The Impact of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade on Economies: The Negative Impact on West Africa Flashcards
1
Q
- In general, did slavery affect the economic growth and development of West Africa? If so, how (was it good or bad)?
A
Yes - Slavery had a disastrous (bad) effect on the economic growth and development of West Africa.
2
Q
- How did slavery affect how Africans were seen in the rest of the world?
A
The rest of the world began to see Africans as inferior and caused racism towards them.
3
Q
- Name 6 negative ways that the slave trade affected West Africa.
Taken away, Suffering, Disruptions, Skills, Kings, Young
Key words:
A
The 6 ways that Slavery Affected West Africa:
- A large number (12 million slaves) were taken away from their families and communities as slaves.
- Slavery and the slave trade caused significant human suffering.
- Societies were** disrupted** and there was social instability. It had a negative impact on economic development in West Africa.
- Skills that were passed down from generation to generation were not passed down when the person who taught the skills was sold into slavery. This slowed economic growth.
- **African Kings and royal families **became very rich by capturing and selling slaves as they **received taxes **for selling them. They also fought wars by starting wars with other kings to get slaves to sell. This caused the rich to become richer while the poor became poorer.
- Big sections of the African continent lost a lot of their youngest and strongest people. Therefore there weren’t enough healthy and able people to do the farming.
4
Q
- European colonists took over African societies. How did the Europeans affect the African’s agricultural/farming practices negatively?
A
They forced them to grow crops such as coffee that could be sold in Britain rather than foods that they normally would grow to survive.
5
Q
- Did Africa become reliant on trade with Europe?
* Who in Africa benefitted from this trade?
* What happened when the slave trade ended (how did it affect African economies)?
A
- Yes, Africa became very reliant on trade with Europe.
- A few powerful people who ruled benefitted but not the majority of Africans.
- When the slave trade ended, some economies in Africa found it hard to buy the goods they needed and relied on from Europe.
6
Q
- Why did Africa become poorer and poorer after the slave trade ended? What had happened to the traditional ways of growing crops and trading in Africa?
A
- The traditional ways of growing crops and trading had been destroyed.
- This caused the continent to become poorer and poorer.