What I mean is, which preceding musical traditions came together to form it/influence it? I've heard, country, flamenco, African folk music, etc., all had a part. I'd just like to know more with certainty what they are and how they came to form this new type of music. Hopefully someone can help me.
If you're interested in the history of jazz (which I would consider blues a subset of), I would recommend watching the Ken Burn's documentary, Jazz.