The impact of the Transatlantic Slave Trade on West African society
I can explain how the Transatlantic Slave Trade impacted West African rulers and local people.
The impact of the Transatlantic Slave Trade on West African society
I can explain how the Transatlantic Slave Trade impacted West African rulers and local people.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- West African kingdoms were rich in culture and wealth due to trade across the Sahel.
- African Kingdoms traded in people who were enslaved due to war.
- The arrival of Europeans meant an increase in wars in West Africa leading to more people being enslaved.
- Many West African kingdoms became reliant on trade with the Europeans which destabilised the African kingdoms.
- The Transatlantic trade exacerbated the trade in weapons and people leading to collapse of many kingdoms.
Keywords
Prisoners of war - prisoners of war are people captured by the opposing side during a war
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 slave holder
Enslaved people - enslaved people are people who have been forced to work without pay, lose their freedom and become the property of another person
Society - a society is a large group of people who live within the same area and usually share similar cultures and beliefs
Common misconception
All kingdoms in West Africa saw the same changes as a result of the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
Some kingdoms were weaker as a result of wars between kingdoms, others were weakened because of alliances and others continued to thrive.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
- Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
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).
Lesson video
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