West Africa
What desert is north of West Africa?
Sahara Desert
Which European country first traded goods for enslaved Africans in the 1400s?
Portugal
What was the name of the ocean voyage enslaved Africans took to the Americas?
The Middle Passage
What were public sales where enslaved people were sold called?
Auctions (or scrambles)
What were two main types of land that covered most of West Africa?
Grassland and rainforest
What items did Europeans trade for enslaved people?
Cloth, rum, salt, guns (any correct example)
About how long did the Middle Passage usually take?
About 21–90 days
Why did enslavers separate families when people arrived in the colonies?
To control enslaved people and prevent rebellion
What was the most important social unit in West African society?
The family
Why did some African groups begin capturing people to sell to Europeans?
To get guns, goods, or wealth / to compete with other groups
About how many Africans are estimated to have made the Middle Passage?
About 10–12 million people
What job did many enslaved people do on plantations?
Field work / planting and picking crops
What tradition helped people learn culture and history through stories?
Storytelling (fables, legends, myths)
What racist belief did Europeans use to justify enslaving Africans?
That Africans were not fully human / meant to be enslaved
What percentage of enslaved Africans died during the Middle Passage?
About 15%
What was the difficult adjustment period called during the first year of enslavement?
“Breaking in” period
What city in West Africa was mentioned as an example of a large city?
Timbuktu
What weapon introduced by Europeans increased conflict between African groups?
Guns
What trade system connected Europe, Africa, and the Americas?
Triangular trade
Name two ways enslaved people resisted slavery.
Examples: pretending to be sick, breaking tools, escaping, revolting, suicide, slowing work