1. World History: The Earth and its Peoples
Chapter 18
The Atlantic System and Africa,

2. Objectives
Describe and give concrete illustrations of the effects of the Atlantic system on African, European, and American societies and their environments.
Understand the relationship between the spread of sugar plantations and the growth of the slave trade.
Be able to describe capitalism and mercantilism and explain their roles in the development of the Atlantic system.
Be able to compare and account for the different roles and influence of the West and Islam in sub-Saharan Africa between about

3. Atlantic System West Indies 1500 - Sugar-cane intro 1600 - tobacco
European markets
chartered companies
free passage
1650 crisis
Dutch West Indies Company
1621
private trading co.
dividends
Brazilian sugar
slavery
1654
West Indies alliance

4. Atlantic System Slavery Plantation Life 16th century rise 7 versus 3-4
West Indies land values
rising sugar prices
7 versus 3-4
Plantation Life
cultivation
factory
crushing / processing
farm
byproducts
molasses and rum
soil exhaustion / deforestation
demographic effects
plant / animals
Arawak / Carib

5. Atlantic System

6. Atlantic System Slaves - 18th Century plantocracy castes
90% island pop.
2-1 male
23 - male; female
‘seasoning’ - 1/3 mortality
plantocracy
few rich landowners
social stratification
castes
70% field
women
tradesmen
‘driver’
male slave
ensure hard work

7. Atlantic System Atlantic Economy - 1760-1800 Reasons for success
sugar / slave ships
Reasons for success
private enterprise
capitalism
banks
trading companies
stock exchanges
Amsterdam
insurance
mercantilism
precious metal accumulation
competition
Navigation Acts of 1660s
most profitable

8. Atlantic System Great (Atlantic) Circuit Europe, Africa, Americas
1st leg
metal bars, guns, textiles
2nd leg
gold, timber, slaves
: 800k
: 7.5m
1 in 6
disease
execution / abuse
suicide
3rd leg
plantation goods

9. Atlantic System

10. Africa, Atlantic, and Islam
Africa’s Slave Trade
textiles and guns
tobacco and rum
Africa’s strong position
^ slaves, ^ price
local customs
European competition
Gold Coast / Slave Coast Comp.
Dahomey
Asante and Oyo
war captives

11. Africa, Atlantic, and Islam
Bight of Biafra - 18th Century
densely populated
no strong kingdoms
merchants
kidnapping
fairs
Angola
Portuguese control
prisoners of war / drought
byproduct
1) European / African elite alliance
2) European over African wealth

12. Africa, Atlantic, and Islam
Muslim Territorial Dominance
N. Africa
Ottoman Empire
Morocco
slavery
: 1.7m
Sahara
Indian Ocean
women
servants and concubines
population recovery
children
harem guards
Muslim