Effects of the Slave Trade on West Africa - 1135 Words

DSC Date:12th/3/13 History Assignment Topic: Examine the social, economic and political effects of the slave trade on West Africa The trans- Atlantic slave trade was a system developed in the late 15th century which exploited and brought the African people into enslavement by transporting them to the colonies of the new world where they served their purpose as a ‘’cheap’’ labour force . As a result of this, the slave trade brought about many social, economic and political effects on West Africa. Firstly, the population in West Africa decreased significantly in order to meet the great demand for†¦show more content†¦Great fear of being enslaved developed among many Africans who even abandoned their homes for safety. This gave rise to distrust and divided communities as aggressive tribalism increased and in some cases entire tribes and nations were virtually destroyed. Another effect of the slave trade on West Africa was that it led to cultural diversity. As Europeans (such as the Dutch and Portuguese) began to settle in African states they spread their cultural practices such as language; many African tribes and European languages were mixed thereby forming new languages like ‘swahili’. The slave trade also contributed to spiritual erasure. Certain religious institutions were so focused on meeting the needs of the trade and consequently, became depraved. They developed a deep desire for Europeans goods and this also resulted in a new class of African e ntrepreneurs. The Europeans traded goods such as firearms, iron, horses, cloth and tobacco in return for slaves. And with the supply of these goods, the Africans created businesses by selling the valuable products to the public and received great profits. The trans-Atlantic trade also had several effects on the economy of West Africa. The slave trade resulted in West Africa being robbed of its most valuable raw material, which was its human resource. The economic development of the nation was therefore hindered by exporting and exploiting its human labor force. Additionally, they neglected theirShow MoreRelatedImpact Of Slave Trade On West Africa1055 Words   |  5 PagesIn addition to the impacts of the slave trade on the social history of Africa, there were also major impacts on the political history. Below, three major impacts of the slave trade on the political history of West Africa will be discussed. To begin with, an impact that the slave trade had on West Africa is that it made the area more susceptible to colonization by European powers. There were two main ways in which the slave trade made it easier for European powers to colonize; the ways are the lossRead MoreImpact Of Trans Atlantic Slave Trade On African Societies1314 Words   |  6 PagesFor 300 years, Africa participated in the Atlantic slave trade, providing humans in exchange for other goods. During that 300 years, some twelve million Africans were transported to the Americas. This mass, forced migration had many consequences for Africa, in many aspects of its history. In World History classes—both high school and college— these consequences for Africa are usually omitted, and a more Eurocentric view of the Atlantic slave trade dominates. Because of this, many are not aware ofRead MoreEffects Of The Atlantic Slave Trade On Africa1516 Words   |  7 PagesEffects of the Atlantic Slave Trade on Africa The Atlantic slave trade existed from the 16th to the early 19th century and stimulated trade between Europe, Africa, and the Americas. Over 12 million Africans were captured and sold into chattel slavery off the coast of West Africa, and more than 2 million of them died crossing the Atlantic. 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