The Atlantic Slave Trade Nothing, which has happened to man in modern times has been more significant than the buying and selling of human beings. W.E.B. DuBois

History of Slavery Slavery = involuntary servitudeSlavery = involuntary servitude Used since ancient timesUsed since ancient times

Slavery Within Africa How/why?How/why? –Prisoners of war –Punishment for crimes –Pay debt Not hereditary or life-longNot hereditary or life-long Slaves had rightsSlaves had rights Often adopted into owners’ familyOften adopted into owners’ family Could achieve high statusCould achieve high status

Arabs & Slave Trade Muslim traders raided N. Africa & adopted trans-Saharan tradeMuslim traders raided N. Africa & adopted trans-Saharan trade African empires Ghana, Mali, & Songhai coordinated trade w/ArabsAfrican empires Ghana, Mali, & Songhai coordinated trade w/Arabs –Contributed to powerful African states –Led to increase in tribal & ethnic warfare

Effects of Arab Involvement in Slave Trade Spread of IslamSpread of Islam Swahili cultureSwahili culture Strengthened slave-trade networksStrengthened slave-trade networks

Europeans & Slave Trade – Why? Exploration!Exploration! Desire for wealthDesire for wealth Competition among European countriesCompetition among European countries Plantations in American coloniesPlantations in American colonies Need for cheap laborNeed for cheap labor Africans were immune to Euro illness, could not escapeAfricans were immune to Euro illness, could not escape

Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade – part of Triangular Trade 1 2 3

The Middle Passage Plan of the British Slave Ship Brookes, This plan shows how tightly Africans were packed aboard slave ships. Crowded, unsanitary, disease spread High mortality rate before reaching Americas Most slaves went to Brazil/South America and the Caribbean

Slavery in the Americas Much harsher than slavery in AfricaMuch harsher than slavery in Africa Worked on sugar, rice, tobacco, and cotton plantationsWorked on sugar, rice, tobacco, and cotton plantations –18 hour days, sunrise to sunset –Encouraged to have many children in order to increase labor force Racism and brutal treatment, life-long, hereditaryRacism and brutal treatment, life-long, hereditary Known as “chattel” or property– lost rights as human beingsKnown as “chattel” or property– lost rights as human beings

Resistance Revolt on a Slave Ship, before 1851 From William Fox, A Brief History of the Wesleyan Missions on the West Coast of Africa Courtesy of the Milton S. Eisenhower Library, The Johns Hopkins University

Impact on Africa Slavery in Africa became centralized institutionSlavery in Africa became centralized institution Depopulation due to wars & starvationDepopulation due to wars & starvation Transformation of relationshipsTransformation of relationships Decentralization of African nations Undermined traditional values Left Africa vulnerable to imperialism