HUMA 215 Trends in African Slave Trade Activity Paper

Context:

The African slave trade transported some 10–12.5 million enslaved Africans to the Americas, Caribbean, and European countries between the 16th and 19th centuries. As demand for human physical labor on plantations, farms, and manors increased, enslaved populations were traded for arms, textiles, spices, wine, and other commodities. As part of the transatlantic triangle trade, slave trade activities prospered on a transcontinental scale. This brought great wealth to some regions while stripping it from another, causing socio-economic devastation, violence, and death in the process. The social and political systems in power during this time made this series of events possible on a scale never before observed in human history. This is one of the primary reasons why the slave trade and its long-term effects are often considered hallmarks of the colonial period. The importation of slaves into the United States was not banned until 1808 with the passage of a bill in Congress. Though the colonial period has ended, the long-term effects of colonialism are still very much present today around the world. The slave trade lasted the longest and impacted the largest number of Africans in Western and West Central Africa (Brown & Knapp, n.d.).

Instructions:

Find and read at least 1 credible source from the AIU Library or the Internet on this topic. View this video to learn about how to select credible sources of information. You can use the following references provided or find new ones:

Origins of African Slaves: Slave Trade Routes

1. Lasting Effects of Slavery on Africa

African Countries and Independence Dates

African-American Heritage and Ethnography

• Slave Voyages

Then, using this template, write an essay that addresses each of the following points:

• Review the table or data chart provided in the template document, and describe at least 2 trends in activity that you noticed relating to the slave trade in Africa.

Select a country from which populations in Africa were enslaved, and provide some background information on that country. Be sure you identify the former colonial ruling country, your selected country’s date of independence from the colonial ruling country, and the length of time the slave trade operated there.

• For your chosen country, discuss how the slave trade affected the African culture’s organization (family unit or community level) and describe how those effects are still felt today in your chosen country. Support your discussion with at least 2 relevant examples.

Based on the information you gathered on your chosen country, describe at least 2 recommendations to help improve the conditions in the country that are specific to the issues identified above and are realistic (politically, economically, and operationally).