One of the aims of the Portuguese in starting the voyages
of exploration along the West African Coast-line was to win converts to the Christian religion.
Hence, one of the immediate results of the voyages was the evangelisation of the natives of West Africa. For instance, after
Portuguese contact in Benin in 1486, the Portuguese introduced Christianity.
Furthermore, the voyages encouraged trading activities
between the Europeans and the natives of West Africa. First it was the trade in
slaves which was initially dominated
by the Portuguese who exchanged European manufactured goods like sloth and
hardware for African slaves.
Later, the trade was extended to include the Portuguese hunt for pepper, ivory and ostrich
feathers. It may be added that economic conditions in Europe forced the other
Europeans like the French. The English, the Dutch, the Swedes, the Danes and
Germans into competition with the Portuguese in the West African trade.
It is an unfortunate historical situation that the
European contact with West Africa in the guise
of trade_ legitimate and inhuman led to some unsavoury social effects. For one thing, West Africa was plunged
into internecine wars which had the
effect of dislocating and reducing the population of our peoples.
Nevertheless, out of the unfavourable situation grew some
advantages. West African contact with the Europeans gave them superior weapons
like gun and textile goods which were no doubt much more durable and useful
than the locally made ones.
Politically, the Portuguese exploration paved the way to
colonial rule in West Africa. Our people were subjected to an alien rule which
inevitably sapped our resources to enrich theirs, and colonial rule also despised
our culture. On the other hand, alien rule had also introduced us to some
valuable European ideas like Western education and European communication
system.
What do these words mean? (i) converts (ii)
evangelisation (iii) dominated (iv) hunt (v) guise (vi) unsavoury (vii)
internecine
Why do you think the Portuguese achieved one of their
aims from the voyages of exploration along the West Africa Coast line?
Explain the nature of Portuguese trade with West Africa
in one sentence
State our unfavourable consequences of Portuguese contact
with West Africa.
(i) Did West Africa benefit at all from European contact
with West Africa? (ii) Why?
ANSWER TO QUESTIONS
(i) those changed to Christianity (ii) the
institutionalization of Christians ideals and practices in people’s minds (iii)
rules (iv) search (v) preference (vi) unpleasant (vii) prolonged
They introduced Christianity to the people of Benin
It was trade by barter by which the Portuguese received
slaves pepper and ostrich feather in exchange of the supply of European guns
and cloth.
It led to colonial rule.
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