1. Beginnings of Slavery in the Americas
Bell Ringer:
Look at the illustrations on page 78. What can you infer about the conditions aboard the ships on which Africans were transported to the Americas?
What do these conditions suggest about the attitude of the traders toward the Africans?
Beginnings of Slavery in the Americas
Chapter 2, Section 4

2. Key Terms
Slavery – the practice of holding a person in bondage for labor
African Diaspora – the forced removal of Africans from their homelands to serve as slave labor in the Americas
Middle Passage – the middle leg of the triangular trade route (the voyage from Africa to the Americas) that brought captured Africans into slavery
Slave codes – a law passed to regulate the treatment of slaves
Racism – the belief that some people are inferior because of their race

3. The Origins of American Slavery
Slavery was not new, went back to ancient civilizations
What forms has slavery taken through history?
Domestic servants in wealthy households
Laborers in mines and fields
War prisoners
Sold to pay off debt

4. Origins of American Slavery
Some slaves were treated with respect
Allowed to marry
Own property
Children of slaves often were free
Slavery changed with the rise of sugar plantations – why?
Sugar plantations required a lot of labor

5. Slavery and Sugar Spanish and Portuguese colonies in North America
Brought the plantation system with them
Tried to enslave Native Americans
What happened?
They died from overwork and disease; some also rebelled
They look to other sources – Spanish slaves, black Christian slaves, and Asian slaves
Why was this not a solution?
There weren’t enough of any of those groups to meet demand

6. Slavery and Sugar
Four basic reasons Spanish and Portuguese enslaved Africans
1. Africans were immune to most European diseases
2. Africans had no friends or family in the Americas
3. Enslaved Africans provided a permanent source of cheap labor
4. Many Africans had worked on farms in their native lands

7. The Slave Trade
Spanish governor of Hispaniola, Diego Colon, wrote to King Ferdinand
Complains of labor shortage
Who is Diego’s famous father?
Why did the slave trade increase between 1500 and 1800?
Slave trade grew with the demand; colonies became dependent on slave labor

8. The Slave Trade
Role of European slave traders and the rulers of West African kingdoms?
They participated in the slave trade
Where did the coastal, local kings get the captives?
From inland Africa
What did the African kings get in exchange for captives?
European goods (textiles, ironware, wine, and guns)
What effect did the slave trade have on inland African societies?
Made coastal kingdoms rich while weakening inland Africa

9. The Middle Passage African Diaspora Middle Passage
Diaspora – the scattering of people outside their homeland
Middle Passage
It was the middle leg of the triangular trade
Triangular trade – refers to the movement of trade ships between Europe, Africa, and the Americas.

10. The Middle Passage What were conditions like on the slave ships?
Who was Olaudah Equiano?
Why would slave traders pack so many captives onto slave ships?

11. Slavery in the Americas
What happened to the slaves who survived the journey?
Sold at auction
Some taken to large homes to be servants
Most forced to do hard labor
Fed and housed poorly
How did slaves resist?
Ran away, rebelled
How did the Spanish government respond?
Slave codes
What was the purpose of these laws?
Regulate the treatment of slaves; most were designed to punish slaves

12. Slavery in the Americas
How did slavery influence racial attitudes among Europeans?
Dark skin color became a sign of inferiority
Slavery led to racism

13. Slavery in the Americas
Slave trade lasted for nearly 400 years (1500s-1800s)
Contributed to the Columbian Exchange
Africans brought knowledge of farming and animals
American crops like sweet potatoes, peanuts, and chilies went to Africa
Exchange of African cultures
Strong artistic heritage of dance, music, and storytelling
Brought together people from different parts of Africa with different cultural traditions.
Helped create a common African-based culture in the Americas

14. By the end of the slave trade in the late 1800s, 12 million Africans had been enslaved and sent to the Western hemisphere. Of these, perhaps two million died during the voyage.