Final answer:
In the 1500s, Africa became involved in European trade due to the growing European demand for enslaved Africans to work in their colonies in the Americas.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the 1500s, Africa became involved in European trade due to several factors. The Europeans, such as Portugal, Spain, England, France, and the Netherlands, had a growing demand for enslaved people to work in their colonies in the Americas. They offered firearms, manufactured goods, and other valuable items in exchange for captives from West African polities along the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic coast.
This trade in enslaved people reoriented African societies and led to militarization of states. Some African kingdoms, like Whydah and Dahomey, enriched themselves by supplying Europeans with captive Africans. This trade altered the nature of African society and facilitated the exchange of goods.