plantations were the main source of labor in the portuguese colony.
plantations were the main source of labor in the portuguese colony.
what was the main source of labor in the portuguese colony?
plantations
in the 17th century, the imbangala became the main rivals of the mbundu in supplying slaves to the luanda market. in the 1750s, between 5,000 and 10,000 slaves were annually sold. by this time, angola, a portuguese colony, was in fact like a colony of brazil, paradoxically another portuguese colony. a strong degree of brazilian influence was noted in luanda until the independence of brazil in 1822. in the 19th century, still under portuguese rule, luanda experienced a major economic revolution. the slave trade was abolished in 1836, and in 1844, angola's ports were opened to foreign shipping. by 1850, luanda was one of the greatest and most developed portuguese cities in the vast portuguese empire outside continental portugal, full of trading companies, exporting (together with benguela) palm and peanut oil, wax, copal, timber, ivory, cotton, coffee, and cocoa, among many other products. maize, tobacco, dried meat, and cassava flour are also produced locally. the angolan bourgeoisie was born by this time.
luanda
portuguese explorers and settlers had founded trading posts and forts along the coast of africa since the 15th century, and reached the angolan coast in the 16th century. portuguese explorer paulo dias de novais founded luanda in 1575 as "são paulo de loanda", and the region developed as a slave trade market with the help of local imbangala and mbundu peoples who were notable slave hunters. trade was mostly with the portuguese colony of brazil in the new world. brazilian ships were the most numerous in the ports of luanda and benguela. by this time, angola, a portuguese colony, was in fact more like a colony of brazil, another portuguese colony. a strong brazilian influence was also exercised by the jesuits in religion and education.
portuguese angola