Section 3
THE WORLD OF THE
WEST AFRICANS
WEST AFRICANS & EUROPE MEET
 EUROPEANS
TRADED CLOTH,
METAL GOODS, & JEWERLY
FROM NORTH AFRICAN MIDDLE
MEN
 EUROPE WANTED TO GET RID
OF THE MIDDLE MEN
WEST AFRICAN CULTURES
 GEOGRAPHY
& LIVELIHOODS
–VEGETATION INFLUENCED
HOW PEOPLE MADE A LIVING,
RAISED FAMILIES &
WORSHIPPED
RAIN FORESTS, SAVANNA, &
DESERT
 FAMILY
LIFE
–ORGANIZED BY KINSHIP
GROUPS
–LINEAGE- PROVIDED THE
TYPES OF SUPPORT THAT
MODERN GOVERNMENTS &
CHURCHES DO
 RELIGION
–PEOPLE WORSHIPPED A
SUPREME BEING AS WELL AS
MANY GODS, GODDESSES, &
SPIRITS
SPIRITS WERE THOUGHT TO
INHABIT EVERYTHING IN THE
NATURAL WORLD
SLAVERY IN AFRICA
 BELIEVED
IN PRIVATE OWNERSHIP
OF GOODS & PROPERTY
 VALUED LABOR
–LEADERS’ POWER RESTED ON THE
NUMBER OF PEOPLE THEY RULED
SLAVES-CAPTURED IN WAR,
ORPHANS, CRIMINALS, & OTHERS
REJECTED BY SOCIETY
 SLAVES
BECAME ADOPTED
MEMBERS OF THE KINSHIP
GROUP THAT ENSLAVED THEM
–SLAVES COULD MOVE UP &
OUT OF THEIR SLAVE ROLE
–NOT ONLY WORKED IN THE
FIELDS