The Rise of Capitalism and Slavery

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The Rise of Capitalism and Slavery

• Reading Spodek pps. 397-400 (reread), 458-461,
  617-620

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Maps of Africa
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Africa

• Much of Africa was very wealthy and prosperous
  before Europeans
• Africans early learned Metalworking and the
  crafting of gold.
• Architecture of Africa was very impressive in
  some spots

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Time Line of Africa

• 6020 BCE Africans living in what is now the Congo
  used marks on bones to develop numeration system.
• 300 BCE Africans in Kenya develop a complex
  calendar system based on astronomical reckoning.
• 1290 CE. The Dogon of the Mali Kingdom plot the
  orbits of various universes and star systems
  including Sirius B.

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Major Kingdoms in West Africa

• Old Kingdom of Ghana
• Mali
• According to tradition founded by Sundiata
• Reached height under Mansa Musa (ca. 1312-1327)
• Lord of the blacks of Guinea
• Maybe wealthiest man in world
• Established centers of learning
• Traveller Ibn Battuta impressed by stability and
  court
• Possibility of Atlantic voyages

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Songhay Empire

• Gradually Succeeded Mali
• Never controlled as much trade as Mali
• Muhammad Touray Askia used Islam to gain power
  in late 15th century Songhay becomes Muslim
  state
• Prior to Askias rise, most of West Africa
  polytheisticbelieved there were divine spirits
  in everything could be mediated with rituals
  and sacrifices
• Expanded cultivation and canals
• Contributed to terraced rice cultivation

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Empire of Benin

• 1486 Portuguese visit obas (rulers of Empire of
  Benin)
• Obas believed to be channel through which spirits
  worked in world
• Controlled trade and production
• Portuguese Negotiated with Ozolua the Conqueror,
  who ruled from 1480-1504

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Portuguese Relations with Benin

• Benin believed obas descended from Olokun, god of
  the sea
• Gave Portuguese a special status because they
  came from the Atlantic
• Ozolua wanted to trade for guns and manillas
  (brass bracelets)
• Portuguese reluctant to trade guns unless
  population converted to Christianity
• Imported bracelets from Germany and Flanders to
  trade with Ozolua
• When missionaries converted Ozoluas heir, the
  guns arrived and the Portuguese helped Benin
  fight against neighboring Oyo
• Temporarily powerful enough to restrict slave
  trade, but eventually forced to reopen it to
  compete with rivals, who also began to trade for
  guns

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Slavery in West Africa

• West Africans used slaves before the Portuguese
• Number of slaves wealth and status
• Slaves taken as prisoners of war
• People gave others slaves to pay off debts
• Those caught committing crimes given to crime
  victims
• Worked in hardest labor as field hands
• Slaves added to lineage
• Most lost slave status after a number of years or
  because bought freedom not a permanent status

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Portuguese as Slave Traders

• 1400s African Kings allowed Portuguese to set up
  trading postsfactoriesalong the coast
• Before 1450 slaves so available, Portuguese
  began sending small numbers of slaves to Portugal
• 1460 sending 500 slaves a year to Portugal
• 1472 Portuguese discovered then converted Sao
  Tomé into sugar plantations
• 1500 sending 1000 slaves a year to Portugal,
  others to work on sugar plantations in Azores and
  Spanish territories
• 1501 Began sending slaves to Americas totally
  changed nature of slavery becomes almost
  permanent condition

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Central African Kingdoms

• Kongo, Ndongo, Luba and Lunda

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King Afonso and Kingdom of Kongo

• Manikongo ruled kingdom as semi-divine spokesman
  of the gods
• Nkuwu/Nzinga was baptised King João I
• Constructed Church with Portuguese workers and
  architects
• Urged Conversions to Christianity
• Invited Portuguese assistance to build up army
• Much exchange with Portugal
• Had reverted to African beliefs at death in 1509

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King Afonso I

• C. 1509, In struggle for power, Nzinga Mbemba
  converted and became King Afonso I supposedly
  defeated rival when massive number of soldiers
  had a vision of Santiago (Saint James)
• Began using Portuguese language in court
• Used Portuguese mercenaries in expansion of
  empire
• Wealthy Kongolese went to Portugal for education
• One Kongolese became an Archbishop
• Controlled slave trade and owned thousands of
  slaves himself
• But trade in slaves overwhelmed him, as much of
  kingdom devoted all energies to capturing slaves
  to supply Portuguese eventually led to civil
  wars and decline but not until end of 17th
  century

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Queen Nzinga

• Ndongo was ruled by Queen Nzinga from 1623-1663
• Sometime in 1640s, announced she would become a
  man
• Wanted her subjects to call her king
• Had multiple husbands she required to dress as
  women and live as concubines
• At first converted to Christianity to get
  Portuguese help, then renounced both the faith
  and the Portuguese, then returned to both
• An effective military leader who consolidated
  power
• Ruthless and calculating, probably used
  Portuguese more than they used her
• Succeeded by sister Barbara
• Women continued to rule Ndongo for 75 of 100
  years after Nzingas death

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Mutapa Empire East Africa

• Mutapa Empire controlled gold fields of Great
  Zimbabwe
• Mwene Mutapa facing external and internal
  threats, calls on the Portuguese
• Offered them rights to trade, mines, the right to
  build churches
• By 1607, the Portuguese controlled all the gold,
  copper, and iron of the empire as well as all
  trade
• With Portuguese encouragement, Muslims persecuted

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Most slaves in the Americas were men. Why?

• Theory 1 Europeans only think men good for
  labor.
• Theory 2 Africans want to keep women for
  labor Coastal Chiefs in West Africa begin to
  trade slaves for guns.

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Triangle Trade and Rise of Capitalism

• Portuguese central to slave trade before Spanish
• With Portuguese weakness, Spain monopolizes slave
  tradethe Asiento
• 1714 End of War of Spanish Succession, England
  wins Asiento
• Question How important is slave trade to rise of
  European countries, especially England?

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Impact of Slavery

• Impact in West Africa
• More men than womenpolygamy
• Interior chiefs decline in power
• Coastal Chiefs thrive, often with Portuguese help
• Portuguese provide guns
• Portuguese train soldiers
• Active trade with Portugal
• Influence of Christianity extensive
• Economies begin long decline

• Impact in East Africa
• Chinese wanted slaves for prostitution
• Most slaves were women
• Portuguese wreck, destroy, kill enemies/rivals
• Invited into Mutapa Empire and get control of
  gold and slaves
• Much political instability, economic disorder