8. Atlantic Slave Trade
• The Atlantic slave trade began in the 1500's
– At first, Europe traded with the Northern
kingdoms of Ghana and Mali for gold and salt
– After the 1500's, the relationship changed
• Started as trade between equals
• It turned into enslavement and forced migration
(movement)
9. Atlantic Slave Trade
• The slave trade ended in the 1800's, but
Europe remained in Africa until recently
– Wanted their resources
– Divided up the continent
10. European Desire
• Portuguese explorers
began exploring Africa
in the 1400’s
– Trade directly with
Africa
– Technology in sailing
11. Power Shift
• At first they traded as
equals
– Gold, ivory, metal, pepper, c
opper, brass, and clothing
– Spread Christianity
• Soon the trade balance
shifted
– Portuguese sailors sailed
around the tip of Africa to
East Africa and seized the
city-states
– Controlled the trade along
the East African coast
12. The Rest of Europe Joins
• The Dutch, French, and
English soon followed;
set up trading posts
along the coasts
– Settlers moved in
– Spread out by force
– Poor relations with
Africans
13. Slavery in Africa
• Atlantic Slave Trade
– Slavery occurred in
Africa before the slave
trade, but under much
different
circumstances
• All civilizations had
slavery
• Africans would enslave
those they defeated in
battle
• Most slaves were freed
14. A New Kind of Slavery
• Europeans developed a new type of slavery
– Treated slaves like property
– Race-based slavery
– Took them away from their homeland
– No freedom
15. Slavery Grows
• Demand for slavery
increased as
European countries
set up colonies in
North and South
America
– Needed workers
on plantations
– Hard to escape
when you don’t
know where you
are
– 78,000 each year
16. Tragedy
• Horrors of slavery
– Captured Africans were branded with hot irons
– Laid side by side, stacked in ships with little food or
water
• Many died during this voyage, the Middle Passage
• Effects of Slavery
– Loss of an entire generation from West Africa
– Halted progress
• Lost youngest, healthiest people
• Skilled workers
17. End of Slavery
• After the slave trade ended, the horror didn’t
stop for Africa
– Europe raided Africa for its resources
– Built empires
– Used force and weapons to take over Africa
18. Problems for Africa
• European countries met and decided how
they would divide up Africa, or colonize it,
settle an area and take over the government
– Europe gained power by encouraging African
groups to fight with each other
– Took the best land to farm for themselves
– Drew new political boundaries which divided
ethnic groups and forced differing groups together
• Caused conflict later
