Slavery and Colonial America Triangular Trade or The Atlantic System

Columbian Exchange As Columbus returns to Spain he brings back all new objects, animals, plants, etc. Later that year, he would return with about 1200 settlers and plants and animals from Europe. This would become the initial movement causing interdependence between Europe and the Americas.

Beginnings of the Slave Trade The slave trade will begin in the Americas with the Spanish and Portuguese colonies. Needed to fill the labor shortage due to the vast amount of work needed to be done and small number of people. Initial attempts to enslave the native populations failed. The Spanish began bringing slaves from Africa to the Americas in the 1530’s. As demand for sugar from the Southern Spanish colonies increased, the number of slaves needed and traded increased as well.

Middle Passage Most of the slaves that would come to the Americas came from the West, or Gold Coast of Africa. From present day Senegal to Angola Originally captured by warring African coastal tribes, who would then transport them to the beaches to trade with the Europeans The major cost to the Europeans/Americans came from the transport of slaves. Therefore, they needed to transport as many as possible in one trip to increase their profit. After being branded, slaves were piled into the lower level of slave ships, barely able to move for the long Transatlantic trip Death rates were as high as 20%

Atlantic System or Triangular Trade Historic/Economic Terms used to describe the interdependence of Europe, Africa and the American colonies Became a very marketable route for many American sailors. A ship would set sail from New England carrying rum and other goods to the Gold Coast Once there, it would exchange the goods with African tribes for a cargo of slaves. From Africa, a ship could sail to the West Indies and exchange the slaves for sugar and molasses These would be sold in New England to produce more rum.