#AP African American Studies: Night Before Review 🚀

Hey! Let's make sure you're feeling super confident for tomorrow. We're going to break down the key stuff, make it stick, and get you ready to ace this exam! Remember, you've got this! 💪

#1. Early African-European Interactions (15th-16th Century)

#1.1 West African-Portuguese Trade Growth

- **Trade Dynamics:** - Late 15th century: Increased trade between West African kingdoms and Portugal. - Goods: Gold, goods, and enslaved people were exchanged. - Shift: Bypassed traditional trans-Saharan routes. - **Impact on African Kingdoms:** - Wealth: Increased wealth and power for kingdoms involved (e.g., Kongo, Benin). - Slave Trading: A common feature of hierarchical West African societies at the time. - **Examples:** - Kingdom of Kongo - Kingdom of Benin

#1.2 African Presence in Iberian Cities

- **Growth Factors:** - Increased trade led to a larger European presence in West Africa (merchants, outposts). - Sub-Saharan African populations grew in Iberian port cities (Lisbon, Seville). - Enslaved Africans were brought to these cities. - Some Africans traveled as merchants, diplomats, and scholars. - **Examples:** - Lisbon, Portugal - Seville, Spain

#1.3 African Elites in Mediterranean Cities

- **Reasons for Travel:** - Diplomacy: Establishing and maintaining relations with European powers. - Education: Learning about European culture, language, and technology. - Religion: Pilgrimages to Christian holy sites. - **Roles in Mediterranean Cities:** - Diverse roles for both free and enslaved Africans: - Domestic labor (cooks, maids, nannies) - Boatmen and dock workers - Guards and soldiers - Entertainers (musicians, dancers, acrobats) - Street vendors and small business owners - Rare cases: Knights and members of the aristocracy - **Examples:** - Rome, Italy - Valencia, Spain

#2. Portuguese Slavery and its Impact on the Americas

#2.1 Portuguese Colonization of Atlantic Islands

- **Timeline:** Mid-15th century: Portuguese colonization of Cabo Verde and São Tomé. - **Economic Activities:** - Established cotton, indigo, and sugar plantations. - Heavy reliance on enslaved African labor. - **Significance:** - Model for slave labor-based economies in the Americas. - Demonstrated the profitability of enslaved African labor in plantation agriculture. - Developed techniques for managing large populations of enslaved workers. 💡 - **Examples of Crops:** - Cotton - Indigo - Sugar...