AFRICA 1600- 1750

Economic, Political & Social Changes

Central Question

How did slavery influence Africa?

Africa

ECOMONIC CHANGES

Economy

Silver & sugar Participated in world economy through

slave trade Slave trade traced back to 15th century,

rose in 17th and 18th centuries Grafted onto existing system of slave

commerce 2 Africans for every 1 European

essential to prosperity of American colonies

Economy

Merchants shipped slaves around Indian Ocean

More slaves sent to Americas once plantation agriculture began to spread

W. flow=12 million survived forcible enslavement/ shipment to Atlantic ports 1440s-1867

Merchant capitalists prospered slave trade rose

Economy

Commercial fortune depended on alliances with African trading & Political networks

African partners/ commercial networks left to capture slaves

High morality = losses of profits Merchants-active role in supplying slaves

for transatlantic shipment Shift=Households that commanded large

animal herds or land urban merchants and warrior elites

Africa

SOCIAL CHANGES

Religion

Asante (Ashanti) Universal god – Onyame Kingdom of the Dead –

Samande Ancestor Worship

Benin Polytheistic Power of witches Mostly Christian About ¼ Islam; Vudun or “voodoo”

Language

Misconception: there was no written language until recently

Asante Decedents of Akan Tribes Various forms of Twi; tone language

Benin Learned written and spoken language from the

Portuguese Native Language Kwa

Dress&Customs

Women Influence Ashanti

Weaving (only men) Different patterns Matrilineal Gold

Benin Bronze art Funerals = Important part of someone’s history Drummers and dancers perform at funerals

Africa

POLITICAL CHANGES

Political

Dutch armada of 21 ships

Captured Luanda, Benguela, and Sao Tome from Portuguese

1623, Portuguese signed a treaty with Ndongo

Political

1624, Nzinga became Queen of Ndongo Conquered kingdom of Matamba in war

with Portuguese Made alliance with Dutch Dutch sent her soldiers

Queen Nzinga

Political

Portuguese gained strength back Portuguese drove Dutch out of Luanda in

1648 Dutch no longer helped Nzinga could fight Portuguese anymore Signed treaty giving Portuguese access to

Matamba’s markets

Video: Verbalizm: David J

Primary Source

Those sold by the Blacks are for the most part prisoners of war, taken either in fight, or pursuit, or in the

incursions they make into their enemies territories; others stolen away by their own countrymen; and some there are, who will sell their own children,

kindred, or neighbors. This has been often seen, and to compass it, they desire the person they intend to

sell, to help them in carrying something to the factory by way of trade, and when there, the person so

deluded, not understanding the language, is old and deliver'd up as a slave, notwithstanding all his

resistance, and exclaiming against the treachery....

Written by John Barbot (an agent for the French Royal African Company) in 1678

Questions

1. Based on this passage what do you think about the family bonds in Africa?

2. Do you think anybody make alliances with the Dutch after they let Queen Nzinga down?

3. How do you think the shift of wealth to urban merchants and warrior elites effected the rest of society?

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Tignor, Robert, et al. Worlds Together Worlds Apart. New York City: W.W. Norton & Company, 2008. Print.

John Barbot, "A Description of the Coasts of North and South Guinea," in Thomas Astley and John Churchill, eds., Collection of Voyages and Travels (London, 1732).

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