The Atlantic System and Africa Essay Example

The Atlantic System and Africa Essay Example The Atlantic System and Africa Essay The Atlantic System and Africa Essay Although slave trade has been established since early history, it was the in the seventeenth century and beyond that slaves became the focal point of trade between Europe and Africa. Europes expansion through North and South America and the Caribbean islands in the fifteenth century formed an unquenchable demand for African laborers, who were thought to be more fit physically in the harsh tropical environment of the New World. The figures of slaves imported across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas increased gradually over time. As much as 10 to 15 million people were displaced, their ties with their families cut and their odds of going back to their homes were nonexistent. Political circumstances changed the trade alliances in Africa and led to variation in the regional origins of slaves all through the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Slaves were usually the ill-fated victims of wars, raids, and territorial expansion. The triangular trade or the Atlantic circuit explains the whole process of slave trade In the Atlantic Ocean. The journey starts in Europe where the European sailors would load their ships with guns, horses and many other products ranging from pots and pans to textiles which were brought from India. Not to mention the transmittable diseases that were brought by European sailors as well, who would then set sail to Africa to exchange theses goods with tribal chiefs, kings or local slave traders for slaves. Sometimes slaves would travel 1200km of inland just to reach the ships location. The slaves and European sailors would then embark on the long and strenuous trip to the Americas. During the trip to the North or South of America, depending on the demand of the slaves, sometimes as much as half of the slaves would die from sickness, starvation, lack of clean water and food. On arrival the slaves would start work. Their life span after parting Africa would be around ten years because of the demanding backbreaking labor. In Africa slavery existed for a long time before the Europeans ever arrived. Their were two known systems for slavery, the old system of which was used by Africans and Arabs etc. and the new system which was used by Europeans. In the old system, slavery was neither permanent nor inherited, it was not based on race, slaves worked as servants to the owners (no hard physical labor), and 2/3 were women sold as harems. In the new system, slavery was permanent and inherited, it was based on the belief that black Africans were inferior, slaves did hard physical labor, and mainly slaves were male between the ages of 15 to 30. It would be hard to prove, however, that the transatlantic trade did not play a huge role on the development and size of slavery on the African Continent. In Europe and the New World, demand for slaves was increasing and although it was a very risky business, it has proven to be extremely lucrative. This trade has proved beneficial for the African kingdoms and states as well. It made them more powerful and wealthier. The victim nation’s cultures power were greatly decimated creating an immense power imbalance. This played a vital role in the development of Africa. The slave trade was responsible for the appearance of powerful large kingdoms such as the Yoruba Kingdom of Oyo on the guinea coast, which largely depended on slave trade. This led to it’s rapid expansion in the eighteenth century. It was founded sometime before the 15th century; this kingdom relied on their militaristic culture. It’s army used advanced iron technology which was handed to them by the Europeans. Another kingdom that expanded used the slave trade to their gain was the Kingdom of Dahomey, in what is now the Republic of Benin it imitated the Chokwe chiefdoms from under the present day country of Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo. No doubt the transatlantic trade has caused a population decline in Africa. In particular the shortage of men may have changed the structural roles of males females in many African societies and cultures. Women might of have engaged in activities that were once done by their husbands, fathers or sons. The Americas Europe have got extremely wealthy because of the transatlantic trade and the businesses that were created with it, some of which were made with funds from European joint stock ventures, and a few government owned and controlled companies like the Dutch West Indies Company. These businesses ranged from mine plantations to cotton fields and introduced many new products in Europe that created a stir among Europeans. Fortunatley a new chapter began in America and slavery was ended with the emancipation proclamation, it was issued by Abraham Lincoln on the year 1863. On the short term the slave trade caused pain and grief to a lot of African nations. On the long term it created change and opportunity. It also made the Americas ethnically and culturally diverse. America became a place where everyone is welcome to pursue the American Dream and live free and equally despite one’s ethnicity.