2ND SEMISTER

Unit 6
AFRICA AND THE OUTSIDE WORLD 15001880S Portugal's
6.1 Contact with the Outside World.
Early Exploration: Portugal was the first European country to establish early
contacts with the coastal regions of West Africa.
Objectives of Portuguese Exploration**:
1. Immediate Goal: To bypass Muslim-controlled North Africa and gain direct
access to West Africa's gold-producing regions.
2. Distant Objective: To reach India through exploration along the West African
coast.

3. Economic Motivation: Access to West African gold became a major source of

national wealth for Portugal, funding further exploration and discoveries.

4. Role of Henry the Navigator: The Portuguese prince sponsored exploration of

Africa, driven by:
A. Spreading Christianity: Establishing Africa as a Christian stronghold
against the Ottoman Empire.
B. Creating commercial links with Africa.
5. Strategic and Economic Benefits:
- Conquest of African territories allowed Portugal to use African gold to
finance travel along new trade routes.
- Safe passage through Africa could open direct trade routes to the Indian
Ocean.

1. Ceuta Conquest (1415): Portuguese expansion began with the conquest of Ceuta in
North Africa (modern-day Morocco) under King João I. They occupied Ceuta from 1415
to 1769, facing constant resistance.

2. Exploration Along the Atlantic Coast: By 1432, the Portuguese reached Cape
Bajador, and in 1441, Nuno Trisatao explored Cape Blanc, advancing further south
along the Atlantic coast.

3. Senegambia (1460): The Portuguese arrived in Sierra Leone in 1460 and engaged in
trade, including the export of enslaved people. Senegambia became a significant
source of enslaved Africans, accounting for about a third of exports in the 16th
century.
4. Gold Coast (1482): The Portuguese established their first permanent trading
post, the Castle of Elmina, in present-day Ghana in 1482. This fortress protected
their trade in gold, salt, and enslaved people from European competitors and
hostile Africans.
5. Cultural Exchange: European contact introduced American crops like maize and
cassava to West and Central Africa, contributing to population growth in the 16th
and 17th centuries.

6. European Competition: By the 17th and 18th centuries, other European powers
(Dutch, English, French) competed for trade dominance. The Dutch captured Elmina in
1642, leading to the Portuguese exit from the Gold Coast.
1. Historical Context of Slavery: Slavery existed long before the 15th century in
Africa, Europe, and Asia, with enslaved people often used as domestic servants,
agricultural laborers, or symbols of wealth.
2. Pre-Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade:
- Enslaved Africans were traded across the Sahara to North Africa and Southwest
Asia.
- Captives from Nubia were transported to Egypt in ancient times, and others
were sent to the Persian Gulf and Indian states.
- These numbers were small compared to the later Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade.
3. Slavery in Ancient Civilisations**:
- Slaves were a distinct social group in ancient Europe, Asia, and Africa, with
their lives controlled by others.
- Slavery was common in roles such as servants, serfs, apprentices, and
laborers.

4. Slave Labour in African Kingdoms:

- Early kingdoms like Mali, Songhai, and Benin used slave labor in agriculture.
- Slaves were considered private property and symbolized wealth and prosperity.

5. Expansion of Slave Markets:

- The growth of slave markets before the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade was driven
by both local politics and economics.
- Enslaved Africans were traded across the Sahara and transported to the
Mediterranean and Asia Minor via land and sea routes.
1. Origins of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade:
- The discovery of America in 1492 created a demand for labor on plantations and
mines, leading to the Atlantic slave trade.
- Native Americans were initially enslaved but died due to European diseases and
harsh treatment.
- Europeans then tried using white slaves from Europe, but they were unsuited to
the tropical climate.
2. Shift to African Slaves:
- From the 15th to the 19th century, Europeans began transporting enslaved
Africans from West Africa to meet labor demands in the Americas.
3. Triangular Trade:
- The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade connected three continents: Africa, America,
and Europe.
- Africa: Supplied enslaved people.
- America: Enslaved Africans worked on plantations producing sugarcane, tobacco,
coffee, and other raw materials.
- Europe: Raw materials were manufactured into finished goods, which were traded
for more enslaved Africans.
4. Trade Cycle:
- European goods (e.g., cotton, firearms, metalware) were traded in Africa for
enslaved people.
- Enslaved Africans were transported to the Americas and sold to plantation
owners.
- Plantation products (e.g., sugar, tobacco) were shipped to Europe and sold at
high profits.
5. Impact:
- The trade enriched Europe through the exploitation of African labor and
American resources.
- Enslaved Africans endured brutal conditions during transportation and on
plantations.
1. Circumstances Leading to the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade in West Africa:
- Fragmentation of Indigenous States: The decline of large empires like Ghana,
Mali, and Songhai created political instability.
- Growing Demand for Slaves: West Africa became a key source of enslaved people
for European traders.
- Coastal Conflicts and Cooperation: Small coastal states engaged in conflicts
and collaborated with European traders, exchanging slaves for weapons.
2. Phases of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade:
- Piratic Slave Trade (15th Century–1580s): Conducted by individual merchants,
adventurers, and sea robbers.
- Monopolistic Slave Trade (1580s–1690s): Dominated by government-supported
monopolistic companies, with armed forces ensuring control. This phase expanded the
trade and increased profits.
 - Free Trade (1690s Onward): Individual traders entered the market, leading to
fierce competition with former monopolistic companies.
3. Impact of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade on Africa:
- Economic Impact:
- Undermined African craft technology and agriculture.
- Diverted labor from local industries to slave trade, depleting the
workforce.
- Enriched Western Europe, contributing to its industrialization.
- Political Impact:
- Created political instability, violence, and constant wars.
- Hindered political development and destroyed African states.
- Social Impact:
- Eroded African morality and dignity.
- Caused immense human suffering, with enslaved people treated as property.
- Depopulated Africa of its young, productive population.
- Disrupted families and communities, with over 12 million Africans forcibly
enslaved and deported.
4. Human Cost: The trade inflicted tragic consequences on individuals, families,
and African societies, leaving a legacy of suffering and underdevelopment.
6.3 The “Legitimate” Trade:
1. Transition from Slave Trade to Legitimate Trade:
- The slave trade dominated West Africa for centuries, disrupting local
development.
- As Europeans abolished the slave trade, they shifted to "legitimate commerce,"
trading African raw materials (e.g., palm oil, rubber, cotton) for European goods.
2. Commodities and Demand:
- West African exports like palm produce, gum Arabic, groundnuts, and cocoa
replaced enslaved people as key commodities.
- These products were in high demand in Europe due to the Industrial Revolution.
3. Impact of Legitimate Trade:
- Economic Exploitation: African natural resources were intensively exploited.
- Colonialism: The trade paved the way for European colonization of Africa.
- Unequal Trading System: The spread of Christianity and European influence led
to unequal trade relations.
- Limited Development: African states did not gain economic strength or
independence from this trade.
6.4 The White Settlement in South Africa:
1. Dutch Settlement (1652):
- The Dutch established a settlement in South Africa to regulate trade with the
Khoisan.
- Boers (Dutch farmers) were given land and enslaved West Africans, leading to
conflicts with the Khoisan.
2. Khoi-Dutch Wars:
- First War (1659): The Khoisan united and temporarily drove the Boers back.
- Second War (1673-77): The Dutch prevailed, forcing the Khoisan to retreat and
collaborate with the Boers as laborers.
3. Cultural and Economic Impact on the Khoisan:
- The Khoisan lost their land, political rights, and cultural identity, adopting
Dutch language and culture.
- Many Khoisan children became a source of labor for the Boers.

4. Xhosa-Boer Conflicts:
- The Xhosa, with a strong social organization, resisted Boer expansion into
Zuurveld.
- Nine frontier wars occurred between 1779 and the 19th century, with the Xhosa
holding onto much of their land until the early 1800s.
5. British Occupation (1795):
- The British seized the Cape Colony from the Dutch for strategic reasons.
- They pushed the Xhosa further east and abolished slavery, angering the Boers.
6. The Great Trek (1830s-1840s):
- Boers migrated northward in response to British policies favoring native
Africans and abolishing slavery.
- This movement was driven by opposition to equality between blacks and whites
and the desire to maintain slave labor.
Key Themes:
- Economic Exploitation: Both legitimate trade and white settlement exploited
African resources and labor.
- Colonialism and Resistance: European expansion led to conflicts with indigenous
groups like the Khoisan and Xhosa.
- Cultural Displacement: Indigenous populations lost land, rights, and cultural
identity under European rule.
- Legacy of Inequality: European policies and trade systems entrenched racial and
economic inequalities in Africa.
6.5 European Explorers and Missionaries:
1. European Ignorance of Africa:
- Despite centuries of coastal trade, Europeans lacked knowledge of Africa’s
interior, peoples, and history.
- The abolition of the slave trade revived European interest in Africa, leading
to exploration between the 1780s and 1870s.
2. Motives of European Explorers:
- Scientific Inquiry: Early explorers were often portrayed as motivated by
scientific curiosity.
- Adventure and Fame: Many were driven by a sense of adventure or the desire for
fame.
- Economic Interests: Those funding the expeditions sought future trading
profits.
- Colonial Expansion: Explorers acted as agents of colonial expansion, mapping
Africa for European powers.
3. Early Catholic Missionaries:
- Portuguese Catholic missionaries followed early coastal explorations in the
late 15th and early 16th centuries.
- Their goal was to convert African rulers to gain political allies, but they
faced resistance when rulers realized their political motives.
- Missionaries were often expelled or killed for challenging traditional
political and religious systems.

4. Limited Success of Portuguese Missionaries:

- Benin: Failed to convert the Oba (ruler) and abandoned efforts in the early
16th century.
- Kongo: Achieved some success, with a Christian convert becoming king in 1506.
- Ethiopia: Jesuit missionaries followed Portuguese military assistance but
failed to convert Ethiopian Orthodox Christians and were expelled for political
interference.
5. 19th-Century Protestant Missionaries:
- European Christian societies sent missionaries to Africa in the 19th century.
- Key organizations included:
- Anglican Church Missionary Society: Active in Sierra Leone.
- Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society: Worked along the West African coast.
- London Missionary Society: Initially focused on South Africa.
- Protestant missions also came from France, Germany, Holland, and the United
States, with French Catholic missions arriving later.

6. Impact of Missionaries:
- European Christianity had little impact on Sub-Saharan Africa before the 19th
century.
- Missionaries in the 19th century established schools and bases, contributing
to cultural and religious changes.
Key Themes:
- Exploration as Colonial Expansion: European explorers mapped Africa, paving the
way for colonial rule.
- Missionaries as Agents of Change: While early Catholic missions largely failed,
19th-century Protestant missionaries played a significant role in cultural and
religious transformation.
- Resistance to Foreign Influence: African rulers resisted missionaries when they
threatened traditional authority and political systems.