1. Ch. 4 Section 3 The Atlantic Slave Trade

2. The Causes of African Slavery
Beginning around the 1500’s American colonists needed cheap labor therefore they began using slaves on farms and plantations.
Slavery existed in Africa for centuries
The spread of Islam into Africa ushered in a higher demand for the slave trade
Justified it with their belief that non Muslim POW’S could be bought and sold as slaves.

3. As a result around 1600 Muslims transported 17 million Africans to the Muslim controlled lands of northern Africa and southwest Asia.
Some slaves had maneuverability on the social ladder but this was few and far between.
1 way to escape slavery was to marry into your masters family.

4. The Demand for Africans
The first Europeans to explore Africa were the Portuguese
Initially they wanted to trade for gold and solver and jewels/spices NOT slaves
This will change because of the colonization of the America’s and the natives there were dying by the millions

5. Many advantages to using African slaves in the Americas.
Were already exposed to European diseases and had built up some form of immunity
Had previous experience in farming and could transition well into plantation farming
Less likely to escape because they did not know the terrain
Their skin color made it easier for them to catch if they ran away.

6. In time the buying of African slaves will become a massive enterprise(business)
This will come to be known as the “Atlantic Slave Trade”
Between roughly 300,000 African slaves the next century it jumped to 1.3 million
When the Atlantic Slave Traded ended in 1870 around 9.5 million Africans were transported to the Americas

7. Slavery Spreads Throughout the Americas
As we talked about earlier, England’s presence grew in the Americas so did their hold on the slave trade
From (Slave trade abolished by England) they will transport 1.7 million Africans to their colonies in the West Indies
400,000 were brought to the American colonies
By 1830 nearly 2 million slaves were brought into North America

8. African Cooperation and Resistance
Many African merchants and rulers played a willing role in the slave trade
Most Europeans never traveled inland instead they stayed at the ports and the African merchants/leaders brought the slaves to them to be sold/traded

9. A Forced Journey
Triangular Trade- The transatlantic trading network along which slaves and other foods were carried between Africa, England, Europe, the West Indies, and the colonies in North America.

10. The Middle Passage
The voyage that brought the captured Africans to the West Indies and later to North and South America
African slaves were very tightly packed into small cargo holds of ships
Usual to get whippings and beatings on board the ship
Roughly 20% of Africans making the journey would not make it

11. Slavery in the Americas
Those that survived had a harsh life awaiting in the Americas
Expected to work in mines or fields or as domestic servants
Lived off little to no food in dry small huts
Was a lifelong condition and a hereditary one
Found ways to rebel by music and keeping of heritage