Slavery was not a new concept to African, as it was practiced prior to the slave trade. In African, slavery had a totally different outlook from that of slavery in the Caribbean and the Americas. The reasons of enslavement varied in Africa. Some persons sold themselves into slavery, while others were captured during wars or children whom their parents were unable to provide for. Another way Africans became slaves were if individuals were unable to pay fines that were imposed upon them (Sparks, 37). The Slave traders in African and the English slavers had a business relationship that was governed by the Parliament in London. Although, the trade was governed by the Parliament, both slaver traders and English slavers conducted trade in a way that was feasible for them (Spark, 18, 31). When the rivalry between Old Town and New Town arose, the English slavers did what was necessary for the business to go on as usual (Sparks, 18-19). The English slavers ambushed the slave traders of Old Town, capturing and enslaving Ephraim and Ancona (Spark, 21). These two African traders, Ephraim and Ancona, when returned back to Africa continued with life as usual, as slave traders. Although, exposed to a life contrary to what they were used to slave trading was their culture, the most profitable business during that time and a definite way of revenge.
Persons that were enslaved, in African, were able to return to the life as a slave trader once they were released from slavery. With this being the way of life for Africans in their culture, no matter what hardship was experienced that characterized slavery in the Caribbean and the Americas one could have returned to a life as a trader. Slavery in the Americans and the Caribbean called ...
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...rade. The arms that were used to ambush and hold the English captains as hostage for prices of slaves to paid, were obtained through the slave trade. The Slave traders’ exposure to English culture and style lead to further development, such as the trader being able to communicate using the English and dressing English. Also, being a trader puts the men both, at a lesser chance of becoming victims of slavery in the New World again. Therefore, these men reentry into the slave trade was a choice that was fostered by the culture, lucrative profits and revenge on the persons responsible for their exportation into the trade.
References
Sparks, Randy L. The Two Princes of Calabar: An Eighteenth - Century Atlantic Odyssey.
Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2004.
Ulentin, Dr. Anne. “The Triangular Slave Trade.” Lecture, From Class, Nassau, NP, January 1, 2014.
This makes for a very interesting read. Johnson’s personal writing style does not shine through much due to the way he chose to build narrative around historical sources, but nevertheless he tells an interesting, cohesive story that draws the reader in and exposes some of the insidious history surrounding the trade of slaves in our history. The book is divided into seven sections, ten including the introduction and epilogue, as well as a section dedicated to illustrations of historical documents alluded to in the text. Johnson also includes a section entitled “Notes,” where he has compiled his sources. The “Notes” section is not a straight bibliography. It also includes helpful author notes describing the context of sources that did not fit in the main narrative, and references for those wanting to do their own research. For example, one note includes information on a book by Tadman which contains information on the number of slaves traded. The author includes a summary, including migration numbers and the percentage of those numbers directly related to the trade. This section is helpfully divided and labeled, with the notes referred to in each part of the book labeled by section. Each notation and illustration is referenced within the text by numbers, which coincide with each note or illustration offering more
One of the major questions asked about the slave trade is ‘how could so Europeans enslave so many millions of Africans?” Many documents exist and show historians what the slave trade was like. We use these stories to piece together what it must have been to be a slave or a slaver. John Barbot told the story of the slave trade from the perspective of a slaver in his “A Description of the Coasts of North and South Guinea.” Barbot describes the life of African slaves before they entered the slave trade.
The origin tale of the African American population in the American soil reveals a narrative of a diasporic faction that endeavored brutal sufferings to attain fundamental human rights. Captured and forcefully transported in unbearable conditions over the Atlantic Ocean to the New World, a staggering number of Africans were destined to barbaric slavery as a result of the increasing demand of labor in Brazil and the Caribbean. African slaves endured abominable conditions, merged various cultures to construct a blended society that pillared them through the physical and psychological hardships, and hungered for their freedom and recognition.
The concept of slavery was accepted as a part of the culture and even in the fields of Isseke, Africa slaves were put to work. “Sometimes indeed, we sold slaves to them, but they were only prisoners of war, or such among us as had been convicted of kidnapping or adultery, and some other crimes, which we esteemed heinous.” (38)
Though the Atlantic Slave Trade began in 1441, it wasn’t until nearly a century later that Europeans actually became interested in slave trading on the West African coast. “With no interest in conquering the interior, they concentrated their efforts to obtain human cargo along the West African coast. During the 1590s, the Dutch challenged the Portuguese monopoly to become the main slave trading nation (“Africa and the Atlantic Slave Trade”, NA). Besides the trading of slaves, it was also during this time that political changes were being made. The Europe...
...nd contrasting points of African kings. While they both approved the use of slaves, Mbemba despised the slave trade and coaxed Portugal’s royalty into ending the entire business for the benefit of his nation. The king of Ouidah however seemed adamant about getting rid of his slaves in the trade without regard to how the slaves were being treated or how it affected his country. The mixed opinions on the slave trade and the identical thoughts of slavery during the 17th century allows one to see the varying notions the two issues had on the kings in Africa.
In the “Interpretive Essay”, Kenneth Banks discuses the consequences of the Atlantic slave trade. The negative effects on the Africans due to the Atlantic slave trade range from the influence on Africans societies and warfare, inhumane and atrocious living and working conditions, decrease of their population, and the long-term impact of bigotry. During the Atlantic save trade’s peak, the movement to abolish slavery started because it went against certain religious beliefs, several thinkers saw it as inefficient, and was unethical.
Rediker, Marcus. The Slave Ship A Human History. New York, New York: Penguin Group, 2007. Print.
Slaves and slave trade has been an important part of history for a very long time. In the years of the British thirteen colonies in North America, slaves and slave trade was a very important part of its development. It even carried on to almost 200 years of the United States history. The slave trade of the thirteen colonies was an important part of the colonies as well as Europe and Africa. In order to supply the thirteen colonies efficiently through trade, Europe developed the method of triangular trade. It is referred to as triangular trade because it consists of trade with Africa, the thirteen colonies, and England. These three areas are commonly called the trades “three legs.”
Ever since there has been humanity, slavery has been a mechanism used by people in order to subjugate and dehumanize other individuals. Abina and the Important Men is a book that illustrates how slavery was still able to manifest, even after it had been abolished within British society. By enslaving young women under the false pretense that the individuals were wards, powerful African leaders and British rulers were able to maintain a social hierarchy where African women occupied the lowest rung. The trafficking of Africans through the Transatlantic Slave Trade, brought wealth to European and other western nations as well as African leaders who were willing to cooperate. Europeans, such as the Portuguese, British, and French, first began arriving to Africa in the 16th century since they were drawn by the valuable resources that could be found in coastal, African societies.
From Slavery to Freedom: African in the Americas. (2007). Association for the Study of African American Life and History. Retrieved October 7, 2007 from Web site: http://www.asalh.org/
The slave business ensued for the reason that it became a practical and profitable business in the 1600 to1800’s. Many people have not considered the parts they play and how different they may be. The most obvious similarity between the two happens to be their eyes for profit .The men that entered the slave business did it for income. Despite this similarity, there remained three items that the two did not share, status being one. Another being that they had a completely different need of the slaves they dealt with. The final difference is that the slave owners paid for their slaves and the slave Traders took the slaves and sold them to the Owners. There are a few people that discuss the differences and similarities between Traders and Owners:
The concept of the slave trade came about in the 1430’s, when the Portuguese came to Africa in search of gold (not slaves). They traded copper ware, cloth, tools, wine, horses and later, guns and ammunition with African kingdoms in exchange for ivory, pepper, and gold (which were prized in Europe). There was not a very large demand for slaves in Europe, but the Portuguese realized that they could get a good profit from transporting slaves along the African coast from trading post to trading post. The slaves were bought greedily by Muslim merchants, who used them on the trans-Sahara trade routes and sold them in the Islamic Empire. The Portuguese continued to collect slaves from the whole west side of Africa, all the way down to the Cape of Good Hope (South Africa), and up the east side, traveling as far as Somalia. Along the way, Portugal established trade relations with many African kingdoms, which later helped begin the Atlantic Slave Trade. Because of Portugal’s good for...
"Africa Before Transatlantic Slavery: The Abolition of Slavery Project." Africa Before Transatlantic Slavery: The Abolition of Slavery Project. E2BN, 2009. Web. 08 Apr. 2014. .
There are a lot of causes of the scramble for Africa, and one of them was to ‘liberate’ the slaves in Africa after the slave trade ended. The slave trade was a time during the age of colonization when the Europeans, American and African traded with each oth...