AD 1500-1850

During this period Portuguese navigation and exploration activities on the Atlantic seaboard of Central and West Africa led to the establishment of Portuguese settlements in areas such as Sao Tome and Angola. The Portuguese experimentation with slave trade led to the development of the triangular trans-Atlantic trade that devastated much of the participating regions in Africa.

The period also saw the rise of new African empires such as Asante and Dahomey which thrived on the trade with the Europeans. These empires were very prosperous and produced magnificent pieces of sculptures and terracotta. Some of these African nations such as Benin and Dahomey, became major slave traders.

From the 17th century onward, the Portuguese were overtaken by the British and French who became leading slave traders. The French and British began to establish colonies along the Atlantic coast such as at the Gold Coast and in Senegal which were to be strategic positions during the ‘scramble for Africa’ in the late 19th century. The slave trade and interactions with the Europeans at times led to the decline of African kingdoms. For example, the Portuguese meddled in the internal affairs of Kongo which hastened the disintegration of the kingdom.