In the years after the Civil War, the Africa Squadron was tasked to suppress which activity?

• A. The slave trade along the African coast
• B. Piracy in the Caribbean
• C. Slave labor in the Caribbean
• D. Smuggling along the Atlantic coast

Answer: (A)

The main idea being tested is how abolition was enforced at sea. After the Civil War, the Africa Squadron’s purpose was to halt the transatlantic slave trade by patrolling the West African coast and intercepting ships carrying enslaved Africans bound for the Americas. This kept international pressure on the slave trade even though slavery had been abolished in the United States. The squadron’s actions focused on ships off Africa, not on piracy in the Caribbean, Caribbean slave labor, or smuggling along the U.S. Atlantic coast. By patrolling the coast, inspecting vessels, and detaining suspected slavers, the Africa Squadron aimed to prevent the importation of enslaved people and promote the ongoing abolitionist effort.