All Flashcards
What were the causes and effects of Kongo's conversion to Christianity?
Cause: Strategic decision to improve trade with Portugal. Effect: Development of African Catholicism, blending of Christian and African traditions.
What were the causes and effects of Portugal's demand for slaves from Kongo?
Cause: Portugal's desire for cheap labor in Brazil and the Caribbean. Effect: Depopulation of Kongo, undermining of local authority, and Kongo's involvement in the transatlantic slave trade.
What were the causes and effects of the transatlantic slave trade on African American culture?
Cause: Forced migration of enslaved Africans to the Americas. Effect: Shaping of African American culture, including language, music, and religion, with Gullah culture as a prime example.
How do voluntary and forced conversion compare?
Voluntary: Kongo's choice, strategic, blended cultures. Forced: Imposed, suppressed local beliefs, caused resistance.
What was the Kingdom of Kongo?
A significant kingdom in West Central Africa influencing transatlantic slave trade and African American culture.
What is African Catholicism?
A unique blend of Christian beliefs with local African traditions and art within the Kingdom of Kongo.
Define cultural syncretism.
The merging of different cultural elements, seen in Kongo's blend of Christianity and African traditions.
What does 'voluntary conversion' mean in Kongo's history?
The Kongolese rulers' strategic decision to adopt Roman Catholicism in 1491, not forced upon them.
What was the significance of West Central Africa in the slave trade?
It was the largest supplier of enslaved people in the transatlantic slave trade, including Kongo, Ndongo, and Loango.
What is the 'ring shout'?
An African American religious practice with roots in West Central Africa, demonstrating cultural continuity.
What is a primary source?
A firsthand account or original document, like Nzinga Mbemba's letter, offering direct evidence of a historical period.
What is meant by 'depopulation'?
A significant reduction in the population of an area, as experienced by Kongo due to the slave trade.
Define transatlantic slave trade.
The forced transportation of enslaved Africans to the Americas, significantly impacting both continents.
What is the African diaspora?
The dispersion of Africans and their descendants throughout the world, especially due to the slave trade.