Petitions of African Chiefs Essay

1. When the slave trade was abolished in certain regions of Africa, the Africans were forced to find other alternative sources of livelihood such as entering in a legitimate trade of shipping various products.     Ã‚  Instead of selling human beings as merchandise, the Africans accepted the timber trade when it was introduced by the Europeans.   However, when   the timber trade did not succeed, they turned to growing and exporting ground nuts and when this too did not come through, the Africans resorted to palm oil trading – the subject of King Ockiya’s letter to the Earl of Derby. 2. Since the abolition of the African slave trade, Africans having been trying to find other sources of income and livelihood.   Among such is the valued palm oil which they collected from the hinterlands.   However, greedy British traders wanted to bypass them and go directly to the source of these valued commodity.   Hence, the African leaders were asking the British to let them have their own source of livelihood, free of intervention from the Europeans who were already encroaching on their trading posts thereby stopping the African trade completely. The petitions and demands of the African leaders show how powerful the Europeans are that even building huts or places of abode are considered taxable.   Nonetheless, these ruthlessness of the Europeans paved the way for the Africans to wake up and saw all of these as an assault to their customs, livelihood and traditions. Lin’s Letter to Queen Victoria 1. The rise of the opium trade in China according to Lin has poisoned and injured its people.   The laws of the country have been disregard in lieu of the temptations and addiction of the opium drug. 1. Lin tries to convince Queen Victoria to stop the opium trade by appealing to their conscience and strict morality. He tries to emphasize that since opium is forbidden in Britain and brings harm to the British people, the Queen must condemn it as well especially its importation.   As Lin proudly said, China has only exported things that are beneficial to the people and opium is not one of them. By giving the impression that China only exports things that are beneficial, from which the world has undoubtedly benefited, Lin thinks that Queen Victoria and the rest of Britain might be convinced of his argument.   However, the tone of Lin’s letter is also threatening whereby he gives the appearance that China in consonance with its laws will not hesitate to execute anyone caught selling and using the prohibited drug. Hence, the response of the British will naturally be to disregard Lin and his contention, even get angry at such preposterousness.