Article 2- Human Sacrifice

Question 1

Who was king Geo and what was his significance?

Answer 1

Target of British diplomacy, Britain attempted to persuade him to abolish the slave trade and human sacrifice

Question 2

What was the “humanitarian package deal” in British treaties with African rulers?

Answer 2

A bundle of treaty clauses abolishing slavery, human sacrifice, twin killings, trial by ordeal, and other practices seen as barbaric by British standards

Question 3

how did missionaries contribute to the abolition of human sacrifice?

Answer 3

pushed for moral reforms by trying to push their own political and religious beliefs on rulers (christianity and British support)

Question 4

What was British justification for using force in West Africa?

Answer 4

British argued that African rulers were failing to comply with treaties and acting without moral values (barbarically, uncivilized)(especially regarding human sacrifice, etc) and used this justification to legitimize military intervention

Question 5

What were the Fante Bonds?

Answer 5

Bonds between Fante and British government established in 1844, prohibited human sacrifice and other “barbarous customs”, marked expansion of British legal reach (brought Gold Coast under British colony rule), aimed to protect independence of fante states

Question 6

What happened in Benin in 1897?

Answer 6

British troops invaded and destroyed Benin, justifying it based on Benin’s violations of treaties and continued human sacrifice.

Question 7

What agreement was established between britain and fante in 1844?

Answer 7

fante bonds

Question 8

what was the treaty of fomena?

Answer 8

1874, Asante accepted British demands - agreed to stop human sacrifice, symbolized British military and moral victory

Question 9

What criticism was raised against British interventions?

Answer 9

critics claimed that moral concerns and humanitarian motives were a mask for economic motives like controlling trade routes and resources

Question 10

how was the slave trade liked to human sacrifice in abolitionist arguments?

Answer 10

abolitionists claimed the slave trade devalued human life, enabling human sacrifice - eliminating it would stop both

Question 11

what broader imperial goal did humanitarian discourse on human sacrifice support?

Answer 11

civilizing mission to align all values with euro-christian western values

Question 12

What was the conference of Valladolid?

Answer 12

1550-1551 - confrontation between international law and human sacrifice - arguments that Human sacrifice violated natural law and must be punished

Question 13

what happened in 1550-1551

Answer 13

conference of Valladolid

Question 14

What was Sierra Leone?

Answer 14

Sierra Leone was turned into crown colony in 1808 as HQ for British activities on abolition of slave trade on west coast

Question 15

who was king Eyo?/what was his significance?

Answer 15

in 1850, king Eyo of Nigeria - creek town agreed to stop sacrifice but it continued to be practiced - responsible for stopping twin infanticide