1. The Atlantic Slave Trade
Mr. Morris
World History

2. Key Terms Ch. 20.3 pg. 566 Atlantic slave trade Triangular trade
Middle passage

3. Setting the Stage
In order for those who owned sugar and cotton plantations to make money, they needed labor
Planned on using Native Americans but many died due to disease
Decided to get cheap labor from Africa to fill their need

4. Slavery in Africa
Slavery had been present in Africa for hundreds of years
Muslims acquired 17 million African slaves between 650 and 1600
Muslims allowed slaves rights and some positions of power
In Africa, if a slave married into the family that owned them, they were no longer slaves

5. The Demand for Africans
Portuguese explorers in Africa realized the value in selling slaves to the American settlers
Several advantages to using Africans as slaves
Already exposed to European disease, so they had some immunity
Had experience in farming, easy transition to plantation work
No knowledge of the American lands; couldn’t escape
Looked different, easy to detect escapees
Slave trade became big business

6. Spain and Portugal Lead the Way
Spain’s large amounts of land in North America needed lots of labor
First to import large numbers of African slaves as a cheap labor force in gold and silver mines
Portuguese needed slaves on sugar plantations
As demand for sugar went higher, so did demand for cheap labor in Brazil
40% of all Africans brought to the Americas ended up in Brazil during the 1600s

7. England Dominates the Slave Trade
Over time, England became the main player in the Atlantic slave trade
Most Africans went to the Caribbean colonies
A small amount of slaves went to the United States
Eventually grew to 2 million

8. African Cooperation and Resistance
African merchants captured other Africans and sold them into slavery
Received gold, guns, and other goods in return
As more African rulers spoke out against the slave trade, merchants found new trade routes
Business grew steadily because of great profits

9. The Triangular Trade Three main stops in the slave trade Africa
Received manufactured goods from Europe
Sent captured slaves to the West Indies
West Indies (America)
Received slaves from Africa
Sent sugar, coffee, tobacco to Europe
Europe
Received sugar, coffee, tobacco from the West Indies
Sent manufactured goods to Africa

10. The Middle Passage
Route that brought slaves to Americas was known as the middle passage
Slaves were packed tightly into ships
Whipped and beaten by merchants during this time
Diseases also affected slaves during the trip
Many committed suicide by drowning themselves
Estimated that 20% of the slaves on every ship died before they reached the Americas

11. A Harsh Life After arriving, slaves were sold at an auction
Either worked in mines, fields, or as servants
Very little food and poor housing conditions
Beaten regularly and had very long workdays
No hope of gaining freedom, all children were automatically slaves as well

12. Resistance and Rebellion
Developed their own culture to cope with the harsh life
Musical traditions and stories from ancestors were kept alive
Resisted by working slowly and breaking tools
Some escaped
Several revolts broke out and some slaveholders were killed

13. Consequences of the Slave Trade
Most fit Africans gone to the Americas
Families torn apart, never reunited
Guns introduced in Africa
Slaves contributed greatly to the economic development of the Americas
Influenced culture also with their heritage
Changed the population of these places, still seen today