All Flashcards
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.
What were the causes and effects of Kongo's voluntary conversion to Catholicism?
Cause: Strategic decision to boost trade with Portugal. Effect: Development of African Catholicism and increased European influence.
What were the causes and effects of Portugal's demand for slaves from Kongo?
Cause: Portugal's need for labor in Brazil and the Caribbean. Effect: Depopulation of Kongo and increased internal conflict.
What were the causes and effects of the transatlantic slave trade on West Central Africa?
Cause: European demand for labor in the Americas. Effect: Mass enslavement and forced migration, cultural disruption.
What were the causes and effects of Kongolese nobles' involvement in the slave trade?
Cause: Desire for European goods and power. Effect: Loss of control over the scale of the trade and internal instability.
What were the causes and effects of West Central African influence on African American culture?
Cause: Enslaved people brought their traditions to the Americas. Effect: Enduring cultural practices in language, music, and religion.
What were the causes and effects of the slave trade on African naming practices?
Cause: Kongolese people often named their kids after Catholic saints or based on their birth day. Effect: Christian names like John, Maria, and Francisco among early African Americans.
Who was King Nzinga a Nkuwu (João I)?
The Kongolese king who voluntarily converted to Roman Catholicism in 1491, a strategic decision to boost trade relations with Portugal.
Who was King Afonso I (Nzinga Mbemba)?
The son of Nzinga a Nkuwu, he wrote a letter to the Portuguese king in 1526 expressing concerns about the destructive impact of the slave trade on the Kingdom of Kongo.