The arrival of European traders in West Africa
I can explain the impact of the Europeans arriving in West Africa on West African kingdoms.
The arrival of European traders in West Africa
I can explain the impact of the Europeans arriving in West Africa on West African kingdoms.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Gold and the wealth of West African kingdoms brought the Europeans to West Africa.
- Power in West Africa became concentrated in smaller kingdoms who were able to trade with Europeans.
- The growth of Portuguese trade in the Sahel led to collapse of some African kingdoms, but also to the growth of others.
- Europeans soon started selling enslaved people in the Americas to make more profit.
Common misconception
No one challenged the Portuguese when they began buying enslaved people to take to the Americas.
Many rulers and local people in West Africa were opposed to the trading of enslaved people from the very beginning.
Keywords
Enslaved people - enslaved people are people who have been forced to work without pay, lose their freedom and become the property of another person
Indentured labour - indentured labour is a system where someone is made to work without pay for a set period of time
Chattel slavery - chattel slavery is when people become legal property and cannot be freed without the permission of their slaveholder
Slaveholder - a slaveholder is someone who owned enslaved people
Content guidance
- Contains depictions of discriminatory behaviour.
- Contains subject matter which individuals may find upsetting.
Supervision
Adult supervision suggested.
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
Exit quiz
6 Questions
people forced to work without pay, or freedom
when someone is made to work without pay for a set time
when a people is made the legal property of another person
someone who owned enslaved people