American Plantations and the Triangular Trade

American Plantations  Huge farms growing cash crops: sugar, cotton, coffee, tobacco  Required lots of laborers to run

Let’s Use Native Americans to Work…  Already here – no transport needed  Resistant to tropical diseases – used to climate/environment PROs  Died from “Old World” diseases  Ran away easily  Different language/ culture  Not very obedient – not used to being servants CONs Final Assessment: not useful, too many dead

Let’s Use European Peasants to Work…  Obedient – used to working for higher class  Same language/culture  Didn’t die from “Old World” diseases – had some resistance  Couldn’t run away PROs  Died from tropical diseases – not used to climate/environment  Transport needed CONs Final Assessment: a little useful, some survived

Europeans were sent to work the plantations in two instances:  indentured servants – workers who sign a contract to be a “slave” for a set # of years in return for transport, food, shelter, etc.  criminals – sent to the colonies to work as a punishment NOT ENOUGH

Let’s Use Africans to Work…  Didn’t die from tropical diseases – used to climate/ environment  Didn’t die from “Old World” diseases – had some resistance  Couldn’t run away PROs  Transport needed  Different language/ culture CONs Final Assessment: very useful, they can survive!

Europeans who wanted to buy African slaves found it easy: Africa already had an extensive slave trade taking place within the continent. In addition, African slave traders were anxious to sell slaves in exchange for manufactured goods from Europe like guns and cloth. Europeans who want to buy African slaves Slave traders who want European goods Existing slave market + + = BOOMING BUSINESS The Triangular Trade

Europeans who want to buy African slaves Slave traders who want European goods Existing slave market ++= BOOMING BUSINESS The Triangular Trade

The Middle Passage

 the route on which Africans were brought to the Americas as slaves  the ocean journey was a terrifying 3-6 week journey under horrible conditions  10-20% of African captives did not survive the voyage “The stench of the hold…was so intolerably loathsome, that it was dangerous to remain there for any time… The closeness of the place, and the heat of the climate…almost suffocated us… The shrieks of the women, and the groans of the dying, rendered the whole scene of horror almost inconceivable.” - Olaudah Equiano

Plan illustrating how to maximize stowage of slaves by packing 130 additional slaves around the sides of the lower deck

Results of Triangular Trade  Cycle of violence in Africa guns in Africa  more wars  more slaves (captured in war)  more sale of slaves for guns  more wars  more slaves…  Deforestation in the Americas (two reasons)  to clear land for more plantations  to send lumber back to Europe  Racism in the Americas – plantation system GUNS WAR SLAVES Africa suffered a decrease in population starting in the 16 th century because of this vicious cycle.