1) Common perceptions of slavery, especially in the United States, associate it with Africans. Was this the case prior to 1500? What was the racial component of slavery during this period?
2) Examine the reasons for the differences in Portuguese involvement in Kongo and in Ndongo. Why were the Portuguese more successful in one region than in the other?
3) What role did religion play in the conquests and politics of Morocco in the period between 1500 and 1850? Would events have been significantly different had religion not been as much of a factor in the motives of some groups? Why or why not?
4) Compare and contrast Portuguese activity in East Africa with European involvement in North Africa after 1500. Were Portuguese practices particularly brutal in comparison with contemporary conquests elsewhere?