Discuss the role played by African traders and political leaders in the Atlantic slave trade. What steps did Africans take to control the trade with Europeans and how successful were they? How did the slave trade differ across different regions of Africa?
What will be an ideal response?
ANSWER:
Europeans were initially interested in trade, not in colonizing and controlling Africa. It was African kings and merchants who controlled the trade, not Europeans. Africans did not barter people for cheap goods, as is often described. They demanded high-quality goods that they could not produce, or at least could not produce in large quantities. African gold, ivory, and timber remained important features of European trade. African governments controlled both the price and the quantity of slaves and could unilaterally suspend the trade when they wished. Students should realize that the trade differed widely from region to region within Africa, depending on both the African and European nations that were involved.
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