AP® African American Studies review sheet from Aim for Five (aimforfive.com/african-american-studies/units/2/2-2)
Unit 2 · Topic 2.2
2.2 Departure Zones in Africa and the Slave Trade to the United States
Over more than 350 years, the transatlantic slave trade forced over 12.5 million Africans onto ships bound for the Americas. Only about 388,000 were taken directly to what became the United States, mostly from West and West Central Africa, and their many different origins shaped African American communities.
Key terms
- transatlantic slave trade
- departure zones
- Charleston
- Senegambia
- West Central Africa
- ethnic groups
The scale of the trade
The transatlantic slave trade lasted from the early 1500s to the mid-1800s. More than 12.5 million enslaved Africans were forced onto ships, on more than 36,000 known voyages. Before the 1800s, more people came to the Americas from Africa than from anywhere else in the world, Europe included.
The five biggest enslaving nations were Portugal, Great Britain, France, Spain and the Netherlands. Most captives went to Brazil and the Caribbean. Of the Africans who survived the voyage, only about 388,000, less than 5 percent of the total, were taken directly to what became the United States. Nearly half of those landed in Charleston, South Carolina, the center of the slave trade in the US.
Where captives came from
Africans brought directly to mainland North America came mainly from areas that match nine present-day regions or countries: Senegambia, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Benin, Nigeria, Angola and Mozambique. Two regions stand out. About a quarter came from Senegambia (around present-day Senegal and Gambia) and about another quarter from Angola in West Central Africa, so together they made up nearly half.
| Region | Example peoples | What they brought |
|---|---|---|
| Senegambia | Wolof, Mandinka | Many were Muslim; skills in rice growing and cattle herding |
| Gold Coast (Ghana) | Akan | Day names like Kofi and Kwame |
| Bight of Biafra (Nigeria) | Igbo | A large share of captives taken to the Chesapeake |
| Bight of Benin (Benin, Nigeria) | Yoruba, Fon | Orisha and vodun religious traditions |
| West Central Africa (Angola, Kongo) | Kongo, Mbundu | Many were Catholic; Bantu languages |
Many origins, many African American cultures
Because captives came from many different peoples, they brought different languages, beliefs and skills. As different African groups met and mixed in America, they created new combinations of African-based culture. Nearly half of those who arrived came from regions where Islam or Christianity was already practiced (1.7).
Where people landed shaped what each community looked like. Different parts of the South drew captives from different mixes of African regions. The Carolina and Georgia lowcountry, Louisiana and the Chesapeake each developed their own blends of African-based language, music, food and faith, which is one reason African American culture has strong regional flavors.
Reading the required maps
Both required sources for this topic are maps: one gives an overview of the slave trade out of Africa, and one shows the regional origins of people taken to North America. Read them for scale and direction. Notice how small the North American share is compared with Brazil and the Caribbean, and which African coastlines sent the most captives.
Worked examples
Try each one yourself first, then open the solution.
- Example 1
Using data from a map
A map shows that most enslaved Africans were taken to Brazil and the Caribbean, with a small share going to mainland North America. Describe one pattern the map shows and give one reason it matters for African American history.
Show the solutionHide the solution
- Step 1: Describe the pattern with numbers you know: about 388,000 of over 12.5 million went to the US.
- Step 2: Explain one consequence: with few new arrivals, the US enslaved population grew mainly through births.
- Step 3: Connect the reason to a later topic, such as the domestic slave trade.
Answer: Model answer: The map shows that only a small share of captives, about 388,000 of more than 12.5 million, were taken directly to what became the United States. This matters because, especially after the 1808 ban on importing captives, the US enslaved population grew mainly through births, so enslavers relied on the domestic slave trade to move people to new cotton lands.
Common mistakes
- Thinking most enslaved Africans were taken to the United States. Brazil and the Caribbean received the great majority.
- Treating Africans as one group. Captives came from many peoples, like the Wolof, Akan, Igbo and Yoruba.
- Forgetting that 12.5 million counts people forced onto ships. Many died during the voyage, so fewer arrived.
On the exam
- Learn the key numbers: over 12.5 million, about 388,000 to the US, nearly half of those through Charleston, about a quarter each from Senegambia and Angola.
- Map questions often ask you to describe a pattern and then explain a cause or effect. Do both.
Connected topics
Videos
Check yourself
4 questions on 2.2 Departure Zones in Africa and the Slave Trade to the United States. Pick an answer to see if you got it, and why.
Enslaved Africans brought to the United States came from many ethnic groups, such as the Wolof, Akan, Igbo and Yoruba. How did this diversity shape African American communities?
| Region where captives landed | Approximate share of Africans who survived the crossing |
|---|---|
| Brazil | About 45 percent |
| British Caribbean | About 20 percent |
| Spanish Americas | About 12 percent |
| French Caribbean | About 11 percent |
| Mainland North America (later the United States) | About 4 percent |
Rounded estimates based on the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database, prepared for this practice set
Which conclusion is best supported by the table?
Although mainland North America received few captives directly from Africa, its enslaved population grew to about four million by the 1860s. The best explanation is that
A limitation of using this table to study African American origins is that it
0 of 4 answered