Transatlantic Slave Trade Case Study

Question 1: During the transatlantic slave trade, the political, social and economic environments of West and West Central Africa were all based on a goal for the survival of family, community, and, most of all, culture. There was profound diversity in the political structures found in this area, which impressed a paramount impact on the economic and social activity of each society. As these societies were so different, whites were able to justify enslaving West and West Central Africa’s populations through the idea that they were unworldly because they were based in rural agrarian isolation and needed to be taught differently and saved from that way of life.

The political structures of this area included both strict and relaxed groupings

Economic survival was clear by the specialization of labor and the steady development that had already developed in isolation of white influence. West African tolerance and the greater involvement of women in societies contrast any social reason to save Africa. The relaxed nature of slavery, that slaves could become free and children born to slaves were not slaves automatically, proves there was little social necessity to moralize or Christianize the area to preserve decency because these standards devolved with white involvement. European involvement demoralized African culture by fostering an environment where leaders turned on their people and were rewarded monetarily for such behavior. Therefore, understanding the nature of West and west Central African social, political, and economic aspects is crucial for exposing the ignorance behind white involvement in and enslavement of that geographic

As the Founding Fathers drafted the Constitution at the 1787 convention, the authors knew that establishing a formula to ensure fair and equal taxation of each state, as well as a formula to give each their equal and fair representation, could tear a great divide between the southern and northern states if not approached delicately and perfectly. The central and southern states were physically larger and had much greater populations, provided slaves were included in each census. The north, however, had greatly reduced populations, as they were geographically smaller and had infinitesimal slaves, due to lack of need. Were the south to count slaves as part of their population, they would receive far more electoral votes and congressional representation than northern states and, therefore, dominate the politics of the country and invalidate the entire voice of the north. However, if they slaves counted for nothing, the southern voice would be nullified because white populations were far smaller, obvious by the fact that each white plantation owner could employ hundreds of slaves. In addition, if slaves were to count towards population in full, taxation on the southern states would be suffocating while the north would be far less burdened. Due to the national disproportionality, issues of representation and taxation fostered heated