The French Language And The Slave Trade - Assignment Example

The French Language And The Slave Trade The transatlantic trade occurred mainly in Africa between the 15th century and the 19th century. The trade involved what is commonly referred to as slave trade. This kind of trade made the French ship Africans to America, the Caribbean and their country, France. Slaves would then be used as workers in extensive plantations in America, the Caribbean, and France. Other territories in the greater Europe also took part in the transatlantic trade. However, the trade is today illegal and considered a crime against humanity (Dubois, 11). The transatlantic trade had various effects on the French colonies. The effects were both social and economic. In terms of social effects, it led to conflicts among Africans themselves. The French used to bribe some Africans to lure and capture their own. After the others had begun realizing what was going on, they started revenging against the collaborators. It led to “misery and loneliness. This is because the French were capturing on the active and healthy individuals who would look after cows, plough their farms or go out hunting for food so that their children and older parents and other beneficiaries could benefit from them” (Parkman, 36). Another social effect of the slave trade is language. The local languages of the Africans where the French were carrying out their trade changed drastically. The languages were mixed in some instances with the French whereas others the Africans adopted the French language entirely.In West Africa where these incidences were highly reported, the national and official language is French. This is evident in countries such as Mali, Senegal, Cameroun and others. The trade hence led to a change in languages (Lery, 04). Additionally, the mixture of the traditional African culture with foreign French culture resulted in the erasure of the African culture. The French ensured that their culture is superior and more felt on the ground than the traditional African culture. Since then, the African culture in those countries was erased and replaced with the French thus affecting Africans more. In fact, most of the children who were born after the transatlantic trade do not recognize a great deal of their cultures (Dubois, 51). The economic impacts were as many as the social ones. First, there was exploitation of Africa’s resources by the French. “After they realized that the West African countries were rich in natural resources, the French began exploiting them and sending to France where they would benefit them. These acts made Africans not to benefit from their resources” (Parkman, 67). Whoever would question how they were being robbed of their resources would be killed or arrested for torturing. The Africans hence chose to remain quiet although there were some factions who could not hold it more (Parkman, 50). Besides, the French used to abduct only the strong and healthy men. These were the people with whom the communities had much trust when it comes to fending for their families. They had the energy to fish, go hunting, plough their fields and rare their animals in the best manner. The French came after such men thus jeopardizing the community’s means of surviving. This would in advance make the local people suffer from hunger and other related effects (Parkman, 99). The transatlantic trade made the Africans and their countries shift their form of the economy from the agricultural economy to industrial economy. It is a negative impact as most Africans began having overdependence on European goods and services. This made them become slaves up to today as they have to work every day in those industries for them to eat and fend for their families (Lery, 12). The effects were same in all colonies. If one takes a tour of the West Africa where the impact of the transatlantic trade was felt more significantly from the French, they will realize that the countries have almost the same economic status, the political and social wellbeing of the people is literary the same. What is being felt in Cote d Voire is the same in Mauritania, Mali and Senegal among others. The effects were just the same (Dubois, 68). There are various factors that led to the social uprising and eventual emancipation of African slaves in the colonies. First, there was a lull, hue and cry from the world over about abolition of slave trade. These cries from a human rights organization that had started springing forced the French to abolish the acts. The Africans were thus left to do their things not to be shipped forcefully to work in foreign lands. This proved the effects of social movements and the concern from the governments worldwide (Lery, 81). The emancipation was also brought by campaigns by the abolitionists. The abolition campaigns were led by French politicians who, however, did not support the issue initially. They later joined hands and forced the French government to stop conducting the slave trade. “France was also the first country in the world to issue the first ever emancipatory act. This law made it abolish the trade twice both in 1794 and 1848. Each of these occurred in the midst of turmoil” (Parkman, 111). Additionally, it was caused by weak colonial control of the colonies. French began feeling pressure from its colonies and occurrences of major uprisings that made it hard for it offers centralized control. The riots in the most parts of Africa made French to abandon its ways and follow emancipation (Parkman, 309). Also, French was feeling major incursions from by Spain and Britain especially in Saint-Domingue. With the resuming of slavery in 1802, there was only one exception, Saint-Domingue, which claimed its independence as Haiti (Lery, 34). Post-emancipation societies encountered various challenges such as poor economic levels, eroded cultures, unstable governments, and civil wars. The poor economic levels came as a result of the exploitation and misuse of the African’s resources by the French. The post-emancipation societies thus had to cope up with the little available for their survival (Parkman, 256). The societies also faced civil wars. People began fighting over the little resources available. Everyone wanted to have a stake in the resources thus triggering wars. These wars made the countries run into debts, and reduced economic standards (Parkman, 146). The governments also lacked stability. The leaders had a lot at their stake such as regaining normalcy, improving their economies, among others. The French had robbed them of a lot hence making them suffer a lot. They found it rough to run their countries after they were emancipated (Parkman, 300). The directions were taken after post-emancipation shaped the Caribbean countries in various ways. “Haiti was the first black republic in the world that came into existence as a result of slavery. The country gained its independence after France had taken most of them hostage, working on the plantations as slaves” (Parkman, 306). Also within the Caribbean is Guadeloupe whose earliest inhabitants were the French. The people thus residing in Haiti and Guadeloupe have French impacts. Mostly, their form of political organizations is a perfect copycat of the French and their culture. Their style of leadership today is emulated in the same way as the French method (Lery, 32). For instance, in Guadeloupe, there was a scramble between the British and the French. However, the Vienna Convention brought it back to the French. Since then, the island has been under the culture of the French with French being the official and national language. However, there is creole that is spoken of English being used widely. The form of leadership in both Haiti and Guadeloupe is copied from the French form of administration. The leaders consider French as their mother country although they were mostly from Africa (Dubois, 21). In conclusion, the effects of the transatlantic trade in Africa by the French can be felt until today. Most countries in Africa have the French form of administration, speak French, and have an entirely changed society with the French culture. The trade also led to the emergence of new countries such as Haiti in the Caribbean. Due to these, the French presence in Africa cannot thus be overlooked. Works Cited Dubois, Laurent. A Colony of Citizens: Revolution & Slave Emancipation in the French Caribbean, 1787-1804. Williamsburg: Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture, 2004. Lery, Jean De. History of a Voyage to the Land of Brazil. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1993. Parkman, Francis. Pioneers Of France In The New World. Boston: Little, Brown and Co, 1898. Read More