The Triangular Trade (aka: Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade)

DEFINITION Triangular Trade: Trade routes between Africa, Europe and the Americas during the Atlantic Slave Trade.

Spain, Portugal, & England They needed slaves to work on their plantations in South America, the Caribbean, & North America

ENGLAND At beginning, only a few slaves came to English colonies. But when tobacco, cotton & rice plantations grew in the colonies, slave trade increased. Britain was given control over much of slave trade  had a monopoly

Maps of the Triangular Trade

Leg One: THE OUTWARD PASSAGE Ships left Europe loaded with guns, tools, textiles (manufactured goods) Crews with guns went ashore to capture slaves & purchase slaves from tribal leaders. Slaves were obtained by: 1. Kidnapping 2. Trading 3. People given by chiefs as tributes (gifts) 4. Chiefs sent people who were in debt 5. Chiefs sent criminals through judicial process 6. Prisoners of tribal wars also sent.

Forced Participation African Chiefs resisted in the beginning; however, they needed weapons for defense. Europeans too powerful; therefore, any effort to resistance was unsuccessful If chiefs did not supply slaves, they were threatened to be taken as slaves.

Slaves were held in prisons along the west coast of Africa. They were waiting to put on slaves ships. Those that journeyed from the interior and were not fit for the ship were left on the shores to die

Leg Two: THE MIDDLE PASSAGE Ships sailed across Atlantic Ocean from Africa to Americas, carrying slaves & gold Journey took 5-12 weeks DISGUSTING CONDITIONS Some Africans tried to jump ship, refused to eat & rebelled. Loss of slave’s life was a loss of $ for sailors.

LEG TWO: THE MIDDLE PASSAGE Voyage from Africa to the Americas “Loose packing”: captains took fewer slaves in hope to reduce sickness & death. “Tight packing”: captains carried as many slaves as their ship could hold  many died on voyage

Leg Three: THE HOMEWARD PASSAGE Africans sold at auctions in Americas Money from their sale would buy a cargo of raw materials: cotton, sugar, spices, rum, chocolate or tobacco. In Europe, converted raw materials into finished products.

SLAVERY ABOLISHED IN BRITISH EMPIRE 1807 = slave trade abolished in British Empire  no slaves carried from Africa in British ships. 1834 = Emancipation Act: slaves under 6 yrs. old were freed; field hands over 6 worked for owners for 6 more years; house slaves worked 10 more years Britain gave 20 million pounds in compensation to former slave owners & slaves received nothing 1838 all slaves given complete freedom Slavery in USA not abolished until 1865