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Map of Influence: Portugal and Kongo

Task

Overview

For this activity you will create an annotated map using the primary source images from earlier that reveal the perspectives of at least two particular places in different continental regions of the world.

Line/Colours and Meanings:

Line and Colours

Colours are used to show the topic discussed, and the lines connect the areas of this topic.

Yellow: respresents the influence of one place on another.

Green: represents cooperation between two places.

Red: respresents conflict between two places.

Blue: represents other information shared.

Influence of Kongo on Portugal

Influence

Kongo influenced Portugal to a much lesser extent than Portugal influenced them, however, they did impact them in other aspects. In 1483, when the Portuguese arrived in Kongo, the Kongolese made a deal to sell them, prisoners, from their surrounding regions as slaves, which is thought to have started the Atlantic Slave Trade. This slave trade in Kongo brought significant wealth to Portugal, which gave them a reason to spread their colonial growth throughout Africa to search for more opportunities to gain slaves. After the Portuguese brought Christianity to Kongo, their once important ceremonial art pieces were no longer important, which they then commercialized and traded, exposing Portugal to the Kongolese culture. Kongo also played a massive role in ending Portugal's war with the kingdom of Ndongo in 1579, as they provided troops that were more skilled and knowledgeable of the terrain than the Portuguese were.

Influence of Portugal on Kongo

Influence

The Portuguese greatly influenced Kongo in multiple ways that changed the nation permanently. The Portuguese were the first to expose Western culture and Christianity to the Kongolese, which they quickly adopted within their own culture. Before the Portuguese colonization, the Kongolese artistic expression was primarily reserved for ceremonies that featured dance, music, sculptures, and oral literature. However, after the Portuguese arrived, they shifted to mainly producing ritual objects for trade and transforming their music and dance into a fusion of African and Western styles. An example of the permanent effect the Portuguese had on the Kongolese is music called Rhumba, as it is the successor to some of the forms created during the colonization. Christianity was also quickly embraced, especially by the king and his son, who both adopted Christian names and helped promote the religions spread across the kingdom. Christianity smoothly spread across the nation as before the Portuguese arrival, the Kongolese were already considered monotheistic, which means that the idea of a singular god was already familiar and accepted. The Portuguese also changed Kongolese farming as they brought new world produce such as corn and cassava. This new product offered tremendous new sources of nutrition, which led to new dishes and also aided in population growth, and revitalized Portugal’s slave trade.

Cooperation between Portugal and Kongo

In the beginning Portugal and the Kongolese cooperated together in ways that were fair and mutually beneficial. Portugal's arrival in Kongo brought many new items and knowledge that were new to the Kongolese. The Kongolese were also expanding their kingdom, capturing many foreigners for them to sell to the Portuguese which boosted both of the country's economies. The Kongolese had greater knowledge of Africa while the Portuguese had superior weaponry, which meant as both countries were interested in conquest, they both could help each other when needed. The Portuguese also brought Christianity, which the Kongolese accepted. During this time education and the church were interconnected which helped educate some of the people of Kongo. One of the Kongolese rulers, Afonso I learned how to read and write in multiple languages, including Portuguese. These new literary skills led him to write many letters which contained some of the best accounts of pre-colonial Africa. Scholars still reference his work today for this reason.

Cooperation

Conflict

Portugal and Kongo had intense conflicts with each other that only grew over time. Trade with the Portuguese was mostly for slaves, and in the beginning, the slaves were foreign prisoners that were offered voluntarily by the Kongolese for a price. This slave trade benefitted both of the nations economically, however, the Kongolese began to run out of slaves they were willing to trade, but the Portuguese need for slaves persisted which led to the beginning of the kidnappings of the Kongolese people no matter their wealth or social rank. This distraught King Afonso I, and caused him to lose legitimacy in the eyes of his people. This led him to write letters to the Portuguese king begging to end his colonialists and merchant treachery because it felt like a betrayal of their agreements and treaties. In a letter written in 1526, the Kongolese king said “We cannot reckon how great the damage is since the mentioned merchants are taking every day our natives, sons of the land and sons of the noblemen and our vassals and our relatives because the thieves and men of bad conscience grab them wishing to have the things and wares of this kingdom which they are ambitious of; they grab them and get them to be sold; and so great, Sir, is the corruption and licentiousness that our country is being completely depopulated, and Your Highness should not agree with this or accept it as in your service. And to avoid it we need from those (your J Kingdoms no more than some priests and a few people to teach in schools and no other goods except wine and flour for the holy sacrament. is why we beg of Your Highness to help and assist us in this matter, commanding your factors that they should not send here either merchants or wares because it is our will in that in these Kingdoms there should not be any trade in slaves or outlets for them …” Unfortunately, the Portuguese king ignored the letters. This caused the Kongolese king to begin expelling Portuguese people from their land. After this, the Portuguese assassinated King Afonso I and replaced him with a new leader that shared the Portuguese views. This meant that these injustices lasted for many years, permanently scarring the nation economically, financially, and culturally.

References

References

“Kongo.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., https://www.britannica.com/place/Kongo-historical-kingdom-Africa.

“Cultural Life.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., https://www.britannica.com/place/Republic-of-the-Congo/Cultural-life.

Metmuseum.org, https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/acko/hd_acko.htm.

“Kingdom of Kongo 1390 – 1914.” South African History Online, https://www.sahistory.org.za/article/kingdom-kongo-1390-1914.

Fiona Foster, Tidewater Community College. “History of World Civilization II.” Lumen, https://courses.lumenlearning.com/atd-tcc-worldciv2/chapter/primary-source-king-affonso-of-congo/.

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