“The Atlantic Slave Trade” Chapter 20-3. I. Causes of African Slavery A. Slavery already existed...

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The Atlantic Slave The Atlantic Slave Trade” Trade” Chapter 20-3 Chapter 20-3

Transcript of “The Atlantic Slave Trade” Chapter 20-3. I. Causes of African Slavery A. Slavery already existed...

““The Atlantic Slave The Atlantic Slave Trade”Trade”

Chapter 20-3Chapter 20-3

I. Causes of African SlaveryI. Causes of African Slavery

A. Slavery already A. Slavery already existed in Africa existed in Africa different than different than slavery in slavery in AmericasAmericas

1. Slavery similar to serfdom slavery ended after certain # of years in servitude

2. Slaves could marry, own property, and even own slaves3. Slavery not hereditary

4. Slavery lacked racism

B. Spread of Islam in 7B. Spread of Islam in 7thth c. c. led led to increase in slavery & slave to increase in slavery & slave

tradetrade

1. Justified by belief that a non-Muslim 1. Justified by belief that a non-Muslim could be bought & sold as slavescould be bought & sold as slaves

2. Slaves had some legal rights & 2. Slaves had some legal rights & opportunity for social mobilityopportunity for social mobility

3. Slaves could escape bondage 3. Slaves could escape bondage i.e. by i.e. by marrying into family they servedmarrying into family they served

C. Demand for Africans C. Demand for Africans increased increased with the colonization of the with the colonization of the

AmericasAmericas1. Europeans saw advantages of 1. Europeans saw advantages of

using Africans in the using Africans in the AmericasAmericas

a. Exposure & immunity to a. Exposure & immunity to European diseasesEuropean diseases

b. Experience in farming b. Experience in farming

c. Less likely to escape c. Less likely to escape did did not know new landnot know new land

d. Skin color made easier to d. Skin color made easier to identify & catch escapeesidentify & catch escapees

II. Atlantic slave trade became II. Atlantic slave trade became massive enterprisemassive enterprise

A. By the time it ended A. By the time it ended in 1870, nearly 10-in 1870, nearly 10-12 million Africans 12 million Africans were enslavedwere enslaved

B. Spain took the lead B. Spain took the lead in importing Africansin importing Africans

1. Slaves worked on 1. Slaves worked on plantations, gold & plantations, gold & silver minessilver mines

C. Portuguese surpassed Spanish in C. Portuguese surpassed Spanish in slave tradeslave trade

1. Brazil dominated sugar market 1. Brazil dominated sugar market increased demand for cheap laborincreased demand for cheap labor

2. More than 40% of Africans in slave 2. More than 40% of Africans in slave trade went to Brazil in 17trade went to Brazil in 17thth c. c.

D. England became leading D. England became leading carrier of enslaved Africanscarrier of enslaved Africans

1. Transported nearly 1.7 million Africans to their 1. Transported nearly 1.7 million Africans to their colonies in West Indiescolonies in West Indies

2. 1672 – King of England chartered the Royal 2. 1672 – King of England chartered the Royal African CompanyAfrican Company

3. 1698 – English Parliament ruled that any 3. 1698 – English Parliament ruled that any British subject could own slavesBritish subject could own slaves

III. African cooperation & III. African cooperation & resistanceresistance

A. African rulers & A. African rulers & merchants played merchants played willing role in African willing role in African slave trade slave trade captured captured Africans to be enslavedAfricans to be enslaved

1. European traders waited 1. European traders waited in ports on coast of in ports on coast of Africa Africa

2. African slaves were 2. African slaves were traded with Europeans traded with Europeans in exchange for gold, in exchange for gold, guns, etc.guns, etc.

B. Some African rulers voiced B. Some African rulers voiced their oppositiontheir opposition

1. Lured by profits, rulers continued to 1. Lured by profits, rulers continued to participateparticipate

2. Merchants found new trade routes to 2. Merchants found new trade routes to avoid oppositional rulersavoid oppositional rulers

IV. The JourneyIV. The Journey

A. The Triangular Trade – transatlantic A. The Triangular Trade – transatlantic trading network trading network

1. Europeans transported manufactured goods 1. Europeans transported manufactured goods to the west coast of Africato the west coast of Africa

2. Goods exchanged for captured Africans 2. Goods exchanged for captured Africans 3. Africans brought across Atlantic & sold in 3. Africans brought across Atlantic & sold in

West IndiesWest Indies4. Merchants brought sugar, coffee, & tobacco 4. Merchants brought sugar, coffee, & tobacco

from West Indies back to Europefrom West Indies back to Europe

1

2

3

4

B. The Middle Passage B. The Middle Passage the voyage the voyage that brought captured Africans to New that brought captured Africans to New

WorldWorld

1. Africans packed into 1. Africans packed into dark holds of large shipsdark holds of large ships

2. Africans endured 2. Africans endured whippings & beatings whippings & beatings from merchantsfrom merchants

3. Diseases swept 3. Diseases swept through vessel through vessel millions died millions died

4. Many Africans committed suicide 4. Many Africans committed suicide by drowningby drowning

5. Nearly 20% of Africans aboard 5. Nearly 20% of Africans aboard each ship perished during tripeach ship perished during trip

Plan of a Slave Plan of a Slave ShipShip

V. Slavery in the AmericasV. Slavery in the AmericasA. Harsh life upon arrival in A. Harsh life upon arrival in

Americas Americas

1. Sold to highest bidder 1. Sold to highest bidder worked in mines, fields, worked in mines, fields, or as domestic servantsor as domestic servants

2. Little food, lived in small 2. Little food, lived in small hutshuts

3. Worked long days & 3. Worked long days & suffered beatings suffered beatings

4. Lifelong & hereditary 4. Lifelong & hereditary conditioncondition

B. Resistance & rebellionB. Resistance & rebellion

1. Africans developed way of life based 1. Africans developed way of life based on their cultural heritageon their cultural heritage

a. Musical traditions & stories of a. Musical traditions & stories of ancestorsancestors

2. Resisted by 2. Resisted by making themselves making themselves less productive less productive broke tools, moved broke tools, moved slowlyslowly

3. Thousands ran 3. Thousands ran awayaway

4. Open revolts 4. Open revolts numerous uprisingsnumerous uprisings

VI. Results of slave tradeVI. Results of slave trade

A. Effects in AfricaA. Effects in Africa1. Numerous cultures lost generations of 1. Numerous cultures lost generations of their fittest memberstheir fittest members2. Families torn apart & never reunited2. Families torn apart & never reunited3. Introduced guns to the continent of Africa3. Introduced guns to the continent of Africa

B. Effects in the AmericasB. Effects in the Americas

1. Slaves contributed greatly to economic & 1. Slaves contributed greatly to economic & cultural development of Americascultural development of Americas

a. Survival of colonies depended on their a. Survival of colonies depended on their laborlabor

b. Africans brought their expertise in b. Africans brought their expertise in agricultureagriculture

c. Brought their art, music, religion, c. Brought their art, music, religion, & food to influence American & food to influence American societiessocieties

Olaudah EquianoOlaudah Equiano- Kidnapped & sold into - Kidnapped & sold into

slavery as a childslavery as a child- Eventually earned price of - Eventually earned price of

his freedom by careful his freedom by careful trading & savingtrading & saving

- Later became involved in - Later became involved in movement to abolish the movement to abolish the slave tradeslave trade

- His narrative describes - His narrative describes the horrific Middle the horrific Middle Passage & experiences of Passage & experiences of slavesslaves

Published “The Interesting Narrative on

the Life of Olaudah Equiano” in 1789