Answer: The slave trade had weakened many African kingdoms.
Step-by-step explanation:
Although the Spanish and Portuguese had already been enslaving African eople since the 1500s, the Atlantic slave trade of the 18th century was different and to a bigger scale. The huge demand for slaves pushed leaders into constant conflict with locals, which diverted them from trade and undermined their defenses. Eventually, the weakening of the African kingdoms would lead to further colonization by Europeans throughout the 1800s.