How did the Columbian Exchange affect slavery in Africa?
A.
It stopped the slave trade by some European countries because it wasn't profitable.
B.
It had little effect because most European countries had outlawed slavery.
C.
It encouraged slave trading in areas where it had not existed before.
D.
It greatly increased the slave trade that already existed in Africa.
The correct answer is D. The Columbian Exchange greatly increased the slave trade that already existed in Africa.
The Columbian Exchange refers to the transfer of people, plants, animals, and diseases between the Old World (Europe, Africa, and Asia) and the New World (the Americas) following Christopher Columbus's discovery of the Americas in 1492. One aspect of this exchange was the transatlantic slave trade, which involved the forced transportation of African slaves to the Americas.
The impact of the Columbian Exchange on slavery in Africa was significant. Prior to the arrival of Europeans, slavery existed in various parts of Africa, but it was not as widespread or intensive as what occurred during the transatlantic slave trade. The demand for labor in the Americas, particularly on plantations in the Caribbean and the Americas, led to a substantial increase in the demand for African slaves.
European colonizers, primarily Portuguese, Spanish, British, French, and Dutch, established trading posts along the African coast and formed alliances with local African leaders to acquire slaves. Traders would bring goods, such as firearms, textiles, and alcohol, to exchange for slaves captured by African intermediaries. This exchange of goods for slaves became a profitable venture for both Europeans and certain African elites who participated in the slave trade.
The Columbian Exchange facilitated the mass trafficking of African slaves to the Americas. The number of slaves forcibly transported across the Atlantic Ocean increased dramatically during the centuries following Columbus's voyage. It is estimated that between 1500 and 1900, around 11-12 million Africans were enslaved and brought to the Americas.
In conclusion, the Columbian Exchange greatly increased the slave trade in Africa, as the demand for labor in the Americas led to the intensified capture and transportation of African slaves.