Atlantic Slave Trade

Introduction

  • before the Spanish conquered parts of America, the Portuguese had already started to explore and colonise other parts of the world

  • sea route discovered when rounding the Cape in 1488

    • they established trading posts along West African coast, traded in slaves and gold

    • later also captured East African coast trading posts

  • Portuguese empire in Africa didn’t have huge colonies, but rather trading posts, forts, ports and plantations

The process of conquest

  • 1430s: Portuguese sent ships south along African coast to trade for gold, find a sea route around Africa to the East, and find a legendary Christian king called Prester John, who was thought to be rich and powerful

  • They established trading posts and forts along coast, one was at Elmina (“the mine”) in present-day Ghana

  • Traded copper, brass, and textiles for gold; gold trade was profitable and by 1500 the Portuguese controlled the flow of gold to Europe

  • sugar plantations established in Sao Tome and Madeira → Sao Tome became biggest sugar producer to Europe

  • settled were many in Mozambique and Angola:

    • Mozambique-traders moved inland (Zambezi river) to get closer to source of gold trade, some given land for weapons (called prazeros)

      • many African women resisted Portuguese, authority was only established in late 19th century

    • Angola-invaded to control slave trade and find silver, some were exiles convicts (degredados), many of them married Angolese women and formed communities that combined customs, control over Angola was never strong

Links between colonialism and slavery in Africa

  • Portugal = first European country to trade with African slaves → beginning of Atlantic Slave Trade

    • first slaves from west Africa taken to Portugal or Portuguese sugar plantations

  • Colony started in Brazil, slave traders bought slaves from African mainland to send to Brazil

    • Brazil became focus of Portuguese colonisation and settlement (unlike Africa); became biggest market for slaves, Angola was major source of slaves

  • Portuguese established trade and diplomatic relations with Kongo

    • powerful, well-organised state, king welcomed Portuguese

    • they traded slaves for manufactured goods and military support

  • over time, Kongo power declined because the slave trade expanded and local leaders were no longer loyal to the king

    • by end of 16th century, European powers had joined slave trade, weakened power and (along with Portuguese interference) caused the collapse of the kingdom