Lesson 1: The Coming of Europe
1. Prince Henry the Navigator- In the early 15th century, Portugal rapidly grew from a weak and modest nation to pioneers in many facets of exploration. Much of this ingenuity was due to the youngest son of John I, Prince Henry the Navigator. He pushed Portuguese advancement in “ship design, map making, and systems of navigation, and gradually Portuguese exploration brought the West African coast into view” (July 152).
2. Nzinga a Nkuwu- The ruler of The Kingdom of the Kongo between 1470 and 1509, who converted to Christianity after Portuguese missionaries arrived at his court with gifts and offerings. The Portuguese wanted trading rights while providing Nzinga a Nkuwu with technology and religion, creating an alliance of sorts. The Kongo was crucially important for trading along the African coast, and Nkuwu’s alliance with Portugal created the group known as the Atlantic Creole, or the generation of charter slaves and indentured workers.
3. East India Company- An English group of merchants formed what is known as the East India Company, which was instrumental in advancing trade. African colonization was never initially planned when employees of the East India Company set out on Dutch ships, but it soon became their advantageous goal of many Europeans. For many decades after, the company quickly created a trade monopoly and commercial empire.
4. Trekboer- With great expansion in this new region of the world came great dema...
