���˿���

West African slavery

Slavery had existed in West Africa long before the Europeans arrived there.

European slave traders seldom captured and enslaved African people by themselves. The terrain was too difficult and the kingdoms that ruled these parts of Africa were often too strong for a handful of white slavers to fight. Most enslaved people were sold to the Europeans by other Africans.

Ashanti (modern day Ghana) traded enslaved people in exchange for goods such as cloth, alcohol and guns. They then used their new resources to become more powerful and to fight wars against their neighbours in order to capture more people to enslave.

The Kingdom of Dahomey

The Kings of Dahomey sent raiding parties into neighbouring lands with the sole purpose of capturing and enaslaving people. These enslaved people would then be sold to the Europeans.

It has been estimated that 326,000 enslaved people were taken from the Bight of Bonny between 1780 and 1800. The area around the Bight of Benin and the Bight of Bonny became known as the Slave Coast.

Lasting effects on Africa

Some historians believe that the slave trade ruined Africa because of the constant wars and the loss of millions of strong, young people. Economic development of African societies fell behind the rest of the world. Some historians think that this is why Africa was colonised by European countries in the 19th century.

Other historians draw attention to the benefits of the slave trade for African rulers - the ruling elite of African kingdoms prospered from the slave trade. When the British abolished the slave trade in 1807, the King of Bonny wrote to the UK Parliament to complain.