Essay Sample about The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade

The American school system has failed to teach our youth about Africa. Many Americans today have wildly incorrect ideas of Africa that have not been challenged by our education system. These misconceptions include; “Africa is just one large country; Africa is all jungle; Africans share a single culture, language, and religion; Africans live in ‘grass huts’; Africans mainly hunt animals for their subsistence; and Africa has no significant history” (Keim, 2014). These thoughts, especially ones centered around Africa needing our help, are incredibly harmful to modern Africans. Looking into the history of the Asante and the trans-atlantic slave trade does not clearly disprove the stereotypes that modern Americans have about Africa, but these histories show where the misconceptions originated. We can improve our view of Africa and Africans by acknowledging the myths we hold about the continent and by learning about the history that created these myths.

Understanding the history of Africa is the first step to breaking down our stereotypes of the continent. Many people are unaware of the fact that slavery was practiced in Africa before the arrival of the Europeans. Although not nearly at the level of the trans-atlantic slave trade, “the effects of slavery are everywhere and can be found in almost all societies in Ghana… At the local level communities in the north, either through warfare or market purchase, bought and incorporated slave into families especially as a response to the loss of large groups from disease or infertitility. Others, for purely economic reasons acquired slaves for purposes of agricultural production and trade” (Ntewusu, 2017). Slaves were often soldiers who had been captured by the opposing side, and were not native to the regions they were taken to. In some instances, enslaved women could even rise in social ranks to become the wife of a chief. The practice of slavery was neccessary to the development of almost all communities around the world and Africa is certainly no exception.

The abuse of Africa started with the Euorpean’s exploitation of its labor force. European powers haphazardly dividing the continent and indiscriminately buying its population prevented Africa from progressing technologically. “In every instance, the comparison reveals those debilitation effects upon African society which were peculiar to the African slave trade… unevenness can be discerned in West Africa’s reactions to the blows of the trade, and this was largely predetermined by differing levels of development of the polities concerned” (Rodney, 1969). By selling so many young men, even though they were from enemy kingdoms, Africa was depleted of most of its working force, and without significant compensation, started to lag behind other, more advanced countries. What was exchanged for slaves falls mainly into two categories: luxury goods and weapons. The luxury goods that Africa imported included tobacco, alcohol, and intricate fabrics. These were passed down the political hierarchy and given as gifts to regional and local leaders. Although these gifts were pleasurable, they could not significantly improve the economy of African nations like how the slaves were improving the economy of the British and other European powers. The other category of imports was weapons. “One of the most crucial commodities imported was the firearm, for it was not simply a consumer good but also a technique. New techniques were not usually bestowed by Europe upon Africa during the mercantilist epoch. African leaders such as Affonso of the Ashante appealed in vain for European aid in technical development” (Rodney, 1969). Weapons were given to Africans to promote warfare, which would increase the number of captured slaves. Weapons cannot improve the development of a nation, they can only cause bloodshed. Even though leaders asked for different forms of compensation, Europe’s only incentive was to gain more slaves. 

This history is significant in many ways. One way is to get a better understanding of Africa during the trans-atlantic slave trade and before colonialsm. Because the Africa many know today has been impacted so much by colonialism, it is important to learn about what the continent was like previously. Although not the best relationship, Africa was not purely dominated by European powers, but first had complex trade agreements. Some regions, especially the Gold Coast, found other resources than human beings to trade with. Much of pre-colonial African history has been erased, and that makes it so much more important for us to learn about it. There are still many descendants of the enslavers and the enslaved that deserve to tell their story.

Another reason to learn about this part of African history is to give agency back to Africans. Africa has been a continent where events have happened to it (slave trade, colonialism, disease) instead of a region that creats events. Even if the history is negative, it is important to let Africans tell their ancestor’s stories. Denying the history of Africans enslaving each other takes away their agency and power. It denies that they have a history of creating militaries and waging wars, on each other and on the Europeans. Just as the Europeans enslaved people and started wars, so were the Africans.

A final reason why it is important to teach this history, is the same reason why it is important to teach any African history. The more stories we learn about different parts of Africa and the more differences we see within the continent helps to abolish the stereotype that Africa is a monolith. Too often is Africa grouped together as one identity or even one country. Africa is as diverse as any other continent and ignoring this history is feeding into the false ideas of it.

As opposed to studying other regions and periods of Africa, the Asante kingdom does not seem to directly disprove any stereotypes. Instead, learning about the trans-atlantic slave trade and the Asante Kingdom can help us understand where the stereotypes we have about Africa come from. Africa is seen as helpless and in need of aid because Europeans exploited the continent and stripped it of its resources during the trans-atlantic slave trade and during colonialism. Myths about the African continent harm Africans when trying to interact or even exist in other places around the world. Often, they have to try and break these misconceptions to a peer in order to be taken seriously. Additionally, Africa is a vast and variable continent and it is impossible to describe all of its cultures in a couple of stereotypes. Breaking and overcoming our myths about Africa would start to repair the history of racism that has plagued the continent. “The point is not that an accurate and whole picture of Africa has to be totally positive. Indeed, such a claim would be a continuation of our stereotyping. What we should strive for is a view of Africa as a continent full of real people, both like us and not like us” (Keim, 2014). The line between negative and positive stereotypes is thin. However, understanding it and moving past it will help African people and African stories to be taken seriously in our modern world. Understanding the history of Africa helps us to understand why we view Africans and Africa the way that we view it today. Focusing on small instances where stereotypes seem to be proven ignores the nuances and subtleties that are apparent in every civilization. 

As inclusive and as welcoming as we try to be in today’s society, myths and stereotypes of Africa still seem to prevail. These myths harm Africans by stripping them of their agency to accurately tell their stories, histories, and cultures. Reading and understanding the history of Africa can give us a better understanding of the continent and help us to overcome our prejudices and accept African people as our equals. The history of the trans-atlantic slave trade and the goods that were given to Africans in exchange for their enslaved enemies gives us a greater understanding of the complicated and nuanced history of Africa.