The Ancient Times
Emma F. Lauren F. Jeannette K. Carly S.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
The Impact of the Line of Demarcation
TECHNOLOGY
The Benefits of Magnetic Compasses
BUSINESS
The Slave Trade
Slave trade became a prominent business in Europe in the 1500s and 1600s. They saw slaves as the most valuable item from African trade. Not only did Europe see them as a good trade but the Arab Empire, as well. Europeans used slaves on plantations, and the richest families bought them houses. They got the slaves through the African rulers and traders, rather than raiding the country. The rulers would bring the slaves to the coast from the interior of the country for them. In exchange for the slaves, the European traders gave the African rulers textiles, weapons, and gunpowder, and over the next 300 years the business would flourish into something greater. Every year, slaves upon slaves were shipped to the American planation. Some of the African leaders got mad at the trading going on and tried to stop it. One of the most well known of these leaders was Afonso I, the ruler of Kongo. In efforts to make Kongo Christian, he need to keep contact with Portugal, but wanted to end the slave trade. Still, today, there is some slavery still occurring in some parts of the world along with those trying to rid of it for good.
BREAKING NEWS
Interview with Niko Attah
Interviewer: Hello, I am here with Niko Attah, who has lived here in Angola, a coastal city in
Western Africa, her entire life. I am here today to find out just how much European colonization has affected her. Hello Niko, that you for being here.
Niko: Thank you for having me.
Interviewer: Now Niko, especially since you live on a costal city, has the recent migration of
Europeans and new European business affected you in any negative ways?
Niko: Of course! Many Europeans don't even think of us as a people! Sure their trading with us helps us a bit, but I would say that overall, they have done way more bad than good! These Europeans have only been thinking about themselves since they entered my beautiful country, and in my opinion, they ruined it.
Interviewer: I understand that you are very upset about the topic, and with good reason. But you did say that the trade has helped your country some, let's focus on the positive shall we?
Niko: Yes of course. Well, when they weren't trading people, they brought over weapons, tools, and cloth to our country. While the cloth and tools help us, I think that the weapons are a waste of trade. If it weren't for these Europeans invading our lands and stealing our people, we wouldn't need weapons at all.
Interviewer: I see. Now you keep brining up this slave trade between the Europeans and Africa, have you been personally affected by the kidnappings and raids?
Niko: Well nobody has tried to sell me... yet! But that doesn't mean that they won't try. Especially because I live in a costal city, many of my friends have been kidnapped and sent to another country. Not that people from inner Africa aren't being affected. I hear that they are even taking people from Bornu and Darfur now! Nobody is safe in Africa. Imagine, real people being stolen from their homes and families being traded for cloth; as if they are nothing but cattle. And as if being stolen wasn't bad enough, they are forced to work under terrible conditions while their “masters”, as they call themselves, do nothing but use up all of their money on foolish things.
Interviewer: Yes, this slave trade truly is a horrendous thing that your people have had to deal with. Well, it appears that we are out of time. Thank you so much for meeting with me today and sharing your views.
Niko: Thank you for having me.
OBITUARIES
Ferdinand Magellan and His Biggest Accomplishment
Twitter: @magelly_1519
The Adventure of Christopher Columbus
Location: https://maps.google.com/maps/place?q=Genoa,+Italy&ftid=0x12d34152dcd49aad:0x236a84f11881620a
Twitter: @columbus1492
Vasco da Gama
Twitter: @vasco_dagama