African Slave TradeAfrican Slave Trade

Trans-Atlantic Slave Trans-Atlantic Slave TradeTrade

Video: Africans in Video: Africans in AmericaAmerica For Handout

Part 1 25:40 to 41:40 Part 2 start to 6:09

Steven Spielberg Video's Middle Passage

What motives led to What motives led to Europeans to explore the Europeans to explore the coast of Africa during coast of Africa during 1400’s (#3)1400’s (#3)

looking for gold/resources – economic looking for gold/resources – economic motivemotive

looking for sea routes to Indialooking for sea routes to India Portugal first contact w/ West AfricaPortugal first contact w/ West Africa setup small trading post did not go into setup small trading post did not go into

interiorinterior Christian Missionaries Christian Missionaries

Causes of the Slave Causes of the Slave TradeTrade causes/rise (#4 a & b)causes/rise (#4 a & b)

Colonies in Americas/plantation system Colonies in Americas/plantation system and mines and mines

make profitable make profitable

Native Americans did not work as slavesNative Americans did not work as slaves not used to large farming villages not used to large farming villages diseasedisease Escape – limited populationEscape – limited population

1700’s height of Slave 1700’s height of Slave Trade (#3)Trade (#3) demand and profits grewdemand and profits grew African rulers- humans for guns and African rulers- humans for guns and

goodsgoods Triangle Trade: responsible for bringing Triangle Trade: responsible for bringing

millions of African slaves to the millions of African slaves to the Americas Americas (see handout) (see handout) – most to – most to Caribbean and South AmericaCaribbean and South America

Middle Passage: slave ship trip across Middle Passage: slave ship trip across AtlanticAtlantic(see handout)(see handout)

The "triangle trade" carried agricultural products from America to Europe, manufactured goods from Europe to Africa, and slaves from Africa to America. As this map shows, though, it more more complicated than a single triangle.

Conditions on board the slave ships were so inhuman that many did not survive the voyage. This famous image shows the way slaves would be chained lying down on benches for perhaps 100 days, unable even to sit up.

Unbelievably, this formation was known as "loose pack" as the slaves were lying on their backs. The alternative, "tight pack", which had the slaves lying on their sides, allowed the slaver to fit more slaves onto the ship. However it was eventually abandoned, not for humanitarian reasons but due to the brutal economic calculation that the higher mortality rate of "tight pack" meant that fewer slaves reached the new world alive than with "loose pack".

Effects of Slave Trade Effects of Slave Trade (#5)(#5) racism used as justificationracism used as justification

Rise of Planation system in AmericasRise of Planation system in Americas Abolition Movement: movement to end slavery (#2b)Abolition Movement: movement to end slavery (#2b) Effects in AfricaEffects in Africa

West Africa: conflict between tribesWest Africa: conflict between tribes Loss of population/cultureLoss of population/culture African traditional economies sufferedAfrican traditional economies suffered African Diaspora: spread of African people and culture throughout African Diaspora: spread of African people and culture throughout

the world (#2a)the world (#2a) rise of European influence across West Africarise of European influence across West Africa

Eventually Decreased demand for slaves = industrializationEventually Decreased demand for slaves = industrialization raw materials not humans = Imperialismraw materials not humans = Imperialism

Eventually Decreased demand for slaves = Eventually Decreased demand for slaves = industrializationindustrialization

raw materials not humans = Imperialismraw materials not humans = Imperialism