Studied by 12 people
states of west africa order
kingdom of ghana
mali empire
songhay empire
kingdom of ghana
originated 8th and 16th century
major gold trader
songhay empire
15th century
built flourishing city-state
sunni ali
ruled the songhay empire
created effective army + navy
fall of songhay
musket-bearing moroccan army attacked songhay military
regional city-states exert local control
swahili decline
Portuguese Vasco da Gama made his way up east African coast to India, runs into and skirmishes with Africans on eastern coast, 1497-1498
1502: returned, forces Kilwa to pay tribute
1505: Portuguese gun ships dominate Swahili ports
kingdom of kongo
relations with Portuguese started in 1483
Portuguese successfully converted them to Christianity
King Nzinga Mbemba was converted to Christianity, which endorsed their rule
attempts to convert entire population
slave raiding in kongo
Portuguese attempted slave raiding, but soon discovered trading weapons for slaves provided by african traders was easier
made deals with other kingdoms ot her than kongo
relations with kongo worsened
Portuguese decapitated King Antonio (king of kongo)
begins improved slave market in the south
kingdom of ndongo
gains wealth and independence form kongo from portugese slave trade
portugese influence was resisted by Queen Nzinga
Queen Nzginga
ruled kingdom of ndongo
posed as a male king with male concubines in female dresses
established temporary alliance with dutch to expel portugese (unsuccessful)
kingdom of ndongo declines after her death
regional kingdoms in south africa
chieftains develop trade with swahili city-states, increased in power
create Great Zimbabwe
meanwhile dutch build Cape Town
dutch encounter Khoikhoi people (hottentots)
islam in sub-saharan africa
islam and christianity spread in africa
islam develops widely in commercial areas
timbuktu becomes major center of islamic scholarship
african traditions/beliefs blend into islam
muslim shocked at standards of female modestry from africans (they flash their chests)
fulani
movement to impose strict adherence to islamic norms in africa
1680 begins military campaigns to enforce sharia in west africa
considerable influence extends to south as well
christianity in sub-saharan africa
like african islan, syncretic with african beliefs
founded by dona beatriz
claimed that st. anthony of padua posesed her (um)
st. anthony was a 13th century franciscan preacher
promoted african form of christianity, taught;
“"jesus was a black man”
“kongo was holy land”
“heaven was for africans”
social change in early modern africa
trade with europeans brings new goods to africa
new crops from americas
manioc (cassava) becomes staple bread flour
increased food supply boosts population growth despite slave trade
african slave tade
african slavery dates to antiquity
most enslaved africans were
war captives
criminals
people expelled from clans
african distinct from asian/european slavery
no private property, wealth defined by human labor potential not land
slaves often assimilated into owner’s clan
islamic slave trade
dramatic expansion of slave trade with arab traders
new slaves acquired by raiding villages
arab traders depend on african infrastructure to maintain supply
european demand on west coast causes slave demand to rise again
early slave trade
portugese raid west african coast in 1441 and take 12 men
met with stiff resistance
realized it was easier to purchase slaves
african dealers ready to provide slaves
1460: 500 slaves per year ot work as miners, porters, domestic servants in Spain and Portugal
1520: 2,000 per year to work in sugarcane plantations in the Americas
triangular trade
european ships often undertook voyages on three legs
began triangular trade
european manufactured goods (firearms) sent to africa
african slaves purchased and sent to americas
cash crops purchased in americas and returned to europe
middle passage
african slaves captured by raiding parties
force-marched to holding pens at the coast
waited for ship to pick them up
embarked on deadly middle passage on the ship
horrible conditions
4-6 weeks
mortality initially high, often over 50% (then declined to 5%)
total slave traffic from 15th-18th century is 12 million
approx 4 mil die before arrival
impact of slave trade on african regions
rwanda , bugunda, masai, turkana resist slave trade
lands distant from major slave ports on western coast
other societies benefited from slave trade profit
asante, dahomey, oyo people benefited most
social effects of slave trade
total african population expands due to importation of american crops
yet millions of captured africans removed from society
deplete regional populations
distorted sex ratios result
2/3 of slaves male, 14-35 years of age
encouraged polygamy
women acting in traditionally male roles
political effects of slave trade
introduction of firearms increases violence of pre-existing conflicts
more weapons, more more slaves-- more slaves, more weapons
dahomey people create army dedicated to slave trade
african slaves in plantation societies
most slaves in tropical and subtropical regions
first slave plantation established in hispainola (haiti, dominican republic) 1516
later spread to mexico, brazil, caribbean, and americas
sugar major cash crop
later: tobacco , rice, indigo, cotton, coffee
plantations heavily dependent on slave labor
racial divisions of labor
europeans lead, africans work
regional differences in plantations
caribbean, south america: african population unable to maintain numbers through natural means
malaria, yellow fever
brutal working conditions (sanitation, nutrition)
gender imbalance
constant importation of slaves to maintain workforces
north america has less disease and more normal sex ratio
slaves families encouraged as prices for slaves rise in 18th century
slaves resistance to slavery
some resisted by working half-heartedly
some sabotaged plantations
some ran away from plantations
some led revolts
slave revolts
only one succesful revolt
revolt abolished slavery in french-controlled st. dominigue
renamed haiti
any other revolts were outgunned by euro-american firepower
african-american culture
diversity of african cultures concentrated in slave population
blend of cultures
african language was used between slaves when numbers permit
otherwise it was european language, adapted with african influences
called “creole” languages
christianity adapted to incorporate african traditions
abolition of slavery
olduah equiano
published best-selling autobiography
attacks intuitions of slavery
economic costs of slavery increase
threat of rebellions increase military expenses to null them
18th century, price of sugar falls and price of slaves rises
wage labor becomes more efficient
wage-earners can spend income of manufactured goods
end of slave trade
denmark abolishes slave trade in 1803
followed by great britain 1807
united states 1808
france 1814
netherlands 1817
spain 1845
posession of slaves remains legal
clandestine trade continues to 1867
emancipatio of slaves begins with british colonies, then french, us, brazil
saudi arabia and angola continue to the 1960s
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