Final answer:
The Intra-African Slave Trade refers to the trade of slaves within Africa before the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Life for slaves varied depending on the African societies they were enslaved in, with some gaining positions and their children being born free. The exact number of slaves traded in the Intra-African Slave Trade is unknown, but it is believed to be significant due to wars, expeditions, and the arrival of European traders.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Intra-African Slave Trade
The Intra-African Slave Trade refers to the trade of slaves within Africa before the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Slavery was a traditional element in African societies, and slaves were often obtained through warfare or as payment of debts. African traders would include slaves in commerce with European traders, who readily accepted them as enslaved laborers and domestic servants.
Life for Slaves in the Intra-African Slave Trade
Life for slaves in the Intra-African Slave Trade varied depending on the African societies they were enslaved in. Some enslaved captives gained positions in the societies that had captured them, and their children were generally born free. However, enslaved Africans were often kept imprisoned in small, crowded rooms, segregated by sex and age, and sometimes branded. The mortality rate during the trade was high, with many slaves dying during the forced march and the Middle Passage.
Number of Slaves Traded
The exact number of slaves traded in the Intra-African Slave Trade is unknown. However, the number is believed to be significant, as rival peoples were targeted, wars were launched, and expeditions were led to kidnap people who lived far away. The arrival of Europeans willing to pay large sums changed the focus of the African slave trade, leading to the capture and enslavement of large numbers of Africans for transportation across the Atlantic.