Slavery and Slave Trade in West Africa, 1450-1930

Overview

• Author: Patrick Manning
• Period Covered: 1450-1930
• Focus: Development and expansion of slavery and the slave trade in West Africa and its impact on African societies.

Early Development of Slavery (1450-1650)

• West African Society (1450):

  • Populations interconnected through trade, migration, and religious ties.
  • Slavery existed but was on a smaller scale compared to other regions like the Mediterranean.
  • Slavery dependent on resources and incentives for captors.

• Growth of Slavery:

  • Initial expansion along the Sahara fringe; Mali and Borno kingdoms involved in capturing and exporting slaves.
  • European Influence:
    • Europeans began purchasing and seizing captives on the West African coast.
    • By 1650, slave exports had grown substantially due to trans-Atlantic encounters.

Expansion of Slave Trade (1650-1800)

• Regions Impacted:

  • Senegambia, Bight of Benin, and Gold Coast felt early impacts of expanding slave trade.
  • Dutch, English, and French merchants played major roles.

• Economic and Social Changes:

  • Local economies, political structures, and societies were transformed by slave trade.
  • Warfare increased, leading to population declines and social upheaval.

• Key Developments:

  • Establishment of strong states like Asante and Dahomey as responses to expanded slave trade.
  • Slave trade dominated the Atlantic economy.

Transition and Resistance (1800-1900)

• Challenges to Slavery:

  • Global anti-slavery movements gained momentum.
  • Slave trade gradually curtailed, but local slavery within Africa expanded.

• Political Changes:

  • Sokoto Caliphate expanded, becoming a major force in regional slave dynamics.
  • Colonial influences began altering local practices.

• International Influence:

  • British and American anti-slavery measures reduced slave imports.
  • New settlements of freed slaves formed (e.g., Freetown in Sierra Leone).

Colonial Era and Slavery (Post-1900)

• European Colonization:

  • Focus on halting slave trade, but slow to emancipate existing slaves.
  • Colonial powers justified slavery as part of African traditions.

• Social and Economic Impact:

  • Slavery without new slave raids led to slight improvements in slave treatment.
  • Some regional legal reforms began to phase out slavery gradually.

Conclusion

• Legacy of Slavery:
  • Slavery left a lasting impact on West African societies, visible in social hierarchies and economic structures inherited from both slavery and colonialism.

Study Questions

1. Explain the role of Africans in the Atlantic slave trade.
2. Discuss why the African slave trade is referred to as part of a "triangular trade."
3. Identify the main areas where African slaves were captured and the kind of labor they performed.
4. Analyze the demographic impact of the slave trade on Africa.
5. Examine how colonial rule affected the trade and use of slaves within Africa.

Suggested Readings

• Boubacar Barry, Senegambia and the Atlantic Slave Trade
• David Eltis, Economic Growth and the Ending of the Transatlantic Slave Trade
• Robin Law, The Slave Coast of West Africa 1550-1750
• Paul E. Lovejoy, Transformations in Slavery: A History of Slavery in Africa
• Patrick Manning, Slavery and African Life
• Suzanne Miers and Richard Roberts, eds., The End of Slavery in Africa