The Dutch, along with the English took advantage of the decline of the Empire in West Africa. They wanted to be part of the trade, and they seized forts along the coast, in order to take over trading along the coast of the Indian Ocean. The Europeans did not have much influence on the inner areas of Africa; however, they took over the coast, and removed many men, women, and children from their homes in order to trade them as slaves. The Europeans traded the slaves with the Portuguese, and eventually with other countries. This continued throughout the centuries; consequently, sending over 275,000 enslaved Africans to other countries. The Europeans did not feel this was cruel, they were only carrying on a tradition. With the importation
