African Slave Trade

What were explorers from Western Europe looking for?

They were in search of economic opportunities and made trading relations with people on the coast.

What is capitalism?

Capitalism is the economic system involving the exchange of profits of services in a "supply and demand" economy. Entrepreneurs invested money in the New World.

What is African society considered as and what gender leads it?

Considered patriarchal and headed by men

Describe life in West Africa before the Europeans.

Copper working, iron smelting, artistry, commerce, and early state formation were all aspects of life in West Europe prior to the Europeans.African craftsmen would use diff methods to transform copper into sculptures, accessories, etc... reflecting a culture that appreciates body adornment. Certain villages were known for fishing; others for metallurgy; and others for weapons and lifestyles. Commerce was also conducted between African merchants and Muslim traders giving them opportunity to wear accessories not native to West Africa like gold beads. Slavery was also existent before European influence and similar to slavery of the Muslim world (more humane than European-induced slavery). Slavery was relevant in many capacities such as household servants, agricultural laborers, miners, porters, craftsmen, etc...

What did Europeans believe prior to crossing the Atlantic?

Europeans once thought if you cross the Atlantic, there will be monsters that will will eat you alive.

What year did Columbus "discover America?"

1492

What year did the international slave trade discontinue and the domestic slave trade begin?

1807

What is a civilization and when did it begin?

A civilization is the cultivation of plants and the domestication of animals. It began at 3000 BC.

What does a civilization need and what gender is considered dogmatic?

A civilization needs order and law, military, cattle for clothes, food, milk, etc.. Men are considered dogmatic.

Who had control of West Africa?

African chiefs had control over West Africa's economy; Muslims never had control of West Africa.

Why were Africans picked over Native Americans to be used as slaves?

Africans were easily more identifiable than Native Americans because of their skin color. In addition, Europeans heard American stories of deaths due to disease from Native American attacks.

If one is taken from their kinship group, what kinds of consequences present themselves?

Because an African is forcefully taken from their kinship group, they cannot return back to their homeland to see their family which has severe psychological and emotional consequences.

What year did Europe really start to reap the benefits of the sugar market?

Between the 16th and 17th centuries

What time period did the great West African empires exist and possibly prosper and what were the name of such empire?

Ghana, Mali, and Sanghay. They existed between the 7th and 16th centuries.

Describe Christopher Columbus.

In 1492, Christopher Columbus tried to sell the idea of further exploration to the monarchs. He would share his discovery with the investor. Columbus convinces Queen Isabella to support his project. Columbus also discovered the New World in 1492 in an attempt to find the fastest route to India.

What kind of routes were developed to facilitate trading between Middle East and Africa?

Long distance trading routes

Describe slavery in Latin America.

In Latin America (specifically Mexico), there was a greater capacity for the importation of slaves as opposed to the islands which was a goldmine for slave traders. Also, there were people in charge of the slaves called "administrators" who kept slave records, maintained slave operation, etc... In Brazil, slaves were divided into three groups: mining, urban, and plantation. Urban slaves were able to make their own wages because of their ability to read and write. Profits were placed over church laws. There were lots of blacks on the Pacific Coast in the colonial period. Brazilian laws were also present to assist the slaves, but were difficult to be enforced. Also, slaves were forced to be baptized one year after arrival, attend confession, etc.... Also, a woman could get her freedom if she had 10 kids. In comparison with the Caribbeans, slavery was more lenient in terms of freedom. Slaves had a better chance of getting their freedom in Latin America than in the Caribbeans. There was a small number of Portuguese and Spanish settlers in the Latin colonies, as compared to Britons in the North American colonies. The Catholic Church shaped the slave experience in Latin America, distinguishing it from the slave experience in Protestant British America.

What products were available for each continent and which were in demand?

In South America, there were silver mines, coffee, cash crops, etc... Mainland America (which was in North America) grew beans, crops, etc... There was also a demand for sugar in the Caribbeans and tobacco in the Americas. Africa traded gold and ivory.

Describe slavery in Mainland America.

In the British colonies, slaves could not enter any kind of binding agreement, thus marriage in a legal sense was not an option. Permission of the owner was the only prerequisite for an equivalent of a marital relationship between two slaves. Some slaveholders even encouraged slaves to be religious and attend church regularly. The British colonies generally did not encourage the idea of slaves learning how to read or write, some discouraged it, and others actually forbade it.

Define indentured servants.

Indentured servants are people who voluntarily sold themselves into bondage for a certain period of time. At the end of their service, they were given land, tools, etc... or their debt was paid off.

What are some of the things African culture consisted of?

Kinship (when a group of people are related through blood or marriage) group, polygamy/marriage, religion, and slavery

What causes a development in the state?

Natural resources

What determines the expansion of a civilization?

Natural resources

Describe Portugal and it's involvement in the plantation system.

Portugese already started exploring Africa before Christopher Columbus set sail to Africa (he did it in the 14th century). European countries love sugar as a commodity The Portugese realized in order to increase money, they needed to increase the # of laborers since the more sugar cane grown, the more money made and Portugal possessed the technology to process it. So Portugal raids Africa and takes slaves. These slaves (who called also marry Portugese women with no bans and created shops) worked in the fields to cultivate European-desired commodities and this was known as the plantaion system. The Portugese were the first people to start this kind of system.

What particular item is considered a system of exchange between two parties?

Products (ie. yams or cattle) are systems of exchange. For example, the more herd a person had, the more wealthy the herd owner would be considered.

What kind of products did Europe want?

Salt and gold

At the end of the 15th and beginning of the 16th centuries, what do Europeans find that make them need workers?

Silver mines, coffee, and tea plantations. They tried utilizing Native Americans, but to no avail.

Why was slavery necessary in the New World?

Slavery helped sustain the sugar, coffee, and tobacco industries and in general, the entire economy, Europeans conquered the New World primarily for the exploitation of natural resources so labor was obviously needed, but they needed to find a cost-efficient way of doing this so slavery was the answer. Also, key plantation products like sugar, coffee, and cotton were not native to the New World, but some imported slaves were already familiar with the cultivation of these products. In addition, there was a large land-to-man ratio so extensive laborers were needed (land had high potential for mining and agriculture). Due to the slave trade, there was a vast amount of slaves (mostly Africans) to use to help to developed the New World both agriculturally and economically.

Describe the nature of slavery.

Slaves had no personage, no family, etc... once imported. Servants were used as badge of status. In terms of trading, slavery was nothing unusual. Slavery was justified by falsely claiming those enslaved were inferior.

How did slavery in Africa differ from other areas like the Caribbean and Latin America?

Slaves were allowed to marry, less restraints. Slaves came from conquered enemies (also known as prisoners of wars). Someone could voluntarily submit themselves into slavery if they're in debt. African leaders did not consider the mistreatment of their people when they sold them. Ivory, ostrich feathers, etc... were traded for guns.

What are stop-off points?

Stop-off points are ports in the Americas where slaves were dropped off. These ports would be in Argentina, Peru, Chile, etc... in South America. Some were taken to mainland America. Stop-off points were the means to ensuring a permanent labor force in the New World.

How did the Atlantic slave trade begin?

The Atlantic slave trade was forged in the crucible of Europe's Commercial Revolution. The main motivator was the wealth that could be made from such an endeavor, which all European countries--from small to large--wanted to take part in.

Describe slavery in the Caribbean.

The Caribbeans were the first area in the New World to have a plantation system because of sugar and served as a model for slavery in Mainland America. Slaves were sent to the farms at daybreak. They only had 30 mins for breakfast and two hours of lighter chores during the hottest part of the day. Pregnant women worked even until childbirth and were lashed if they were found caring for their newborn. At the time, Spain claimed the Caribbean islands bc of the pope's decision in 1493 and other explorations then later lost it in the 17th century. Generally, there was little food and severe punishment was administered in response to the many revolts. Also, in terms of population, blacks outweighed whites. This led to the establishment of slave codes which were rules and regulations to prevent slaves from running away. For example, slaves could not carry any weapons or leave the plantation without a pass or hit a white Christian (or else that person would be whipped). There was also communities consisting of run-away slaves called Maroon communities in order to live their life in peace (esp. apparent in Jamaica).

Describe the Middle Ages.

The Middle Ages were between the 7th and 14th centuries. The first part of the Middle Ages, between 600 and 900 AD, were known as the Dark Ages. The Dark Ages were characterized by no form of achievement (whether it be literary, scholar, etc...), no centralization, nothing. While Western Europe was in the Dark Ages, the center of learning was in West Africa.

What was the Middle Passage and why was it important?

The Middle Passage was the voyage from Africa to the Americas. This voyage was a horrible experience characterized by cramped areas, rampant disease, hunger strikes, filth (which contributed to ultimately more deaths), and even suicide by those who couldn't tolerate the conditions any more and jumped overboard. This horrible treatment of slaves it was makes it so significant. In addition, 12.5 million slaves were transported. As a result, this large importation of slaves were responsible for European wealth in the 17th and 18th centuries. 2/3rds of the passage never made it to America. There were two kinds of packs: loose packs and tight packs. In loose packs, slaves were able to move, but in tight packs, there were so many slaves, the cargo allowed no movement between them.

What groups of people explored Africa, South America, and North America and what was the purpose?

The Spanish, French, Dutch, and Europeans explored these areas (especially North America). Their purpose was to set up trading relationships with people on the coast of the continent.

What is the Triangular Trade?

The Triangular Trade was a system of trade between Europe, Africa, and the Americas that began from the 16th century onward. Between the 16th and 18th centuries, cargo of the trade were not just goods, but people as well. Between the 17th and 18th centuries, the Triangular trade expanded and became known as the transatlantic slave trade because of the large amount of cargo which were slaves.

What natural resources did the West African empires possess and what were the benefits of it?

The West African empires had gold, location (located in corners of Sahara desert), water, ore, etc...