Between 1400 and 1900, the African continent experienced four simultaneous slave trades. The largest and most well-known is the trans-Atlantic slave trade where slaves were shipped from West Africa, West Central Africa and Eastern Africa to the European colonies in the New World.

During the trans-Atlantic slave trade alone, approximately 12 million slaves were exported from Africa. This figure does not include those who were killed during the raids or those who died on their journey to the coast.

Africa’s slave trades,unlike previous slave trades, individuals of the same or similar ethnicity enslaved one another. The most common manner in which slaves were taken was through villages or states raiding one another

The conflict between communities, caused by the external demand for slaves, resulted in conflict within communities. Because of the general environment of uncertainty and insecurity at the time, individuals required weapons, such as spears, iron knives, swords or firearms, to defend themselves. These weapons could be obtained from Europeans in exchange for slaves, which were often obtained through local kidnappings. This further perpetuated the slave trade and the insecurity that it caused, which in turn further increased the need to enslave others to protect oneself

The slave trades weakened ties between villages, they also discouraged the formation of larger communities and broader ethnic identities. Therefore, the slave trades may be an important factor explaining Africa’s high level of ethnic fractionalization today.

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