The Atlantic Slave Trade

Setting The Stage Sugar and Tobacco plantations need lots of workers Wanted to use Native Americans Disease and War ruined that plan Look to Africa to solve that problem

Causes of African Slavery Slavery existed in Africa Increased with the spread of Islam Prisoners of War – bought & sold Some legal rights & Social mobility Marry out of it Portuguese More interested in gold first Changes with American colonization

Demand For Africans Exposed to European disease – immunity Experience in farming Did not know their way around – not likely to escape Skin color made them stand out – easy to catch if they escape

Little known facts on slavery in the United States What % of Southerners owned slaves? 4.8% What % of slaves from Africa actually made it to the United States? 5.4% (about 645,000 out of 12,000,000) Most ended up in the Caribbean (Haiti, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Jamaica) and Brazil True or False: There were free African-Americans living in the United States that owned slaves. True. Some examples from an 1860 census: New Orleans, LA: 10,689 free African-Americans resided in New Orleans in 1860. Over 3,000 (28%) owned slaves Charleston, South Carolina: In 1860, there were 125 free African-Americans living in Charleston that owned slaves.

Atlantic Slave Trade 1500 – 1600 – 300,000 1500 – 1700 – 1.3 million Spain (Americas) takes an early lead followed by the Portuguese (Brazil)

Slavery Spreads England now the front runner in slave trade (West Indies) Cooperation from African rulers & merchants Capture Africans to be enslaved Wait for the Europeans on the coast Gold & Guns Some opposition once it grew larger Merchants just changed their routes

Forced Journey Triangular Trade Secondary Triangle Europeans trade manufactured goods in Africa for slaves Slaves traded to West Indies for sugar, coffee, and tobacco that were sold back in Europe Secondary Triangle Rum from Americas to Africa for slaves Take Africans to West Indies and sell them for sugar and molasses (needed to make rum)

The Middle Passage The voyage of slaves from Africa to West Indies Very cruel treatment Whippings Disease Abuse Suicide 20% die on the trip

Pictures

Pictures – Part II

Slavery in the Americas Auctioned to highest bidder Worked in mines, fields, or as servants Little food, poor living conditions Long days & Beatings For life as well as hereditary

Resistance and Rebellion Cultural Heritage – Music Break Tools Uproot Plants Work Slowly Run Away Revolts – Stono Rebellion (S.C.)

Consequences Africans lost generations Tore apart families Introduction of guns Contribution of labor Brought their expertise and culture African-American population Slaves were not the only thing transported across the Atlantic…