Commerce in People: The Atlantic Slave Trade AP World – Chapter 20

The Atlantic Slave Trade Lasted from about 1500 to 1866 About 12.5 million Africans taken from their societies About 10.7 million made it to the Americas About 1.8 million (14.4%) died during the transatlantic crossing (the Middle Passage) Millions more died in the process of capture and transport to the African coast  didn’t even make it to the ships

The Slave Trade in Context Idea of slavery = nothing new Before 1500 = Mediterranean and Indian Ocean regions were major areas of slave trading Many African societies practiced slavery themselves, as well as selling slaves into these networks Trans-Saharan slave trade = brought Africans to the Mediterranean East African slave trade = brought Africans to the Middle East and Indian Ocean area Depiction of slaves in ancient Rome

Origins of Atlantic Slavery (#1) By early 1400s the Portuguese were starting to explore the coast of West Africa. Were looking for gold and route to India  but found an alternative source of wealth – slaves. Result = when sugar- plantations started in the Americas, Europeans already had ties to a West African source of labor supply

Origins of Atlantic Slavery Africa = primary source of slave labor for the colonies through a process of elimination Native Americans = quickly died off from European diseases Europeans = Christians = exempt from slavery Inspection and sale of an African slave

Origins of Atlantic Slavery To the Europeans, Africans were perfect for plantation labor because: Skilled farmers Some immunity to tropical and European diseases Not Christian Relatively close and easy to get Available in large numbers Had darker skin  allowed the Europeans to view them as an “inferior” race “Testing an African Slave for Sickness”

African participation (#1 and #2) As the Portuguese began to arrive on the west coast of Africa, they brought European commodities desired by African rulers, especially guns. African rulers saw Europeans as way to acquire power by exchanging items like ivory and gold for firearms and rum. Eventually, as the Portuguese and other Europeans began seeking slaves, the African rulers began waging war with local kingdoms and enslaving them for the purpose of trade with Europeans.

The Slave Trade in Practice (#2) In exchange for slaves, African sellers wanted: European and Indian textiles Cowrie shells (used as money in West Africa) European metal goods Firearms and gunpowder Tobacco and alcohol Decorative items, such as beads

The Slave Trade in Practice (#3) Slave raiding in Africa = unnecessary and unwise African societies = capable of defending themselves against European intrusion African societies = willing to sell their slaves peacefully Europeans = dropped like flies when entering Africa’s interior because not immune to tropical diseases

How Did the Slave Trade Work? Step 1: African merchants and political elites captured slaves and brought them to the coast of West Africa Step 2: Europeans waited on the coast (in ships or fortified settlements) to purchase these slaves Step 3: Europeans brought slaves to the Americas and sold them at slave auctions to plantation owners This system was far more successful than European raids.

African Slave Trade

The Slave Trade in Practice (#4) African slave trade = hurt smaller societies within Africa Raided by larger, more powerful neighbors to conquer their people to sell as slaves Demographic damage: most slaves bound for the Americas were men since they were seen as superior laborers on plantations.

Europeans on the African coast (#5) Europeans usually built trading forts (factories) along the coastlines of west Africa with the permission of local African rulers. This is where captured Africans would be brought for trade. Many of the Europeans stationed on the coast died from the tropical diseases transferred from African populations. El Mina trading fort ---

The Triangular Trade (#6) In reality, the trans-Atlantic slave trade was part of a much larger system known as the Triangular Trade Network. This was a method of trade that involved Europe, Africa, and the Americas. Slaves were taken from Africa to the Americas, where they were traded for goods such as sugar and tobacco. These products were then brought back across the Atlantic to European nations for processing. European merchants took processed goods traded for goods like rum and especially firearms to the coast of west Africa where they traded for slaves and the triangle began again.

The Triangular Trade Network

The Middle Passage (#12) Middle Passage Enslaved person’s journey from Africa to the Americas Middle leg of the “Triangular Trade” pattern Miserable journey Packed tightly together Chained together Many suffocated or died of disease (1 in 6) Some committed suicide or went on hunger strikes

West African Kingdoms – Asante and Dahomey (#7) As previously noted, without the participation of west African kingdoms, the trans-Atlantic slave trade would not have been possible. The Asante, Dahomey, and Congo kingdoms were the most powerful. They had control of gold-producing zones which they initially traded with Europeans for firearms. As slaves became more lucrative and available, these kingdoms used firearms to capture and supply slaves. A cycle of guns for slaves trade network flourished in the region for centuries.

Meanwhile, in southern Africa… (#8) In the southern region of the continent, we also saw European influence. The Dutch took control of the southern tip of the continent (from the Portuguese) in the mid 1600s. They established a colony known as the Cape Colony. The primary purpose of this colony was to provide supplies and provisions for Dutch ships heading to the Indonesian islands, kinda like a rest stop. To help with this task, the Dutch government encouraged immigrants to establish farms in southern Africa. These Dutch farmers were known as Boers and they had a significant influence on the development of the region.

The Great Trek (#9) From 1652 to 1795, the Boers ruled over the Cape Colony. In 1795, the British took control of the colony and placed strict measures on the Boers like increased taxation. In the 1800s, when the British outlawed slavery in their colonies, it was too much for the Boers to stand since they depended heavily on slave labor for their economic success. To escape, many Boers migrated north, away from British control. This mass migration was known as the Great Trek. It brought the Boers independence from the British, but increased conflict with the local African populations. The Boers created three independent states, 1)The Orange Free Stae 2) Transvaal 3) Natal

The Great Trek

Shaka Zulu and the Mfcane (#10) British and Boer intrusion into southern Africa brought them into conflict with several local African populations, most notably, the Zulus. The Zulu nation was a powerful African kingdom that had been transformed by their well known leader, Shaka Zulu. He transformed the Zulu military by organizing it based on lineage and age and placing restrictions on his men to encourage discipline. He instituted the mfcane, or “the crushing”, where he annihilated enemy tribes to increase Zulu power. Nearly 1 million enemy Africans died as a result of the mfcane. He was eventually assassinated, but his legacy of transforming the Zulu into a powerful military force would have effects on the region and Europeans in southern Africa for decades to come.