slave trade, afst
TRANSCRIPT
The Trans-Atlantic Slave The Trans-Atlantic Slave TradeTrade
What is Slavery?What is Slavery?
• An economic An economic system which relies system which relies on forced labor, on forced labor, ownership of some ownership of some people by others.people by others.
• Slavery has existed Slavery has existed in most cultures in most cultures throughout the throughout the world at some point world at some point in history.in history.
Trans-Atlantic Slave TradeTrans-Atlantic Slave Trade
• Began in the 17Began in the 17thth century century with the rise of plantations in with the rise of plantations in the Americas and the the Americas and the Caribbean regionCaribbean region
• Africans were preferred labor Africans were preferred labor sources, as the Amerindians sources, as the Amerindians had little or no immunity to had little or no immunity to European diseasesEuropean diseases
• By the 1630’s the world will By the 1630’s the world will experience a rapid expansion experience a rapid expansion of plantation growth. The of plantation growth. The Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, French and English will all be French and English will all be competing in the West Indies.competing in the West Indies.
• Approximately 20,000 Approximately 20,000 slaves were brought per slaves were brought per year to the Americas in the year to the Americas in the 1717thth century- century-
This number will more than This number will more than double by the 18double by the 18thth century. century.
• It is estimated that millions It is estimated that millions of Africans were taken as of Africans were taken as slaves to the New World by slaves to the New World by way of the Trans-Atlantic way of the Trans-Atlantic Slave TradeSlave Trade
Was There Slavery in Africa Before Was There Slavery in Africa Before European Demand?European Demand?
• In African cultures, slaves were often In African cultures, slaves were often taken in conflicts between warring taken in conflicts between warring tribes/villages/peoplestribes/villages/peoples
• Slaves often could advance their Slaves often could advance their social position and even marry to earn social position and even marry to earn their freedom. Traditionally slaves their freedom. Traditionally slaves could assimilate into their new societycould assimilate into their new society
• Africans had been trading other Africans had been trading other Africans as slaves to Southern Europe Africans as slaves to Southern Europe for centuriesfor centuries
• The Portuguese were the first The Portuguese were the first European nation to TAKE African European nation to TAKE African slaves back to Europe. The first slaves back to Europe. The first African slaves in Portugal were African slaves in Portugal were servants in the wealthiest of servants in the wealthiest of households.households.
• Portuguese will eventually use African Portuguese will eventually use African slaves to work on sugar plantations slaves to work on sugar plantations on Sao Tome. It is from the on Sao Tome. It is from the Portuguese that we have gotten the Portuguese that we have gotten the word ‘slave’.word ‘slave’.
The Triangle Trade
Middle Passage
Slavery in Africa: How were slaves Slavery in Africa: How were slaves obtained and sold to the Europeans?obtained and sold to the Europeans?
• Despite what you may have Despite what you may have learned, the fact is that learned, the fact is that most Europeans did NOT most Europeans did NOT venture into the interior of venture into the interior of Africa to kidnap or capture Africa to kidnap or capture slaves. Most European slave slaves. Most European slave traders bought their slaves traders bought their slaves from African contacts on the from African contacts on the coastcoast
• Often African people Often African people involved in the slave trade involved in the slave trade would capture interior would capture interior Africans from different Africans from different cultural groups and sell cultural groups and sell them to Europeans along them to Europeans along the coast.the coast.
• Slaves were then Slaves were then transported via ship to the transported via ship to the Americas where they were Americas where they were then sold to the highest then sold to the highest bidderbidder
How Do We Know About the How Do We Know About the Middle Passage?Middle Passage?
From Descriptions by Slave Traders Themselves
Olaudah EquianoOlaudah Equiano
The Effects of the Slave Trade The Effects of the Slave Trade on Africaon Africa
• Some kings prospered, and entire kingdoms developed Some kings prospered, and entire kingdoms developed around the slave tradearound the slave trade
• Trade relationships established between Europe and Africa, Trade relationships established between Europe and Africa, as well as between Africans themselvesas well as between Africans themselves
• Trade patterns shifted focus to the coastsTrade patterns shifted focus to the coasts• Depopulation of parts of AfricaDepopulation of parts of Africa• Disintegration of some kingdoms and cultural dissolutionDisintegration of some kingdoms and cultural dissolution• Social prejudice against Africa and its people becomes the Social prejudice against Africa and its people becomes the
norm in the Westnorm in the West• Europeans establish entry points for future colonization in Europeans establish entry points for future colonization in
the 19the 19thth century century• African cultural influences on the American culture (i.e. African cultural influences on the American culture (i.e.
music, language, agricultural practices)music, language, agricultural practices)