The Atlantic Slave Trade Beginning around 1500 ending around 1870

Europeans imported close to million Africans to the Americas Why? Looking for source of to work on Ecomienda system ended in 1542 – many natives died from and treatment on plantations 10 CHEAP LABOR DISEASESHARSH PLANTATIONS

Europeans turned to Africans for a number of reasons: Did not view as Seemed to be immune to European Experienced in hard was similar to Africa’s Less likely to HUMAN DISEASES LABOR CLIMATE ESCAPE

Europeans did not seize the slaves- they were African & played a willing role: They enemy tribes and sold them to the Europeans for,, & RULERS MERCHANTS PURCHASED CAPTURED GUNS GOLD GOODS

Transatlantic trading network Carried a variety of goods - to America; to Europe to Africa SLAVES RAW MATERIALS TRIANGULAR TRADE: MANUFACTURED GOODS

MIDDLE PASSAGE : On the journey from Africa to America of Africans died The voyage was called the MIDDLE PASSAGE – middle leg of a slave’s journey MILLIONS 1. CAPTURED 2. TRANSPORTED 3. SOLD

MIDDLE PASSAGE : Conditions on the slave ships were terrible: Not enough OVERCROWDING FOOD WHIPPINGS & BEATINGS

MIDDLE PASSAGE : Spread of Roughly % of Africans aboard each ship died during the trip SICKNESS & DISEASES 20

EFFECTS OF THE SLAVE TRADE: I. life – grueling work, long hours, little food II.African torn apart – buyers looking for & III.Increased warfare – guns IV. - justified slavery claiming Africans were inferior HARSH FAMILIES YOUNGSTRONG TRIBAL RACISM

THE MIDDLE PASSAGE DOCUMENTARY