The Slave Trade Why did the colonies “need” slaves ? What was the journey like for a slave?

2 The Atlantic Slave Trade When? Spanish & Portuguese start slaving in Africa still smuggling slaves until the end of the civil war (technically illegal in 1808)

3 The Atlantic Slave Trade Why? (3 reasons combined) Labor shortage (not enough workers) Why???? Ethnocentrism –(feelings of superiority) Why reasons could people offer? Greed What did people want?

4 The Atlantic Slave Trade Where to? 5% 60% 35% 65% 30% 5% Where from?

5 Number of people enslaved 30 million taken from their homes 10 million die during capture phase 10 million die during middle passage 10 million survive to make it over the ocean

6 Phases of the Slave Trade Capture: Tribes often did not have a choice in helping capture neighbors “divide and conquer” Most captured miles inland

Slavery isn’t a new thing Slavery had been around for a really long time but how people were treated as slaves changed during this time! 7

8 Phases of the Slave Trade West African expectations about slavery: A slave’s child would not be a slave Slaves were not slaves for life

9 Phases of the Slave Trade Capture: Christiansborg Castle, Gold Coast, ca Cape Coast Castle, Gold Coast, 1727

10 Phases of the Slave Trade 2. The Middle Passage Journey over the Atlantic Ocean people in a boat with little air & much disease

11 Phases of the Slave Trade 2. The Middle Passage - Tight Pack Higher mortality, higher profits

12 Phases of the Slave Trade 2. The Middle Passage - Loose pack Lower mortality, lower profits

13 Phases of the Slave Trade 3. “Seasoning” - Brutal work camps, 4-5 months in Caribbean Meant to train people to be slaves

14 Thinking Question: (Don’t write down – just think!) Given how many people died during the “Capture phase” or on the “Middle passage,” what do you think went on in the minds of the slave catchers and slave traders?

15 Triangle Trade North America The Carribean Africa MolassesRum, weapons Slaves

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17 Growth of Slavery Why Africans? Americas are desperate for labor Harder for Africans to run away than Native Americans African strengths - agricultural practices, resistance to diseases

18 Growth of Slavery How did African slaves fight back? Open revolt (rare) Work slowdowns Breaking Tools Poisoning food

19 Thinking Question: (Don’t write down – just think!) While many slaves resisted, not all of them did. What did they have to lose?

20 Growth of Slavery How much did it grow? million in slavery million (1/3 of Southern population)

21 Growth of Slavery Why? Invented made slavery VERY productive 100x faster than by hand More efficient = more $ (so need more slaves) Cotton Gin

22 Limiting Rights Slave Codes: treated enslaved Africans not as human beings but as property Racism: The belief that one race is superior to another