Fri, September 22, 2017 at 1:42 pm GMT
Hi Karen. me and my fellow students we were dealing with history this week.Let me share few thing about it.I hate slave trade that existed in Africa.
DUTCH SETTLEMENT AT THE CAPE
The South Africa before the coming of the whites was inhabited by Khoikhoi, San and the Bantu. Khoikhoi means men of men. They are pastoralists. San were the skillful hunters. The Bantu were the crop cultivators. The exploitation of South Africa was started by 15th c when Bartholomew Diaz managed to reach the cape in 1488. Nine years later Vasco da Gama reached South Africa i.e. in 1497. In 1652 Dutch decided to establish permanent settlement at the Cape under the leadership of Jan Van Riebeeck.
MOTIVES OF THE DUTCH SETTLEMENT AT THE CAPE
I) They need to establish permanent refreshment base which was very important to the Dutch company: After a long sea journey they needed place to relax and get refreshment from the mainland. The cape became a very important point for all Dutch ships.
II) Dutch settlers (Boers) wanted to establish farms on which they could grow different types of crops such as vegetables and fruits. Jan Van Riebeeck was instructed by the company to build a Fort and grow corn and vegetables on the land close to the passing ships. These crops help to supplement the sailors with diets and also to get trade commodities.
III) The cape had attractive climate than that of Europe; These attracted the Dutch to establish the settlement there and continue with their activities.
IV) To control trade; Dutch wanted to have effective control of the Eastern trade. So it was Easy for the Eastern traders who are passing there to get vegetables and fruits and fresh meat from the Dutch traders. Some of the Dutch had trade link with the local people to exchange beads, looking mirror, alcohol and tobacco.
THE IMPACTS OF THE DUTCH SETTLEMENT
(i) The establishment of the exploitation of African resources; Dutch had trade contacts with the local people in South Africa. This trade was based on unequal exchange. Valuable items such as cattle, ivory and animal skins were exchanged with less valuable goods like beads, clothes, looking Mirror and alcohol.
(ii) Land alienation; Dutch establish their settlement at the Cape for the purpose of agriculture, and creating refreshment base where they could rest and refuel their ships. They alienated land from the Khoisan and Bantu of South Africa.
(iii) Social segregation; European had a negative attitude to Africans. They regarded Africans as stupid, lazy and faithless (Kaffir).The Dutch thought themselves superior, so they mistreated and exploited Africans. This laid down the foundation for apartheid in South Africa.
(iv) Increased of warfare; There were several wars as the Dutch were advancing from the Cape. In 1770 the Dutch clashed with Khosa along the Great River Fish. The great kaffir wars took place in 1779 to 1789, 1789 to1793 and 1799 to1803. Frequent wars caused insecurity, loss of life, destruction of property and displacement of people e.g. more of the most of the San were killed by the Boers. Those who survived fled to the desert.
(v) Introduction of new culture; The Boer introduced the Africans. They also began to speak Afrikaans, a language which is based on Dutch, but also has words from other languages such as Portuguese and Khoisan.
(vi) Displacement of African communities; The Dutch displaced the natives from their fertile land and took their livestock by force. Africans were forced to the drier land, less productive regions.tis caused a great shortage of food.
(vii) New diseases; The Europeans brought with them foreign disease to which Africans had n natural immunity. For example, small pox reduced the Khoikhoi population from 200,000 in 1652 to only 20,000 by 1767.
SLAVE TRADE ALONG THE INDIAN OCEAN SEA BOARD AND TRANS ATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE
Slave trade is the process of buying and selling human beings as a commodities in the market. Along the East African Coast slave trade began before 18thc. The Portuguese took over the slave to America and to the French sugar and coffee plantation in Reunion and Mauritius Island. In 1770s Dutch took some slaves to West Indies. After the Portuguese the Arabs dominated the slave trade along the Indian Ocean.
REASONS FOR THE EXPANSION OF TRADE
Opening of French sugar and coffee plantation; During the second half of 19th c French opened up large sugar and coffee plantation in Mauritius and Reunion in the Indian Ocean Island. African labours were thus recruited to work in those plantations. The Dutch ships had traveled to East Africa to collect labour (slaves).
Need of domestic servants in Arabian countries; Many slaves were taken to the Arabian countries to work as home servants. According to Islamic law it was prohibited to take slaves from their fellow Muslims countrie and communities. So they go outside their Islamic dominion to get these servants.
Increase demand of sugar and cotton in Europe led to the increase in price; Therefore more labourers were needed in the British colonies of West Indies and America. Thus slave were captured from Africa and shipped to these plantations.
Strong desire for the European goods by African chiefs; African chiefs like Mirambo and Nyungu ya Mawe needed European goods .These demand forced them to demand slaves in exchange for brass, metal ware, silky, guns and gun powder, and beads
Transfer of Seyyid Said’s capital to Zanzibar; This led to the increase in slave trade. It is because when Seyyid Said shifted his capital to Zanzibar in 1840 he planned to open up trade route to the interior of East Africa. This boosted the increase in the number of slaves sold at the market from 40000 and 45000 annually.
The rise of Oman Arabs contributed to the rise of slave trade; This was because they acted as middle men between the African Swahili people, the Portuguese and French traders. These Arabs took slaves and sold to the plantation owners.
The outbreak of disease; The outbreak of disease like Nagana affected camels and donkeys and the burden was to be taken by the human porters (slaves). These porters were used to transport goods from various places.
Why the Oman Arabs wished to control /dominate the East African coast between 1696-1867.
After assisting the coastal people to defeat the Portuguese in 1698, the Oman Arabs imposed themselves as new coastal masters. The Oman Arabs seem to have wanted to monopolise the profitable coastal trade. Certainly, with the fall of the Portuguese, the Oman Arabs saw an open opportunity to control the East African coast.
There was need to control the coastal people; There was also need to collect taxes. Another factor was favourable climate at the Coast compared to their home areas. There was need to control the East African coastal towns through their governors
They wanted to maintain social, economic and cultural links with their Moslems in East Africa. There was a plan to defeat the Mazrui of Mombasa.
The political instability in Oman due to the Yorubi-Busaidi rivalry for power in their areas made the East African coast become an area of refugee.
They wanted to crash Mombasa so as to prevent other coastal towns using her as an example of a rebellion.
Oman Arabs also wanted to make sure that the Portuguese could not return to the East African coast as rulers.
They wanted to create commercial empire on the East African Coast because the Zanzibar has rich soil for coconuts. Coconuts were the important trade items to the Arab. Zanzibar became trading link between Asia, Africa and Europe
Sultan Seyyid Said wanted to expand trade with Asia, Europe and Africa. He signed commercial treaty with America in 1833, Britain in 1839 and French in1844. The British and French opened embassies in Zanzibar during his rule.
In conclusion therefore, it appears that since the Oman Arabs had played a very important role in defeating the Portuguese, they wanted to control the coast as a compensation for their effort in defeating the Portuguese.
The Conflicts between Mazrui- Busaidi and Yorubi Arabs at the Coast of East Africa.
During the struggle between the Arabs and the Portuguese, at the coast, the coastal Arabs (Mazrui) asked the Oman Arabs (Yorubi) for assistance in 1696. The Imam of Oman Ibn-Sultan accepted and sent his army to surround Fort Jesus, and in December 1696 the Portuguese were defeated. Fort Jesus fell into the Arab hands.
However, immediately after the defeat of the Portuguese there was a bitter conflict between the coastal Arabs (Mazrui) and the Oman Arabs (Busaidi) over the control of the coast.
1. Events were precipitated by the Portuguese expulsion from the East African coast in 1698. After the fall of Fort Jesus in 1698, the Imam of Oman claimed the entire coast North of the Rufiji River. Pemba and Kilwa were taken shortly after the capture of Fort Jesus in 1689.
2. Oman governors called Liwalis were appointed to rule the coastal towns. The governors became ineffective and unpopular. This was because they were harsh and ruthless in collecting taxes. This actually led to unrest in most towns.
3. In Oman itself, the Yorubi dynasty was only able to rule up to 1741 because it was weakened by the rivalry from the Busaidi family. The pirates were also a menace at the sea.
4. The coastal towns started rebelling against the Imam of Oman. The towns of Zanzibar, Pemba, Malindi, Pate, Mafia, and Kilwa attempted to call the Portuguese back from India and other areas to help them solve their problems and remove the leadership of Imam of Oman.
5. The Sultans of Oman were too weak to rule the coast of East Africa effectively. In 1741 a new governor in the names of Muhammad Ibn Al – Mazrui, from one of the powerful families of Mombasa was appointed governor of Mombasa by the Imam of Oman. This conflict/ struggle was due to a number of reasons,
6. The Mazrui family became a source of trouble for the Imams for over 100 years. They made themselves almost independent rulers of Mombasa and led revolts against the Imams.
7. The death of Ahmed Ibn Al – Busaidi (1744 – 1784 ) direct control of Oman’s east African possessions was attempted.
8. The Busaidi rulers were occupied trying to control Oman for 4 years while the Mazrui of Mombasa were able to extend their influence along the coast without disturbance.
9. The three families were all prosperous families in the Arab world and there are many reasons to justify their struggles. The sultan in Oman wanted to control the Coastal towns like Kilwa, Mombasa, Zanzibar among others. They were also struggling to obtain the sole control of the lucrative trade at the coast of East Africa.
10. In addition, the Sultan wanted to levy taxes on the Coastal towns and this encouraged them to struggle for the control.
11. Some families wanted to be independent at the coast most especially in Mombasa. The Mazrui in Mombasa had fought so much to remove the Portuguese from the East African coast so they did not want any foreign power to rule them. The Sultans from Oman wanted slaves from East Africa something that Mazrui family did not want.
12. The struggles occurred due to retaliation of the coastal towns which were encouraged to rebel because of the weaknesses of the Oman rulers who were pre-occupied with the enemies in Arabia and sea pirates.
13. The coastal towns including Mombasa wished to be independent as they had been before the coming of the Portuguese. So they did not want to lose their independence to the foreign rule among others
14. The rise of the Busaid dynasty to power in Muscat threatened the Mazrui interests at the coast. As a result the Mazrui opened war on the Busaid.
15. The Assassination of Liwali Mohamed bin Uthman al Mazrui and the imprisonment of his brother in Fort Jesus increased Mazrui conflict with the Busaidi. The growing influence of Mombasa at the coast threatened Muscat.
16. The weaknesses of the Yorubi dynasty which had given Mazrui powers to control the coast on their behalf later intensified hatred between the Busaidi and the Mazrui.
17. The Busaidi were not happy with the Mazrui monopoly over trade at the coast. Meanwhile the Mazrui also wanted to maintain their monopoly on trade at the coast of the East Africa.
18. The attempt by the Mazrui to destroy the Oman influence at the coast after the murder of Uthman al Mazrui led to war with the Busaidi. Both the Mazrui and the Busaidi competed to politically control the coast of East Africa.
19. The Mazrui hated the Busaidi for overthrowing the Yorubi dynasty in Muscat. The Mazrui wanted to be independent of Oman, which the Busaidi objected.
20. The Mazrui accused the Oman Arabs of corruption and therefore they wanted to break away from them.
21. Both Mazrui and Busaidi competed to control the coast because of its strategic location.
22. Both parties wanted to use the coast as a centre to collect taxes (revenue) to boost their trade.
23. The Busaidi wanted to control the coast in order to maintain cultural links with their brothers who had fled to the coast of East Africa after the fall of the Yorubi dynasty.
24. The East African coast had good Harbours that could allow refuelling and anchoring of ships.
25. Oman Arabs wanted full control of the coast in order to spread Islam.
26. Both Mazrui and Busaidi Arabs competed to control the coastal plains for agricultural production.
27. The coastal states were wealthy hence the need by the Oman rulers to dominate them.
Sayyid Said - The ruler Oman and Zanzibar (1791-1856)
Why Sayyid Said moved his Capital from Muscat to Zanzibar
Sayyid Said had visited the coast (Zanzibar) on several occasions. For example in 1828, again 1832 and during the suppression of the Busaid - Mazrui conflicts.
During his visits, he had greatly admired the coastal climate and wealth. Therefore three years after the defeat of the Mazrui (1840), he decided to settle permanently at the coast (Zanzibar). His decision was motivated by the following reasons:
He wanted to control the Indian Ocean trade himself other than leaving it to his representatives who were corrupt and unreliable. Because of this great desire to build wealth for himself he once said "he was nothing but a merchant."
He was particularly interested in controlling natural resources like ivory, slaves and gold which were in plenty at the .East African coast.
He wanted to end the Busaidi - Mazrui dynastic conflicts once for all. Basing their rule in Mombasa, the Mazrui had continued to rebel against his rule.
The transfer was also motivated by the need to control his East African coastal dominion effectively. His representatives had turned out to be ineffective and corrupt.
He greatly admired the coastal climate, which was cool and far better compared to the hot climate in Oman. Hence suitable for human settlement.
Zanzibar also had fertile soils which he hoped to use for the growing of cloves and spices. This might have also forced him to shift his capital to the coast.
The East African coast would also provide a cheap source of labour - slaves, which he hoped to use on his dove plantations.
Zanzibar was also strategically located as a market for goods. This central position would enable him control and expand the interior trade, hence establishing regular trade links between the coast and the interior.
Zanzibar had deep and wide natural harbours that could allow big ships from America, Britain, Germany and France to come and trade with the coastal people. Sayyid Said hoped to tax these European traders.
Political persecution also forced Sayyid Said to move his capital to Zanzibar. He had a lot of enemies at home that included his own relatives (he had murdered his cousin - Bedr which did not please many of his people).
Apart from political persecution Sayyid Said could have ran to the East African coast because of the serious religious persecution in Oman at the time.
The people of the East Africa coast were considered more loyal and friendly to Sayyid than those of Oman. The people of Pate had for instance invited him to come and rescue them from the harsh rule of the Mombasa governors.
Sayyid Said also wanted to gain popularity and prestige as a ruler of two territories - That is to say, the ruler Oman and Zanzibar at the same time.
Availability of fresh drinking water. The waters of Zanzibar were believed to be sweeter than those of Oman. This could have also forced him to shift his capital to the coast.
He also wanted to check on the activities of Sea pirates who had made trade across the Indian Ocean almost impossible.
The hospitality of some coastal towns like Malindi and Pemba also encouraged him to settle at the coast.
Zanzibar had a security advantage since it was an island, hence could be easily protected against mainland and external enemies.
Why Sultan Seyyid Said encouraged Arabs to settle in Zanzibar for several reasons:
Arabs owned the clove plantations. They organized the planting, harvesting and packing activities on plantations. Labour was in form of African slaves.
Arab traders established trade routes into the interior of Africa. They went as far inland as Congo and the river Nile in search of slaves and ivory. These commodities were sold for profits to Arabia, America and Europe.
Arab traders also organized ships for trading voyages. They went to Europe and Asia to trade and brought foreign goods and income.
Seyyid said needed Arab governors to help him in ruling the coast of the East Africa. He appointed Arab liwalis to rule the coastal city states though he retains most of the power.
Techniques used to get slaves.
Slaves were obtained through the following ways.
Raids and ambush: Slave traders invaded villages in order to obtain slaves. During the process of invasion many people died because of resistances from people who oppose them to be taken as a slave. Once villages were defeated many able bodied people were tied and dragged as slaves.
Through selling war captives: Slave trade encouraged intertribal wars among African societies. Some Africa leaders wanted to accumulate much wealth. In trying to get much wealth they participated in slave trade and slave trade and supplying slave to slave traders. African chiefs such as Mirambo, Machemba and Mkwawa waged many wars with neighbouring. The state prisoners of war were sold as slaves.
Through selling domestic servants: Some leaders and high ranking officials in African states used to sell their domestic servants. So once slave traders passed to certain Empire, the leaders collected their domestic servants and sold them as slaves.
Through selling criminals: Criminal provided one of the sources of slaves. In some states criminals such as thieves, murders witches etc. They were sold as slave by their leaders.
Through ways lying and false pretence: Some people were captured as slaves because of lies. They were convinced by the slave traders to have good life when they reach the coast. But upon reaching the Coast they were caught and sold as slaves.
Social impact of slave trade:
Depopulation: Many people were taken to work as slaves and others died on the way.
Insecurity and fear among the people. Fear of being taken and sold as slave increased among the people
Development of interstate war: Frequent raid and ambushes made some of the society react with the slave raiders to resist. This had increase war among the different group.
Human torture and suffering: Slave traders humiliated the African and most of them were killed during the process and during the work the work was in hard condition.
Hunger due to lack of foods in areas where the slave trade operated.
Sayyid Said - The ruler Oman and Zanzibar (1791-1856)
ECONOMIC IMPACTS:
Killing of economic activities: Agriculture, pastoralism and industries were killed due to lack of man power.
Technological stagnation: No innovation was made as any bodied people were taken as slaves. Only children and old ones were left behind.
Underdevelopment of East Africa: Slave trade had increased dependence on European capitalist countries. Generally slave trade had negative effects in East Africa and it creates many problems.
Psychological impacts of slave trade:
Mental disturbance: Living far away from their families led to the mental disturbance to families those who were taken abroad were thinking about their families that was behind. Those who were left were thinking if their fellows are still alive.
Terrorization of security: African has no sure for their survival, poor food supply and poor social medical services. They are in the lonely states. Initially they shared several traditional values e.g. marriages, circumcision and sacrifices to their ancestor therefore they were thinking about many things.
