THE SLAVE TRADE The slave ship viewed by a survivor: "Its horrors, ah! who can describe? None can so truly depict its horrors as the poor unfortunate, miserable wretch that has been confined within its portals. Oh! friends of humanity, pity the poor African, who has been trepanned and sold away from friends and home, and consigned to the hold of a slave ship, to await even more horrors and miseries in a distant land, amongst the religious and benevolent." Mahommah Gardo Baquaqua, Biography of Mahommah G. Baquaqua (Detroit: Geo. E. Pomeroy & Co., 1854)

Overview Over three and a half centuries at least 12 million people were taken from Africa to the Americas as slaves The slave trade represented one of the longest and most sustained assaults of human beings in history Between 1492 and 1776 about 6.5 million people migrated to and settled in the Western Hemisphere 5 out of 6 were Africans Between 1501 and 1860s– african men, women, and children were put into the slave trade..Some of these people were farmers, fishermen, cattle herders, craftspeople, notables, scholars, slaves, musicians, and political & religious leaders.

Overview cont. The slave trade generated a lot of wealth for businesses in America and Europe. Africa experienced loss of a significant part of its able-bodied population, playing a part in the social and political weakening of its societies

The Development of the Trade In the mid-fifteenth century the Portuguese sailed down the West African coast for commodities such as gold, spices and slaves For 100 years captives in small numbers were transported to Europe. At that time Lisbon was one of the largest cities in Europe

The Development of the Trade English and Dutch ships joined Portuguese in the trade Beginning in 1492, Africans were part of the American Spanish colonies. They were brought as slaves to grow sugar and mine gold on Hispaniola and were forced to drain shallow lakes of the Mexican plateau Slave trade was closely linked to the Europeans’ insatiable desire for gold. The island of Hispaniola (from Spanish, La Española) is the second-largest island of the Antilles, lying between the islands of Cuba to the west, and Puerto Rico to the east

The Development of the Trade Middle of the 17th century most intense phase Ever-larger sugar plantations; introduction of crops such as indigo, rice, tobacco, coffee, cocoa, and cotton Led to displacement of 7 million Africans between 1650 and 1807 In 1807 there was a ban on the importation of slaves by Britain and the United States In the middle of the 17th century, the slave trade entered the second and most intense phase for the slave trade. Demand for labor encouraged opportunists and entrepeneurs – some slave traders made fortunes for themselves and their descendants. Including the Brown family which Brown University is named after. Decline in deportation of Africans did not begin until late 1840s – many slaves were smuggled into the United States

Capture and Enslavement People tried to safeguard their families Some offered themselves in exchange for the release of their loved ones Others tried to have their kin redeemed after they had been shipped away Resistance of slavery included: attacks on slave depots and ships; revolts in the forts in barracoons, and on slave ships

The Middle Passage Triangular Trade The first leg the European ships brought goods to Africa The second leg they transported Africans to the Americas The third leg they exported sugar, rum, cotton and tobacco to Europe The second leg or the Africa-Americas part of the voyage was known as the “Middle Passage”

Map of the Transatlantic Slave Trade Map of the Transatlantic Slave Trade. People came from Africa to North, South, and Central Americas.

The Middle Passage There were over 30,000 voyages from Africa to the Americas Middle Passage could last from 1-3 months Ships were only supposed to transport 300 people but some carried 800 people

The Middle Passage People were branded, stripped naked, crowded, forced to dance on deck, and subjected to abuse and punishment Some tried to starve themselves to death but crew forced them to eat through torture Dancing on deck was to straighten their limbs and was used as exercise. People were made to hop in place in their shackles and exercise by swinging their arms. The crew walked among them with whips or cat-o'-nine-tails to compel the forced recreation. Torture includes: whipping, hot coal, forcing mouths open with instruments, or by breaking teeth. Women and boys were used for the pleasure of the crew. This engraving shows the captives held on the French slave ship Vigilante, and the shackles they wore. Edward Manning described the loading of his U.S. ship Thomas Watson, which transported more than eight hundred Africans to Cuba in 1860: "Commencing forward, we made the first man lie down, head to windward, facing toward the bow, and the knees slightly drawn toward the chin. Another one was placed alongside, with his breast touching the back of the first and his knees bent at a similar angle. In this manner we stowed them, in tiers, the length and width of the hold."

The Middle Passage Mortality was very high on these ships. Upwards of 20% died from various epidemics or committed suicide. It was not unusual for ships to leave with 260 slaves and arrive with only 200 alive. Captains and crew would toss the sick overboard; and some even disposed of an entire cargo Mortality was brought on by malnutrition, dysentery, smallpox and other diseases

Africans in America About ten million slaves survived the Middle passage 450,000 slaves came to North America 5-7% of those transported during the 350 year period Brazil and the Caribbean each received about nine times as many Africans Slaves were crucial in the development of South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia and Maryland Contributed indirectly through commerce to New York, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania

This chart shows the distribution of African slaves in the Americas between 1450-1870. North America received 7% of all slaves about 4.6% went to the United States. The majority went to South America (50%) and then within South America the majority went to Brazil (38.2%)

Picture on the Upper left corner is of a Slave Market at Wall Street. In 1711 a slave market opened on Wall Street's East River pier in lower Manhattan. Slaves were also sold at other markets in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Many were employed as domestics and stevedores. More than ten thousand enslaved African men, women, and children were buried at the colonial-era African Burial Ground in lower Manhattan. Unearthed during construction of a federal office building in lower Manhattan in 1991, the cemetery covered more than five acres, or about five city blocks. The picture on the upper right hand side is a rice scene depicting slaves doing different jobs on a rice farm. Rice planters favored people from Sierra Leone (aka Sierra Leone and Gambia) and Senegambia (Senegal, Gambia, and Guinea Bissau and Mali) who had cultivated rice for generations. Picture on the bottom left is of workers on a cotton plantation. Picture on the bottom right is of slaves working in a sugar plantation in Louisiana.

Impact of the Slave Trade on Africa Slave trade on Africa had an immense negative impact This negative impact was seen on personal, family communal, and continental levels Millions of able-bodied individuals were captured and transported There was immense economic and environmental destruction from wars and slave raids

Impact of the Slave Trade on Africa Some decentralized societies, people evolved styles of leadership that were more rigid, hierarchical structures. European powers intervened in the political process Slave trade left the continent underdeveloped, disorganized, and vulnerable to European colonialism. Heirarchical structures- thought to better ensure protection

Legacies in America In the Americas racial distinctions were used to keep the enslaved population in bondage In North America any person of identifiable African descent was classified as colored, Negro, or black. Racial caste system was established As a result racialized attitudes and racism became inherent and lasting part of North American culture

Legacies in America The overarching result of African migration during the slavery era was an “American” culture, neither “European” nor “African” The African contribution to this new culture made huge impacts on: Music Dance Art Religion Language Cuisine