Portuguese Influence on Religion, Trade, and Collaborations in West Africa

Name Instructor Course Date Portuguese influence in West Africa dealing with religion, trade and collaborations Introduction During the age of exploration and the establishment of trade routes, Portuguese influence in West Africa had significant effects on various aspects of that region ranging from trade, collaborations and religion. It was a great period that spanned from the late 15th century to the 17th century. While analyzing religion, it is open that Portuguese explorer and missionaries played a significant role in introducing Christianity to the West Africa. Explorers like Henry the Navigator and Jesuit missionaries were the main figures behind religious mission seeking to spread Catholicism. It is the interactions between the Portuguese Christians and local African religions that resulted to syncretism form of worship creating unique religious expressions. Establishment of trade routes was another influence of Portuguese to West Africa whereby they opened maritime trade routes along the West African coast. These Portuguese aimed at bypassing the overland trade routes controlled by Muslim merchants and instead establish direct sea routes aimed at accessing direct wealth of West Africa. They also engaged in exchange of various goods like ivory, gold, spices, ivory and later slaves. Collaborations with local kingdoms through alliances with local African kingdoms and rulers directed to mutual benefits as well as military collaborations also express Portuguese influence in West Africa. Analyzing Portuguese influence in West Africa from different scholars’ arguments will offer better insights on their dealings with religion, trade and collaborations for their own benefits as well as West Africa’s benefits. In their documentary history “Africa and the West,”Worger, Clark and Alpers (2010) analyzed the transition between slave trade to conquest, 1441-1905. These authors aimed at understanding the influence that Portuguese had in Africa and the West confirming that Portuguese tried to regulate the trade in slaves during early 16th century among other areas