EFFECTS: EXPANSION OF AFRICAN STATES

• the expansion of maritime trading networks also fostered the growth of some African states who participated in them, thus connecting these states to global economic linkages these networks represented, even if the nerworks were becoming increasingly European-centered
• Asante Empire

  • able to provide highly valuable good (gold, ivory, enslaved people that europeans were after
  • asante and european trade made the empire extremely wealthy
  • asantes wealth was able to expand their military and consolidate their political power over more regions
• Congo

  • made strong diplomatic ties with the portuguese
  • provided portuguese with gold, copper, and enslaved people
  • similar to how other african merchants converted to islam to be closer to the trading world, the king of congo converted to christianity to facilitate trade with christian states that were willing to trade