All Flashcards
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.
Define Kingdom of Kongo.
A West Central African kingdom influential in the transatlantic slave trade, known for its voluntary conversion to Catholicism and subsequent involvement in the slave trade.
What is African Catholicism?
A unique blend of Christian beliefs and local African traditions and art that emerged in the Kingdom of Kongo after its voluntary conversion to Catholicism.
Define cultural syncretism.
The blending of two or more cultures, producing a new and unique cultural form. Evident in Kongo's adoption of Catholicism.
What is the transatlantic slave trade?
The forced transportation of enslaved Africans to the Americas between the 16th and 19th centuries, a major part of which involved the Kingdom of Kongo.
Define West Central Africa.
A region in Africa including the Kingdom of Kongo, Ndongo, and Loango, which became a major source of enslaved people during the transatlantic slave trade.
Define voluntary conversion.
The act of willingly adopting a new religion, as exemplified by King Nzinga a Nkuwu (João I) and his son Nzinga Mbemba (Afonso I) adopting Roman Catholicism in 1491.
What does depopulation mean?
The reduction in the population of an area, such as the Kingdom of Kongo, due to the transatlantic slave trade.
Define kinship.
A social bond based on common ancestry, marriage, or adoption, which influenced naming practices and lineage ideas among Kongolese people and later African Americans.
What is a primary source?
A firsthand account or original document from a specific time period, such as Nzinga Mbemba's letter to the Portuguese King João III in 1526.
Define resilience.
The ability to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness. Demonstrated by enslaved Africans in holding onto their heritage while adapting to forced religious conversion.