diseases carried by Europeans and forced labor attempts.

What was the encomienda system?

A system that attempted to force Indigenous people into slave labor as tribute.

What was the significance of the decree 'Dum Diversas'?

It allowed for the enslavement of Muslims and pagans, issued by Pope Nicholas V.

Who was Bartolomé de las Casas?

A Spanish missionary who spoke out against the cruelty of slavery after initially supporting it.

When did Africans first accompany the Spanish into the New World?

As early as 1508.

What were 'ladinos' in the context of the slave trade?

Blacks born or raised in Portugal or Spain who identified with those cultures.

When did Spain begin using African slaves?

In 1518.

When did Portugal begin using African slaves?

In 1550.

What were the main crops that African slaves were forced to cultivate in the Americas?

Sugar cane and mining.