Encounters Between Europe And Africa

The journeys represent the European slave trader’s way of human trade labor to be secured. The millions of people who lived along the coastline of Africa were a major slave trade supply. The Portuguese began to exploit the Africans with a slave trade from Africa to America in 1526 by the Portuguese. Although slaves were in on a high demand the slave traders were not able to keep up, because of this they had to go on a different route. Brazil was known to be the sugar producer in this era. An old saying by Marcus Rediker, “That sugar was made with blood.”

Portugal was one of the, if not the only, technological and economic geniuses of the fifteenth century. As a result of their genius, Portugal was able to build one of the first caravels and sail around the coast of Africa in an attempt to find a sea route to India. As a result of this attempt,

Africa’s Discovery of Europe, written by David Northrup and much as its name implies, is a monograph detailing Sub-Saharan Africa, starting from 1450 to 1850. This broad timespread starts just before Columbus sailed the ocean blue and ends just beyond the Industrial Revolution. Originally published in 2002, Northrup intended for readers to see Europe from a different perspective; from the lense of African people. The title, Africa’s Discovery of Europe, is interesting within itself. In many cases, majority of people believe it was Europe that opened up the world and conquered the Americas and discovered all this new land, and a sliver of that is true, so many countries surrounding Europe were already major, active players in the modernizing world already. In this case, as Europe was discovering Africa, Africa was also discovering Europe. It switches the mind of the reader from a Eurocentric role to an African one. Northrup discusses how contact was not one-sided, and depicts accurate descriptions of African interactions amongst other Africans and Europeans. Northrup shows the reader that African people were discovering Europe very actively, not passively; African people physically go to European countries and have first-hand experiences with European people and lifestyles.

The Portuguese had managed to circumnavigate Africa and were poised to establish trade with "the East Indies" (all of Asia). The Canaries, the Azores and the Madeira island groups had all been discovered within the past century. If nothing else, Columbus's scheme might turn up more islands, and in the unlikely event he was right about reaching "Farther India" in the western sea—and actually returned—it would have been a gamble worth

The controversial scholarly journal of Robert S Wolff explores the history of the first trade encounters between the Portuguese in Africa and Asia, controversy lying in its separation from the Western narrative. Throughout the article, the author is trying to figure out the motives or other considerations playing a role behind the actions of Portuguese and other Europeans, such as choosing violent ways of making a profit in the lands of Africa and Asia, rather than using the existing trade networks, to emerge as the world ruler. In his view, Europeans had claimed themselves to be the “center of the world” way before they have risen to that title. European countries were looking for profitable trade in wealthy lands full of gold, consequently lack of resources and other valuable goods became a barrier to their success in the already existing channels.This is seen in da Gamma’s first encounter with the local ruler of Calicut, where his gifts were considered substandard to that of the poorest merchant, as seen by the local advisor.

- Because Spain and Portugal were rivals, they were always trying to out beat each other. Since the Portuguese set up trading posts in Africa first, other European countries started and later on Spain set up posts too. Because the Portuguese didn’t like taking water routes, it took them longer to get to India through land to get spices and jewels. While this was happening, the Spanish people became unified and seeing that they were now stronger, planned to outstrip their rivals of the Indian

People of the early African kingdoms were able to create successful trade routes with Europe and Asia, become very wealthy from conquering and gaining land, and were able to have a strong central government. All of this was done before the Europeans had reached Africa. Trade flourished on the East African coast, especially when trading was established with India and Arabia. African kingdoms were prosperous, because of their success with not only trading but also with their ability to conquer land. A governmental structure is key to allowing any kingdom to thrive, and the African people were able to achieve this.

Gil Eannes was a Portuguese explorer who was the first European to travel past Cape Bojador and return safely. During his first trip down to Cape Bojador, he landed on a desert near the coast, only to find a few plants, which included “Saint Mary’s roses.” He then brought the plants home to show as proof of traveling the western coast of Africa. About one year later, he journeyed back to Cape Bojador and sailed past it. After passing it, they reached a bay and saw men and camels there. When sailing down, he traveled with another man, collecting seal skins to bring back to Europe to trade. This marked the first commericial load being brought back to Europe from the section of Africa. Besides seal skins being brought to Europe, Prince Henry’s crew also captured some Africans to take back to Portugal. When other sailors returned back to the same spot, they also returned with some more Africans to take back to Portugal. A few years later, at the Bay of Argium, Prince Henry built a fort and the Bay became the center of slave trade. When Prince Henry built this fort at the Bay of Argium, he started what is known today as the transatlantic slave trade. During the transatlantic slave trade, more than thirty-five thousand voyages containing slaves were taken. On these thirty-five thousand or so voyages, more than twelve million Africans were transported from Africa between the Americas, making this one of the biggest forced movement of humans in history. After establishing slave trade, Prince Hnery sent a Venetian navigator by the name of Alvise da Cadamosto on two travels. When the first travel, Cadamosto arrived at the Gambia River. One year later on his second travel, he went from the recently explored Gambia River to the Geba River. When he tried to trade with the Africans settled there, he was

Dias was Portuguese. Dias traveled to the Indies by sailing around Africa. He was the first European explorer to sail around the southern tip of Africa which is now the “Cape of Good Hope”. “On October 10th, 1487 King John II of Portugal assigned Bartolomeu Dias to sail to the southern tip of Africa in hopes of finding a trade route that would lead them to India.” He was a member of the royal Portuguese court where he was chosen to lead the voyage to locate the trade route to India. His expeditions began in the summer of 1487 and it lasted for up to 16 months or one year and four months. On his trip for return, they saw the tip of Africa but missed it because of a storm. Which means there was a storm on his voyage back where he came from. Dias

Marco Polo went on a 20 year voyage to what he thought was Asia and returned with stories of the mysterious land that further pushed Europeans to find a new trade route. Before the 15th century sub Saharan Africa was unknown to Europe. However; due to new and improved ships the journey became more plausible. Portuguese quickly set up trading posts for gold and enslaved African. Slave trading soon became big business. And finally Portuguese sailor Vasco de Gama made it to India around the tip of Africa in 1498. Meanwhile the unification in Spain inspired them to also look for a

Nevertheless, Bartolomeu accomplished a trip where he rounded the Cape of Good Hope, which is the southern tip of Africa. In 1495, King John II passed away six years after Bartolomeu Dias’s achievement, and the late king’s cousin, Manuel I, took power. Even though Manuel was only twenty-four years old, he wanted to expand Portugal’s trade routes. Instead of Bartolomeu Dias taking the honor of the captain of the fleet, Manuel surprisingly chose the thirty-seven-year-old da Gama. “According to Gaspar Correa, an eyewitness that was in court that day described how Manuel chose da Gama that day as the captain of the fleet. “One day the king, sitting in his hall of business at a table with his officers, giving orders, by chance… raised his eyes, and Vasco da Gama happened to cross through the hall… The king, setting eyes upon him… was transported [entranced]” (Calvert 12). “Upon choosing da Gama, King Manuel told da Gama, “My heart tells me that my desire will be accomplished by you…[and] to you alone, I give command”(Calvert

Joseph Conrad 's Heart of Darkness is both a dramatic tale of an arduous trek into the Belgian Congo at the turn of the twentieth century and a symbolic journey into the deepest recesses of human nature. On a literal level, through Marlow 's narration, Conrad provides a searing indictment of European colonial exploitation inflicted upon African natives. By employing several allegoric symbols this account depicts the futility of the European presence in Africa.

Between 1870 and 1914, European countries ceased about ninety percent of Africa. Native Africans faced political, military, and imperialism pressure from various European countries. After the end of the profitable slave trade in Africa, due to abolishing of slavery, Europeans explored for new guaranteed markets, and heavily profitable investments. In addition, European countries were under industrialization, the demand for raw materials heavily increased. Europeans as well faced power struggles with one another and competition for political influence in Africa. European power struggle ultimately lead to the “Scramble for Africa.” Europeans undertook the process of imperialism in Africa in the late 19th century by exercising political, economic, and military power on their African colonies. Some African leaders and societies welcomed Europeans in hopes to protect and develop their native land. Some African leaders and societies responded to European occupation by gathering resistance groups in attempt to fight off foreign imperialists.

In 1488, Bartholomeu Dias led the Portuguese exploration efforts by reaching the Cape of Good Hope. Then in 1498, Vasco da Gama was able to sail all of the way to India via travel around the Cape of Good Hope and into the Indian Ocean. Due to these voyages Europeans were able to obtain spices and other goods from this region. By opening up trading routes from Europe to Asia the diet of the average citizen became richer; helping to extend the life expectancy rate. In addition to trading opportunities opened up with these countries the Europeans used these journeys to spread Christianity. Whether this is a positive or negative effect is based on every person’s personal preference. Also, due to these explorations the population of the world appeared

In 1431, the Azores were discovered and colonized. In 1443, the Bay of Arguin was colonized, and later, the Portuguese constructed a fort. By 1462, the Portuguese had explored the coast of Africa as far as present day Sierra Leone These colonies produced extozic trade goods, such as wine, spices, ivory, gold, and herbs, making the Portigal not only wealthy but also powerful. In 1498, the Cape of Good Hope was discovered, but Henry never lived to see this great discovery. He died at the age of 66 in 1460. His legacy lived on. Henry's navigation and discoveries officially began the Age of Discovery, and it was not long before other European nations joined.