WHII SOL 4 a-f Exploration of Africa

WHII: SOL 4 a-f Exploration of Africa

Portugal • The Portuguese explored Africa searching for a sea route to Asia by heading East • Dias rounded the southern tip of Africa • They wanted a sea route to Asia that bypassed the Mediterranean • They wanted to buy goods directly from Africa instead of through Arab middlemen

West Africa • Started in West Africa with small forts to collect food and water, fix their ships • Established trading posts exchanging muskets, tools and cloths for gold, ivory, hides, and slaves • Took over East African trading centers like Mombasa and Malindi, forcing out Arab traders and extending their own empire

Portuguese Empire • Portugal established trading posts along the coast of East and West Africa, but did not explore the interior of the continent • Portuguese empire declines in the 1600 s

African Slave Trade • Slavery had existed since ancient time in most civilizations around the world (Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Persians, Indians, and Arabs) • Slaves quickly became the most important item in profitable African trade • Europeans brought slaves to the “New World” to work on plantations • Established the Atlantic slave trade

African Leaders Resist • Europeans rarely led raids to capture slaves • African rulers and traders went into the interior to capture slaves and bring them to the coastal ports • As the demand for slaves increased, African leaders tried to resist or stop the slave trade

Affonso I • Affonso I-ruler of the Kongo tribe spoke out against the slave trade • Tutored by Portuguese missionaries • Appealed to European royalty to end the slave trade and develop modern, Christian nations in Africa • He was unsuccessful and the slave trade continued

Asante Kingdom • Osei Tutu- ruled the powerful Asante kingdom – Unified his people by claiming his right to rule came from heaven – Defeated the powerful neighboring nation of Denkyera – Bureaucracy was efficient due to officials being chosen by merit – Asante established a monopoly over gold mining and slave trade – Played European nations against one another for protection