1) On page 52, the author -- Claude Meillassoux -- quotes indirectly (click here for details regarding the difference between direct and indirect quotations) from Ibn Battuta, a famous traveler from Morocco who described in detail his

more on Ibn Battuta

observations of the lands he visited between the years 1325 and 1351. In particular, Meillassoux relies upon Ibn Battuta for information on the nature of slavery within Africa before what Meillassoux thinks is African slavery's transformation in the 15th century. (Note: Meillassoux addresses the nature of slavery within Africa before the rise of the European-dominated transatlantic slave trade in the late 15th

What does "ibid" mean in the text?

century).

According to Ibn Battuta, were all of the enslaved Africans in Mali working as domestic servants in either the palace of the ruler or private homes of the elite? Or were there other, more difficult tasks, to which these enslaved Africans were put by their owners?

2) In the section entitled "From Merchant Cities to Muslim Aristocrats" (starts p. 54), Meillassoux describes the rise of interregional trade within West Africa. According to Meillassoux, what social change within Africa triggered the rising demand for the products that were traded?

3) Meillassoux credits the rise of interregional trade in the Sahel with a change in the nature of slavery within Africa at this time (p. 57). According to the author, in what ways does slavery change in this period and why does trade within Africa encourage this change?

4) Keeping in mind the transformation in slavery discussed in question 4, how does this form of slavery differ from the aristocratic slavery that came before?Hint: look to p. 54, as well as the bottom of p. 55 to top of p. 56.

5) On pages 61 and 62, Meillassoux describes a series of wars between different groups within Africa that were fought primarily to capture more slaves. Meillassoux points out that although it might seem odd to some now that these ferocious slave-capturing wars occured after Europe had essentially withdrawn from the transatlantic slave trade, in fact such wars emerged for particular reasons that make them more comprehensible.

quick history of the Abolition of the Transatlantic Slave Trade

According to Meillassoux, why did African leaders wage these slave-capturing wars after Europeans and North Americans had (largely) stopped purchasing enslaved Africans?