Ch. 4 Section 3 The Atlantic Slave Trade

The Causes of African Slavery Beginning around the 1500’s American colonists needed cheap labor therefore they began using slaves on farms and plantations. Slavery existed in Africa for centuries The spread of Islam into Africa ushered in a higher demand for the slave trade Justified it with their belief that non Muslim POW’S could be bought and sold as slaves.

As a result around 1600 Muslims transported 17 million Africans to the Muslim controlled lands of northern Africa and southwest Asia. Some slaves had maneuverability on the social ladder but this was few and far between. 1 way to escape slavery was to marry into your masters family.

The Demand for Africans The first Europeans to explore Africa were the Portuguese Initially they wanted to trade for gold and solver and jewels/spices NOT slaves This will change because of the colonization of the America’s and the natives there were dying by the millions

Many advantages to using African slaves in the Americas. Were already exposed to European diseases and had built up some form of immunity Had previous experience in farming and could transition well into plantation farming Less likely to escape because they did not know the terrain Their skin color made it easier for them to catch if they ran away.

In time the buying of African slaves will become a massive enterprise(business) This will come to be known as the “Atlantic Slave Trade” Between 1500-1600 roughly 300,000 African slaves the next century it jumped to 1.3 million When the Atlantic Slave Traded ended in 1870 around 9.5 million Africans were transported to the Americas

Slavery Spreads Throughout the Americas As we talked about earlier, England’s presence grew in the Americas so did their hold on the slave trade From 1690-1807(Slave trade abolished by England) they will transport 1.7 million Africans to their colonies in the West Indies 400,000 were brought to the American colonies By 1830 nearly 2 million slaves were brought into North America

African Cooperation and Resistance Many African merchants and rulers played a willing role in the slave trade Most Europeans never traveled inland instead they stayed at the ports and the African merchants/leaders brought the slaves to them to be sold/traded

A Forced Journey Triangular Trade- The transatlantic trading network along which slaves and other foods were carried between Africa, England, Europe, the West Indies, and the colonies in North America.

The Middle Passage The voyage that brought the captured Africans to the West Indies and later to North and South America African slaves were very tightly packed into small cargo holds of ships Usual to get whippings and beatings on board the ship Roughly 20% of Africans making the journey would not make it

Slavery in the Americas Those that survived had a harsh life awaiting in the Americas Expected to work in mines or fields or as domestic servants Lived off little to no food in dry small huts Was a lifelong condition and a hereditary one Found ways to rebel by music and keeping of heritage