How Did Portuguese Change Over Time
Change Over Time: Portugal and Africa
During the Age of Exploration the Portuguese had a great interest in the African continent. They conquered the city of morocco first then continued to do the same all over western Africa. They originally went to Africa to spread Christianity and they hoped to find gold, but over time found the real money was in the slave trade there. In Africa, there were some civilizations that had built up there such as Morocco. They controlled the gold trade and Portugal wanted to take control of this trade. Morocco fell to the Portuguese in 1433 and they controlled the gold trade while there. They quickly started trading with many European, Asian, and Muslim North African countries. They took all the wealth for
themselves and left nothing for the natives, which forced many of them into poverty. The main goal for taking control of West Africa was to spread Christianity. Most of the natives were either Muslim or they worshiped many of the same local religions of there ancestors. They brought with them many Christian missionaries and many of the natives converted. Most of the culture of the people came from their religion, so when they converted the people they started lose their culture. As time went on they also started to lose their language. The natives spoke many different local languages, but began to learn Portuguese. The biggest thing that affected the people in Africa was the slave trade. The People in the new world that were building large plantations and needed slaves to work on them. Also there were many slaves that were needed in Europe and Asia as well. When they Portuguese came to Africa they brought with them many diseases, such as smallpox. These killed many of the natives because they did not have as much medical knowledge as the Portuguese. These two things together decreased the population of the native Africans and spread them all over the world. As you can see, there have been many consequences, short and long term, that affected Africa when Portugal took it over from taking their gold, to taking their culture, all the way to taking them to other countries as slaves.
During the Age of Exploration the Portuguese had a great interest in the African continent. They conquered the city of morocco first then continued to do the same all over western Africa. They originally went to Africa to spread Christianity and they hoped to find gold, but over time found the real money was in the slave trade there. In Africa, there were some civilizations that had built up there such as Morocco. They controlled the gold trade and Portugal wanted to take control of this trade. Morocco fell to the Portuguese in 1433 and they controlled the gold trade while there. They quickly started trading with many European, Asian, and Muslim North African countries. They took all the wealth for
themselves and left nothing for the natives, which forced many of them into poverty. The main goal for taking control of West Africa was to spread Christianity. Most of the natives were either Muslim or they worshiped many of the same local religions of there ancestors. They brought with them many Christian missionaries and many of the natives converted. Most of the culture of the people came from their religion, so when they converted the people they started lose their culture. As time went on they also started to lose their language. The natives spoke many different local languages, but began to learn Portuguese. The biggest thing that affected the people in Africa was the slave trade. The People in the new world that were building large plantations and needed slaves to work on them. Also there were many slaves that were needed in Europe and Asia as well. When they Portuguese came to Africa they brought with them many diseases, such as smallpox. These killed many of the natives because they did not have as much medical knowledge as the Portuguese. These two things together decreased the population of the native Africans and spread them all over the world. As you can see, there have been many consequences, short and long term, that affected Africa when Portugal took it over from taking their gold, to taking their culture, all the way to taking them to other countries as slaves.