Question

In New York Times "The World: The Atlantic Slave Trade; On Both Sides, Reason for Remorse" by Howard W. French. Describe in your own words what going on in this article and why this article so important towards the readers?

Answer 1

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West African society was not uniform before the coming of Europeans. However, there were fundamental similaritiesin the patterns of life found in the area bounded by the River Senegal to the north and southern Angola to the south; that is thearea which was the principal resort of the European slave ships. In this region society was based on family and kinship networks,though the basic social unit was the family; and in some cases there existed what we call ‘stateless societies’ where there was nopolitical superstructure at all. But for the most part the West African communities constituted states with governments, withterritorial boundaries and a ruling class of kings, nobles, elders, priests, guilds, and leaders of secret societies.

The rulers wereresponsible for the order and stability which allowed citizens to get on with their day-to-day lives in peace; the rulers were theguardians of the law and the authorities who decided how land should be used and distributed. In turn, the rulers weresupported by the agricultural labor of the majority of the inhabitants. There was also some manufacturing activity, exchange bybarter and long distance trade in a variety of items from metals to salt. These then were the essentials of the West Africancultures which were brought into contact with European traders and raiders with the coming of the Atlantic slave trade.