Atlantic Slave Trade

When most people talk about or think about slavery, they look at how it effected the US. The Atlantic Slave Trade had a huge effect on the US but there are no words or expressions that can describe the effects it had on Africa and its family’s. It is estimated that between 1450 and 1900, there were 11,698,000 slaves exported from Africa. (Atlantic Slave trade, pg.170) To understand the effects this had on Africa you must consider the families that lost relatives, the stores that lost business, and even the friends that lost friendships. None of the misfortunes can be brought back or replaced. The many lives that were taken can never be brought back to life. This not only effected the African culture when it happened but also it effects today’s societies in Africa. The overall net effect of the Atlantic Slave Trade on Africa could never be estimated unless you are inside one of the relatives of a slave. These slaves died for no other apparent reason than the color of their skin.

The effects that the slave trade had on Africa were not all negative. Depending on what point of view your looking from, there were also some positives of the Atlantic Slave Trade. In William Bossman’s account, he states that as soon as the king arrives he will be “satisfied with an amount of one-hundred pounds in Guinea value.” (Atlantic Slave Trade, pg.181) So the kings and most of all the slave traders benefited from the slave trade. One benefit from the Slave Trade would definitely be spiritually. The great misfortunes had to strengthen the inner souls of the people and relatives that were left behind. A lot of these people had nothing left but themselves so they had no choice but to deal with it and get stronger mentally and spiritually. One other benefit from the Slave trade would be that the African Culture was spread to totally different continents. All of these slaves were taken to different places and they went on with their business while all these other people that either owned these slaves or watched over them got to see life from the African’s side of the fence. They got to see different rituals and habits that they have never gotten to see before.

In my opinion the drawbacks of the Slave Trade greatly outweighed the benefits for the African people. The families of these slaves still feel the drawbacks even today. When these people look back at a family tree, all this does is bring back memories of the torture that their relative or relatives endured. The continent itself took a huge hit on its population. Many of these slaves could have played a big role in Africa’s future. Many could have gone on to be nation leaders or even business owners.

In 1502, the first African slaves were reported in the New World. (Amistad.mysticseaport.com) This was the start of a great mistrocity to many families in Africa. The overall effect could never be estimated because we are not in the bodies of those people who lost loved ones. We can not feel the pain that they feel, therefore we can’t say what the net effect is or was.

Amistad.mysticseaport.com (timeline)

Bosman, William, “Slave trading at Whydah on the Bight of Benin, ca 1700”

Lovejoy, Paul E, “The volume of the Atlantic Slave Trade: A consensus,” Journal of African History 22 1982

Bibliography

(Atlantic Slave trade, pg.170)

(Atlantic Slave Trade, pg.181)

Amistad.mysticseaport.com (timeline)

Bosman, William, “Slave trading at Whydah on the Bight of Benin, ca 1700”

Lovejoy, Paul E, “The volume of the Atlantic Slave Trade: A consensus,” Journal of African History 22 1982

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