While investigating the increased warfare in West Africa between the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries, what do many historians argue is the key factor in increasing warfare at large?

Question

The europeans firearms sale-enslavement cycle.
varying local currencies, such as the nzimbu shells.
wars of succession.
dangerous envronments along the Bight of Benin

Answer 1

Many historians argue that the key factor in increasing warfare in West Africa between the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries was the Europeans firearms sale-enslavement cycle. This cycle involved Europeans trading firearms, particularly muskets and cannons, with local African rulers in exchange for enslaved individuals who were then transported to the Americas as part of the transatlantic slave trade. The introduction of firearms not only changed the dynamics of warfare but also led to increased competition among African states for resources, power, and dominance. This, in turn, resulted in a significant rise in warfare and conflicts throughout the region.