Final answer:
The tumultuous events in Europe before the Peace of Westphalia led to an increased demand for African slaves in the Americas.
Step-by-step explanation:
The tumultuous events in Europe before the Peace of Westphalia had a significant impact on the demand for African slaves in the Americas. The advent of Europe's age of discovery and exploration led to increased European wealth and the need for labor in the New World. As a result, Europeans began importing slaves from Africa, particularly from West African polities along the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic coast, in exchange for goods like guns. These developments altered the nature of society in Africa, militarizing states and reorienting African trade.