Portugal Gains Footholds
The Portuguese established forts in West Africa to repair ships and trade with Africans. In East Africa, they
took control of cities controlled by Arab traders.
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The Beginnings of Our Global Age:Europe, Africa, and AsiaSection 2: Turbulent Centuries in Africa
Witness History Audio: Great Seabirds Arrive
Color Transparency 85: African Art
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The African Slave Trade Explodes
European traders bought large numbers of slaves to work on plantations in the Americas. Some
African rulers tried to slow down or stop the slave trade, but the profits were too high for others to
join the resistance.
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The Beginnings of Our Global Age:Europe, Africa, and AsiaSection 2: Turbulent Centuries in Africa
Witness History Audio: Audio from Chronicle of Discovery and Conquest of Guinea
New African States Arrives
The struggle for control of the slave and gold trade in Africa ended with some states’ demise and
other states’ expansion. The Asante Kingdom successfully gained regional monopolies on trade
with Europe. The Oyo empire also gained wealth from the slave trade.
The European Presence Expands
The British, Dutch, and French gained footholds in Africa as Portuguese control diminished. The
Dutch built the first permanent European settlement at Cape Town, and then began to push
north. The British and French started in present-day Senegal.
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The Beginnings of Our Global Age:Europe, Africa, and AsiaSection 2: Turbulent Centuries in Africa
Geography Interactive: Major African States About 1700
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The Beginnings of Our Global Age: Europe, Africa, and Asia: Section 2Color Transparency 85: African Art
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The Beginnings of Our Global Age: Europe, Africa, and Asia: Section 2Note Taking Transparency 107
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