9/16 Lecture 6: Political and Social Impacts of the Atlantic Slave Trade

The Political and Social effects of the Atlantic Slave Trade

The Rise of the Atlantic Slave Trade

• Early Captives and Destinations: Before $1532$, African captives were forcibly taken to the Atlantic Islands and to Europe.

• First Transport to the New World: The first African captives transported to the New World occurred in $1532$.

• West Central Africa as a Major Source: From the mid-$18^{th}$ century, West Central Africa, encompassing the regions of Kongo and Angola, became the largest supplier of captives throughout most of the history of the transatlantic slave trade.

  • Portuguese Incursions: In this region, Portuguese military incursions into the interior instigated wars that significantly fueled the slave trade.

  • Reinforced Importance: The region's continued significance as a source of enslaved people was further cemented by the arrival of British and French slavers in the $18^{th}$ century.

    • The British, for example, obtained approximately $20\%$ of all their enslaved people from West Central Africa.

• The Bight of Benin: This portion of the West African coast, which comprises modern-day Togo, Benin, and western Nigeria, was another major exporter of enslaved people.

• The Bight of Biafra: Located east of the Bight of Benin, this densely populated region was centered on the Niger Delta.

• Second Most Important Region: Combined, the Bight of Benin and the Bight of Biafra emerged as the second most important region in terms of the number of enslaved people sourced from Africa.

  • British merchants from Bristol and Liverpool acquired a substantial $85\%$ of all enslaved people from this combined area.

Destination of the Atlantic Slave Trade (based on Curtin, $1969$ data)

• $1451-1600$ Destinations:

  • Spanish America

  • Old World

• $1601-1700$ Destinations:

  • Spanish America

  • Old World

  • British Caribbean

  • French Caribbean

  • Dutch Caribbean

  • Brazil

    • Estimated Numbers: Around $3,000,000$ people transported, with categories for $1,500,000$ and $500,000$.

• $1701-1810$ Destinations:

  • British North America

  • Spanish America

  • British Caribbean

  • Danish Caribbean

  • French Caribbean

  • Dutch Caribbean

  • Brazil

    • Estimated Numbers: Around $6,000,000$ people transported, with categories for $4,500,000$, $3,000,000$, $1,500,000$, and $500,000$.

• $1811-1870$ Destinations:

  • North America

  • Spanish America

  • French Caribbean

  • Brazil

    • Estimated Numbers: Around $3,000,000$ people transported, with categories for $1,500,000$ and $500,000$.

Political and Social Impacts on Africa and Beyond

Reconfiguration of West Africa’s Political Map

• Political Conditions: West and West Central Africa experienced significant political shifts from the $15^{th}$ century onwards.

• Shift in Trade Patterns: A notable shift in trade patterns occurred, moving away from the interior and towards the coast, which led to the emergence of new states along the West and Central African coast.

• Environmental and Political Factors: This period coincided with a prolonged dry spell, leading to conflicts between pastoralists and sedentary farmers.

  • Warfare: Wars frequently resulted from these environmental and political changes and were the most prevalent form of violence.

• Sources of Captives: Warfare, raids, and kidnapping accounted for the vast majority of captives.

  • An enslaved person was primarily the result of a violent act of capture.

  • Approximately $34\%$ or more of victims were a result of wars.

  • About $30\%$ were kidnapped by strangers.

• Causes of Wars: Wars were not exclusively fought for the purpose of acquiring slaves; other motives included jihads and the expansion of states or religious conflicts.

Political Instability, Violence, and Insecurity

• Dominant Violence: Warfare remained the most common form of violence.

• Primary Source of Captives: Warfare, raids, and kidnapping continued to be the main methods for acquiring captives.

• Other Factors: While judicial processes were a factor and some individuals were enslaved for debt, voluntary submission to enslavement was rare.

• Destructive Nature of Wars: Wars and slave raids were inherently destructive, fueled by a