History of East Africa Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

History of East Africa - Essay ExampleSlavery is defined as a condition whereby a person, known as a slave is under the control of another. Slavery almost always occurs for the purpose of securing labor. History dictates that those who become slaves had different ethnicity, nationality, religion, sex or race than the paramount group, typically taken prisoner as a expiry of war. Capture meant death or slavery if one paid no ransom. Social entities characterized with poverty, overpopulation, and pagan and technological lag are frequently exported as slaves to more developed nations.The nature of the slavery differed greatly across the continent. There were large plantations toiled by slaves in Egypt, Sudan and Zanzibar, exactly this was not a typical use of slaves in Africa as a whole. Slaves were protected and incorporated into the slave-owning family while in others, slaves were brutally ab utilize, and even used for human sacrifices.The practice of slavery and slave trade existe d in Africa long before the Europeans arrived (Beck. 2004). Slaves were regarded as investment of local chiefs, kings, merchants and dependent royal subjects for personal gains and taxation as well as performing administrative or military duties. Prior to the European conquest, slavery was a tool in building and alter states. In the period of the European colonization, slave trade switchd dramatically causing internal divisions among African societies (Amber. 2004). The Oyo-Dahomey Wars, local/regional conflicts among the Asante, and internal division within the congou tea kingdoms helped the Europeans acquire slaves in exchange for textiles, guns and ammunitions to expand their territories. The Europeans benefited from this by shipping off the slaves to the plantations of the Americas. As a result the African societies experienced a drastic change depopulating skilled craftsmen and increased wars among tribes (Cooper. 1980). Families were torn apart and children that were left behind became vulnerable to being captured by rival tribesman (Amber. 2004). The slave trade as a result expanded because of the participation of African rulers and merchants (Beachey. 1976) in the international exchange economy, involving the exports of humans. Africans were manipulated and used by Europeans through the domination of Africas natural resources (Cooper. 1980). In the beginning of European fight in Africa, they were initially interested in trading with Africans for their gold, slaves, ivory, and other resources. Europeans began trading in Africa in the 15th century, brinyly getting gold and slaves. When they reached the eastern playground slide of Africa, their prime interest shifted to controlling and securing trade routes to India. For a few centuries, European involvement in Africa was mostly contained to the coastal regions. In the East, the Omanis gained nominal control of the islands, but until the reign of Sayyid (1804-56) they took little interest in them (N wulia. p13-14. 1975). Sayyid recognized the commercial value of East Africa and increasingly turned his attention to Zanzibar and Pemba, where he permanently relocated his judicature into (Encyclopedia Britannica Online. 2006). He brought many Arabs with him, and they gained control of Zanzibars fertile soil, forcing most of the Hadimu to migrate to the eastern part of the island. The Hadimu were obliged to work on the clove plantations. Sayyid controlled much of the East where Zanzibar became the main center of ivory and slave trade (Cooper.1980). Some of them were used on the clove plantations while others were exported to other parts overseas. With Zanzibars trade being administered by Omanis who organize caravans into the interior of