European Contact With AfricaEuropean Contact With Africa

The Portuguese and Dutch The Portuguese and Dutch ‘Explore’ the African Continent‘Explore’ the African Continent

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But First…A Little BackgroundBut First…A Little Background

RELIGIOUS CONFLICT

• “Tug-of-war “ between Islam and Christianity.

-Muslims had at one time expanded up into Spain, but the Spanish eventually pushed the Muslims back into Northern Africa.

(And You Western Civ’ers out

there I’m sure remember the Crusades?)

ECONOMIC COMPETITION

• In Europe, there was a high demand for goods from the Far East…but who controls much of the trade in the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea, and the Indian Ocean?

• Also--Portuguese soldiers fighting Muslims in N. Africa return with stories of a ‘Land of Gold’ well beyond the reach of the Arab Muslims

Prince Henry the NavigatorPrince Henry the Navigator(1394-1460)(1394-1460)

THE PLAN—

1) Outflank Islam by circumnavigating Africa

2) Take control of the gold coast3) Break the Arab monopoly

over the Indian Ocean

PHN organized and financedmany attempts to ‘round’ theAfrican continent

www.saburchill.com/.../images/181107022.jpg

1430’s -1440’s:• Portuguese had

sailed along the NW coast of Africa

• Established trade relationships with the coastal Africans they encountered (copper, brass, gold, ivory).

1471:• Portuguese had

landed at the Gold Coast.

• Discovered many powerful kingdoms (Benin and Congo)

• The Portuguese even dabbled in the slave trade- selling Benin slaves to the Akan peoples in exchange for gold.

http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/images/Europe/factfile/Santamaria.jpg

ElminaElmina

• Portuguese built a fort at Elmina on the Ghana coast, as a base for trading, and as a means to fend off other European traders.

• (1488)- Bartholomew Diaz rounds the Cape of Good Hope

• (1497-1499)-Vasco de Gama voyages up the East African coast to India and back to Portugal.

http://images.google.com/hosted/life/l?imgurl=cff5e5f34459f3a7&q=barthalamew+dias&usg=__xK6BB4ZcZhLaRHugZr9mYA2mZDA=&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbarthalamew%2Bdias%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den

http://www.portcities.org.uk/london/upload/img_400/BHC2702.JPG

Portuguese in Africa (1500s)Portuguese in Africa (1500s)• Although the

Portuguese were trading along the African coast for gold, ivory and slaves, their main goal was to trade in Asia.

• Dense populations and health concerns kept most Europeans from ‘settling’ in Africa.

• By the early 1600’s, the Dutch will enter into the picture, wrestling the power of the seas away from the Portuguese, and overtaking their control of trade with Africa.

www.sahistory.org.za

Portuguese/African Relations: Portuguese/African Relations: East vs. WestEast vs. West

• Though the Portuguese established trade relationships with Africans in the West, they conquered East African kingdoms and their peoples, taking control of all p9ort cities along the coast…Why might this be?

http://www.geography-site.co.uk/pages/countries/atlas/maps/indian_ocean.jpg

The DutchThe Dutch• By 16th century, many

European sailing ships began making regular voyages around the southern tip of Africa en route to Asia

• The Portuguese had considered the Cape of Good Hope only an obstacle to get around

• The Dutch, however, mastered the trade winds and established a fueling stop at the Cape.

www.bryar.com

Early African-European ContactEarly African-European Contact

• By mid-17th century, there were an estimated 50,000 Khoisan pastoralists living near the coastal areas

• Early contact with Europeans was well-received, as Khoisan were able to profit from trade.

• Europeans’ demand for fresh meat often surpassed what Africans could supply

• In 1652, Dutch (Boers) will supplant a colony at Cape of Good Hope to serve as a supply stop.

• Khoisan resist settlement but outmatched by Dutch guns

• Dutch govt. will encourage settlement of S. Africa in the early 1700’s

• Though Dutch originally confined settlement to the coastal region, eventually, they will move into the interior parts of S. Africa. These new settlers, known as trekboers, were allowed to claim huge ‘farms’ for the purposes of raising sheep and cattle

• Though Khoisan will continue to resist, they will be no match for Boers superior military prowess and infectious diseases such as small pox.