The Atlantic Slave Trade

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The Atlantic Slave Trade

• Chapter 20 Section 3

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I. Causes of African slavery

• A. Slavery already existed in Africa ? different
  than slavery in Americas

1. Slavery similar to serfdom ? slavery ended
after certain of years in servitude
2. Slaves could marry, own property, and even own
slaves
3. Slavery not hereditary
4. Slavery lacked racism
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B. Spread of Islam in 7th c. ? led to increase in
slavery slave trade

• 1. Justified by belief that a non-Muslim could be
  bought sold as slaves
• 2. Slaves had some legal rights opportunity for
  social mobility
• 3. Slaves could escape bondage ? i.e. by marrying
  into family they served

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C. Demand for Africans ? increased with the
colonization of the Americas

• 1. Europeans saw advantages of using Africans in
  the Americas
• a. Exposure immunity to European diseases
• b. Experience in farming
• c. Less likely to escape ? did not know new land
• d. Skin color made easier to identify catch
  escapees

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II. Atlantic slave trade became massive enterprise

• A. By the time it ended in 1870, nearly 10-12
  million Africans were enslaved
• B. Spain took the lead in importing Africans
• 1. Slaves worked on plantations, gold silver
  mines

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• C. Portuguese surpassed Spanish in slave trade
• 1. Brazil dominated sugar market ? increased
  demand for cheap labor
• 2. More than 40 of Africans in slave trade went
  to Brazil in 17th c.

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D. England became leading carrier of enslaved
Africans

• 1. Transported nearly 1.7 million Africans to
  their colonies in West Indies
• 2. 1672 King of England chartered the Royal
  African Company
• 3. 1698 English Parliament ruled that any
  British subject could own slaves

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III. African cooperation resistance

• A. African rulers merchants played willing role
  in African slave trade ? captured Africans to be
  enslaved
• 1. European traders waited in ports on coast of
  Africa
• 2. African slaves were traded with Europeans in
  exchange for gold, guns, etc.

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B. Some African rulers voiced their opposition

• 1. Lured by profits, rulers continued to
  participate
• 2. Merchants found new trade routes to avoid
  oppositional rulers

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IV. The Journey

• A. The Triangular Trade transatlantic trading
  network

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• 1. Europeans transported manufactured goods to
  the west coast of Africa
• 2. Goods exchanged for captured Africans
• 3. Africans brought across Atlantic sold in
  West Indies
• 4. Merchants brought sugar, coffee, tobacco
  from West Indies back to Europe

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B. The Middle Passage ? the voyage that brought
captured Africans to New World

• 1. Africans packed into dark holds of large ships
• 2. Africans endured whippings beatings from
  merchants
• 3. Diseases swept through vessel ? millions died

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• 4. Many Africans committed suicide by drowning
• 5. Nearly 20 of Africans aboard each ship
  perished during trip

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Plan of a Slave Ship
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V. Slavery in the Americas

• A. Harsh life upon arrival in Americas
• 1. Sold to highest bidder ? worked in mines,
  fields, or as domestic servants
• 2. Little food, lived in small huts
• 3. Worked long days suffered beatings
• 4. Lifelong hereditary condition

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B. Resistance rebellion

• 1. Africans developed way of life based on their
  cultural heritage
• a. Musical traditions stories of ancestors

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• 2. Resisted by making themselves less productive
  ? broke tools, moved slowly
• 3. Thousands ran away
• 4. Open revolts ? numerous uprisings

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VI. Results of slave trade

• A. Effects in Africa
• 1. Numerous cultures lost generations of their
  fittest members
• 2. Families torn apart never reunited
• 3. Introduced guns to the continent of Africa

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B. Effects in the Americas

• 1. Slaves contributed greatly to economic
  cultural development of Americas
• a. Survival of colonies depended on their labor
• b. Africans brought their expertise in
  agriculture

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• c. Brought their art, music, religion, food to
  influence American societies

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Olaudah Equiano

• - Kidnapped sold into slavery as a child
• - Eventually earned price of his freedom by
  careful trading saving
• - Later became involved in movement to abolish
  the slave trade
• - His narrative describes the horrific Middle
  Passage experiences of slaves

Published The Interesting Narrative on the Life
of Olaudah Equiano in 1789