The Atlantic Slave Trade

The Atlantic Slave Trade

Chapter Two

Students should know that…..

• Slavery in Africa has a long history.• The Triangular Trade linked three

continents.• Africans suffered through the middle

passage.• The slave trade had a lasting effect.

Slavery Has A Long History

• Slavery has been around since ancient times.• In Africa, slavery was known well before the

Atlantic Slave Trade.• For example, beginning in the 8th C - millions of

Africans exported as slaves by Arabs - trans-Saharan trade route

The Atlantic Slave Trade• 1441 - Portuguese sailor seized ten Africans near the

Western Sahara - often referred to as the beginning of the Atlantic slave trade.

• At first African slaves were sent to Portugal, Spain and Italy.

• Portuguese used slaves as domestics and butlers, and as workers on sugar plantations.

• Plantation system comes to America with colonization - the Portuguese called on European traders to supply slaves

• This led to the establishment of the direct slave trade across the Atlantic.

Europeans Sought wealth In America

• European nations such as Spain sought to exploit the wealth in the Americas.

• Native Americans were one source• Indentured servants were another source

of labour. • The need for more labour led them to look

to Africa

The Asiento System

• Portugal had African trading posts• Spain imported their slaves through the

Portuguese• 1518 – Asiento - a license to import slaves

into the colonies. • Slaves were priced according to their

labour potential

• Valued in terms of a unit known as a “peca de India” or an Indian piece.

• Each healthy person between the ages of 15 and 25, who passed inspection, was worth one peca de India.

• Between the ages of 8 to 15, and 25 and 35, three were valued at two peca de India.

Captain John Hawkins’ Coat of Arms

Triangular Trade Route

• Between Africa, Europe and The Americas.

• Three main Stages• 1. Goods were shipped from Europe to

Africa.• 2. Slaves were taken to the Americas.• 3. Produce, cash and promissory notes

were transported back to Europe.

Preparing to Export Slaves• Slave ships had to be acquired.• A ship’s captain was needed - direct the voyage

and be able to deal with slave traders in Africa.• Goods to exchange for slaves.• A crew had to be put together for the voyage.• Had to go at the right time of year.• Slave markets of Senegal and Angola were most

often visited. The Bight of Benin exported so many slaves it became known as The Slave Coast.

Sources of Slaves• Wars – basically slave raids. Europeans would

sell gunpowder and guns, then they would be used to acquire more slaves.

• Kidnapping – Especially women and children, found them in an isolated area

• Debts – people who couldn’t repay debt were sometimes sold into slavery.

• Tribute – some states gave slaves as tribute to avoid further warfare.

• Judicial process – individuals could be condemned to slavery for alleged crimes.

Africans and The Slave Trade

• Africans themselves were drawn into the slave trade - received goods, including firearms, in return for securing slaves.

• Some kings tried to resist but were defeated.• Some African leaders tried to resist but

participated in order to get firearms for protection

Other Goods of the Trade

• African traders received textiles, guns, gunpowder, alcoholic beverages, mirrors, jewelry and iron bars in return for slaves.

• Household goods such as pots, pans, knives, clocks and locks were also traded.

• Once these goods were exchanged the slaves were examined head to toe for blemishes or defects.

Olaudah Equiano

• A slave who survived, bought his freedom and wrote about his life.

The Middle Passage

• The long voyage from Africa to America was called the Middle Passage.

• Millions died on the trip.• Those who survived were later maimed through

the course of their slave labor.• Very few were fortunate, like Olaudah Equiano,

to escape slavery or live to tell and write about it.

Africans Suffered During The Middle Passage

• Some thought they were being taken away to be eaten.

• Slaves were chained together in very cramped conditions.

• Diseases such as fevers, small pox and dysentery. (ship captains tried to have a doctor on board.)

• Seasickness and oppressive heat.

• Those who died were thrown into the ocean.

• Every morning the slaves were given water to wash themselves and then they were checked for sores and disease.

• Two meals a day.• Slaves trying to starve themselves

were whipped.

Precautions Against Revolts

• Revolts were common, given the terrible conditions.

• Slaves often tried to kill European traders.• Rebellious slaves were severally punished.• Slavers checked the holds every day, looking for

pieces of iron, wood or knives gathered by the slaves

Many Died• Rebellions, disease and lack of food made the

Middle Passage difficult.• The length of the voyage and the time it took

disease to take hold determined how many died.• 3% to 5% died before they ever even got to the

ship! • 18% died on the passage. This was brought

down to 6% through efforts to improve living conditions.

• The crews of these ships faced some of the same dangers and many of them died as well.

The Americas• Slaves were taken to the European colonies in the

Americas.• How many? Unknown – 12 million? 100 million?• Brazil imported the most , followed by the British

Caribbean, the French Caribbean, Spanish America, North America and Dutch and Danish Caribbean

• They were used on sugar, coffee, tobacco and cotton plantations.

• They worked 16 hour days, with a life expectancy of 8 to 10 years. Gold mining in Brazil also killed a lot of slaves.

Abolitionists• Demand for slaves reached its peak in the early

1800’s.• The movement to end slavery was known as the

abolition movement. It had two stages;• 1. By 1820, Britain, Sweden, France, Holland

and Spain had abolished the slave trade.• 2. Britain abolished slavery outright in 1833,

followed by the United States in 1865 and Brazil in 1888.

Lasting Effect of The Slave Trade

• Sacrificed millions of Africans for the commerce of Europe and the Americas.

• Caused immense cultural and economic changes.

• Consequences are still being felt today.

The Slave trade greatly affected Africa

• 1. Depopulation – Millions of Africans, most between the ages of 15 and 25, were transported from their homelands.

• They were the healthiest and strongest members of African communities.

• This robbed Africa of a creative, inventive and productive part of its population.

• The wars and raiding associated with slavery also caused depopulation.

• Slavery divided Africans, leading them to fight and enslave each other.

• 2. Economic problems – Wars, violence and raiding hurt the development of African business and trade.

• Hard to plan for an uncertain future • Talents and skills of slaves were lost

to Africa.• The guns, alcohol and luxury goods

received for slaves did nothing to help Africa develop economically.

• 3. Racism – Africans were perceived as an inferior race.

• Lumped together with gold and ivory, just another good.

• To justify enslavement, Europeans claimed they were taking Africans to a better place.

• The image of exhausted Africans being unloaded from slave ships became the overriding image most whites had of Africans.

Sierra Leone and Liberia

• The slave trade is responsible for the founding of the countries Sierra Leone and Liberia.

• The British establish Sierra Leone as a settlement for ex-slaves who tried to settle in Britain.

• Their settlement was called Freetown and is the capital city today.

• Liberia was founded as a colony for freed slaves from the southern United States.

Slave Trade Affected Europe• The slave trade brought great economic benefits to

Europe….• 1. Plantations in the Americas brought huge profits to

their European owners.• 2. Major ports such as Liverpool in England and Nantes

in France grew because of the slave trade.• 3. Shipping industry grew as it provided the ships for the

trade.• 4. Money from the trade was reinvested into European

industry. Many believe the slave trade was a major factor in the industrial revolution.

Affect On The Americas• Africans brought their ideas, music, foods,

folklore, views of government, art and creativity, making a huge cultural contribution to the Americas.

• Foundation of the Agricultural industry.• Worked as carpenters, masons and mechanics.• Former slaves even invented new machines.• Influence on religion.

Look At The Past

• Some believe that the American government should compensate the descendants of slaves. (reparation)

• Some African Americans returned to Africa to find their roots. One such place is the old slave castle at Elmina in Ghana.