- The age of exploration, marked by European voyages to discover new trade routes and territories, initially led to encounters between European explorers and African coastal communities.
2. Demand for Labor:
- As European powers established colonies in the Americas, they faced a shortage of labor to work on plantations.
3. Atlantic Trade Network:
- European maritime technology, such as the compass, astrolabe, and shipbuilding techniques, allowed for efficient transatlantic voyages, connecting Europe, Africa, and the Americas.
4. Triangular Trade:
- The transatlantic slave trade became part of a triangular trade network. Europeans traded manufactured goods to African merchants for slaves, who were then transported across the Atlantic and sold in the Americas for labor.
5. African Middlemen:
- While Europeans were involved in the slave trade, they often relied on African middlemen, such as the Asante, Dahomey, and other kingdoms, who facilitated the capture and sale of slaves.
6. Economic Incentive:
- The trade of slaves became a lucrative business, generating wealth for European merchants, slave traders, and plantation owners.
7. Lack of Unity:
- The disunity among African kingdoms and ethnic groups made it difficult to resist the slave trade effectively. Internal conflicts and political rivalries weakened the continent's ability to collectively oppose European influence.
8. European Military Superiority:
- European powers had superior military technology, including firearms and naval vessels, which gave them an advantage in controlling the coast and suppressing resistance.
9. Cultural Factors:
- Some African societies viewed slavery as an existing practice, and it was not initially seen as fundamentally contradictory to their cultural norms.
10. Dehumanization:
- Racism and prejudice played a significant role in justifying the slave trade. European traders often dehumanized African people to rationalize their treatment as mere commodities.
In conclusion, the age of exploration set the stage for European involvement in the African slave trade. It facilitated maritime connections between Europe, Africa, and the Americas, creating an economic incentive for the exchange of slaves as labor in exchange for manufactured goods. The lack of unity among African kingdoms and European military superiority enabled the growth and continuation of this tragic chapter in human history.