In the 21st century, slavery and the Atlantic slave trade are considered immoral and probably the most horrible treatment experienced by society and foreign leaders, but the same point of view was considered in the 17th century? The short primary sources, “Nzinga Mbemba: Appeal to the King of Portugal” and “Captain Thomas Phillips: Buying Slaves in 1639,” allow individuals to identify how foreign rulers, particularly kings of African nations, carried out the question of slavery and the slave trade. In the words of Nzinga Mbemba and Captain Phillips, the kings of Congo and Ouidah both knowingly accepted slavery in their countries, but had remarkably opposing views regarding the Atlantic slave trade; King Mbemba banned the slave trade while the King of Ouidah welcomed the slave trade. In the 17th century, slavery was a commodity widely used by Europeans, but it is unknown, however, that African kings also had and accepted slavery in their own nations. King Nzinga Mbemba of Congo and the king of Ouidah had similarities on the issue of slavery; they tolerated the use of slaves. The king of the Congo had no contingency with slavery; in fact, he had slaves in his country. When the Portuguese purchased goods from the Congo, the king had men "check whether the goods mentioned were captives or freemen" (NZ, 622). The fact that the king differentiates men between “free” and “captive” illustrates the fact that not all inhabitants of the Congo are free. Whether these captives are from Congo or not, they are still captured and held across the country against their will. King Mbemba kept slaves because the population of the Congo was decreasing significantly due to the slave trade. In his letter, he pleads with the King of Portugal...... middle of paper ...... and contrasting points from African kings. While they both approved of the use of slaves, Mbemba despised the slave trade and persuaded the Portuguese royalty to end this activity for the benefit of his nation. The king of Ouidah, however, seemed adamant about getting rid of his slaves involved in the trade, with little concern for how the slaves were treated or the impact it affected his country. The mixed opinions on the slave trade and the identical ideas on slavery in the 17th century allow us to see the different conceptions that the two issues had on the kings of Africa. Works Cited Reilly, “Nzinga Mbemba: Appeal to the King of Portugal”. History Worlds, Volume Two: Since 1400: A Comparative Reader, July 2010, [620-623]. Reilly, “Captain Thomas Phillips: Buying Slaves in 1693.” Worlds of History, Volume Two: Since 1400: A Comparative Reader, July, 2010, [623-629].