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The Atlantic has always served as a model for exploration and discovery. One thing that motivates explorers of all kinds was a Spanish word for great wealth: Potosi. Cities were built to fuel the trade networks. Often, a myriad of cultures intermingled within these cities because wealth attracted more than just the European explorers. Yoruba speaking people were actually an blend of West African cultures like the Egba, Ondo, Awori, brought together based on similar language, mythology, and religion. They ranged from SW Nigeria to the Benin Republic to Ghana and Togo. It resembles the Mande-Speaking people in Brooks’ “Ecological Perspectives” because it was about African tribes that had striking similarities with each other. Yoruba settlements like Oyo had boundaries and a layout that divided certain tribes into certain areas for them to live and congregate.
In contrast, Potosi was like a melting pot for the Atlantic treasure seekers because trade linked countries together. I agree with Andre’s Post on trade and culture because the hunt for wealth created hotbeds for civilization and intermingling like Potosi because everyone wanted a piece of Potosi for their own gain. Mining precious minerals was at an all time high and the mines were exploited. So much so, mine collapses became common. In fact, mines symbolized “the dark heart of exploitation (Mangan, 5).” It’s unfortunate that greed drove some people to their death but shows the immense draw that gold had on them. So, precious resources and similar cultures came together to fulfill their goals of wealth and unity.
After reading both articles, I came to the conclusion that an Atlantic city is a city built upon a series of networks intertwined with the rest of the Atlantic world because it connects one area with another in terms of various cultures and trade. Yoruba speaking people came together in settlements and Potosi brought treasure hunters together. Either way, people from all walks of life came and settled for whatever it is they wanted most. Uniting people was a component in the growth of the Atlantic cities and world.