Pre-Colonial African Americans

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Pre-colonial African societies had complex systems of slavery that were fundamentally different from the inhumane transatlantic slave trade, and understanding these indigenous forms of slavery is crucial to comprehending the impact of European involvement. Before the Transatlantic slave trade, West Africa had clearly defined social classes from royals, nobility, warriors, peasants, low-caste artisans, and enslaved people. Influenced by Islamic practices, African rulers justified enslavement by siding with the Muslim argument that prisoners of war could be sold. These individuals in the enslaved class had varying circumstances as to the cause of their enslavement, one of the great contributors being war or purchase. This is made evident by the …show more content…
However, in Senegambia, not all people were seen as such; instead, they held great power and prestige. Surprisingly, Senegambia was a stateless society where small groups and villages functioned homogeneously without a central capital. A typical community is small and self-supported through agriculture and close family ties, significantly settling family disputes. During the late 1400s, the Portuguese and other European countries desired to trade with other regions within Africa's coastal borders, which led to Benin's financial benefit. By the early 1600s, as European visitors entered Benin City, these individuals described the city as sophisticated, describing the architecture and layout of galleries and, lastly, the level of security, which was so effective that theft was unheard of at the time. By the eighteenth century, surrounding states sought to challenge Benin's power to lay claim to the fruits of their labor. By 1898, Britain laid siege to Benin City under the banner of conquest and burned the city. The impact of European civilization on African societies is made prevalent by the economic power that was apparent through the trade of

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