World History:The Earth and its Peoples

Chapter 18The Atlantic System and Africa,

1550-1800

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 1550-1800.

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

Atlantic System

Slavery– 16th century rise

• 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

Atlantic System

Atlantic System

Slaves - 18th Century– 90% island pop.– 2-1 male

• 23 - male; 25.5 - female• ‘seasoning’ - 1/3 mortality

• plantocracy– few rich landowners– social stratification

• castes– 70% field

• women– tradesmen– ‘driver’

• male slave• ensure hard work

Atlantic System

Atlantic Economy - 1760-1800– 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

Atlantic System

Great (Atlantic) Circuit– Europe, Africa, Americas– 1st leg

• metal bars, guns, textiles– 2nd leg

• gold, timber, slaves• 1500-1650: 800k• 1650-1800: 7.5m

– 1 in 6» disease» execution / abuse» suicide

– 3rd leg• plantation goods

Atlantic System

Africa, Atlantic, and Islam

Africa’s Slave Trade• 1650-1800• 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

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 alliance2) European over African wealth

Africa, Atlantic, and Islam

Muslim Territorial Dominance– N. Africa

• Ottoman Empire• Morocco

• slavery– 1600-1800: 1.7m

• Sahara• Indian Ocean

– women• servants and concubines• population recovery

– children• harem guards

– Muslim