Columbian Exchange

Columbian Exchange: global transfer of plants, animals, diseases, and food as a result of European Exploration

Columbian Exchange Global diffusion of biological goods (food, disease, animals, plants) Began in the 1400s Corn and potatoes were most important – cheap, easy to grow, highly nutritious

because new foods make people healthier Population changes Americas ↓ because diseases Europe ↑ because new foods make people healthier

Atlantic Slave Trade Page ?

Atlantic Slave Trade: the buying, transporting, and selling of Africans for work in the Americas

Why Africans? Slavery had existed in Africa since the 600s when Muslims enslaved non-Muslims Most Native Americans were killed by European diseases Many Africans had immunity Africans were unfamiliar with the Americas  less likely to escape or have allies.

By 1870 around 9.5 million Africans were imported to the Americas in bondage. Majority of slaves worked on large sugar, tobacco, and coffee plantations.

Middle Passage: the middle leg of the Atlantic Slave Trade that brought Africans to the West Indies, and N+S America Roughly 20% did not survive the journey (disease, cruel treatment, suicide).

Impact AMERICAS Colonies became profitable African culture influenced many societies throughout the Americas. AFRICA Many societies lost entire generations of their healthiest people Families were torn apart

William Wilberforce (1759-1833) "God Almighty has set before me two great objects, the suppression of the Slave Trade and the Reformation of manners [morals].” October 1787 Abolition of slave trade in England Slave Trade Act 1807 (outlawed all British involvement in the Atlantic Slave Trade)

Olaudah Equiano (1745-1797) Key player in campaign to end slavery 1789: wrote and published, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano

Triangular Trade Page ?

Triangular Trade: transatlantic trading route connecting Africa, Europe, and the Americas

Columbian Exchange + Atlantic Slave Trade = Triangular Trade