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The Transatlantic Slave Trade

Essential Questions:

1. Why is it important to study the history of slavery?

2. Why have humans throughout history enslaved one another?

■■Other captives were shipped north Other captives were shipped north across the deserts of northwest Africa to across the deserts of northwest Africa to the Mediterranean coast (to Morocco).the Mediterranean coast (to Morocco).

■■Africans were purchased there to work Africans were purchased there to work as servants in Spain, Portugal, and other as servants in Spain, Portugal, and other countries.countries.

By the mid-1400By the mid-1400’’s, Portuguese ship s, Portuguese ship captains were trading slaves along the captains were trading slaves along the west coast of Africa for working on sugar west coast of Africa for working on sugar plantations.plantations.

What do you think What do you think ““Trans-SaharanTrans-Saharan”” refers to? refers to?

Between the 10th – 14th century, African Between the 10th – 14th century, African captives were sold in Islamic markets around captives were sold in Islamic markets around the area of present day the area of present day SudanSudan..

Many of these slaves were female, sold for Many of these slaves were female, sold for servants or concubines.servants or concubines.

Trans-Saharan Trans-Saharan Slave TradeSlave Trade

Transatlantic Slave Trade

Spanish adventurers arrived in the following years, enslaving Native Americans to search for gold and silver.

In 1492, Columbus landed in the In 1492, Columbus landed in the ““New World,New World,”” linking Europe & The Americaslinking Europe & The Americas

Around 1520, the first African slaves arrived Around 1520, the first African slaves arrived in the Americas off of Portuguese ships.in the Americas off of Portuguese ships.

The Natives were weakened by The Natives were weakened by disease, malnutrition, & Spanish disease, malnutrition, & Spanish cruelty so the Spanish decided to cruelty so the Spanish decided to use Africans.use Africans.

How do you think each continent was affected by this trade?

What impact did slavery have on colonial economics?

The Middle PassageMiddle Passage = ship crossing for African slaves to the New World

What do you think life would have been like on a slave ship?

Several hundred slaves were packed below deck on stacked wooden platforms.

These platforms were covered with excrement, blood, and filth and caused many infections and diseases.

Slaves were confined by leg irons while on the ship and were often tortured with whip beatings.

Many slaves committed suicide by jumping overboard or refusing to eat.

As the journey typically took several months…15-20% of the slaves died on the ship

Estimates claim 2-4 million slaves died on the Middle Passage

Slavery in the Southern ColoniesThose surviving The Middle Passage were auctioned

off…

In the 18th century, the “ideal” slave (male, strong, young, & healthy) was worth how much in today’s money?$11,630-$23,200$11,630-$23,200

40% of slaves before the American Revolution passed through South Carolina and were often put to work in its rice fields…

Slavery in the Southern ColoniesThere was no harder or more unhealthy work than the

rice fields…

““Ankle deep or mid-leg in water which floats an oozy mud, Ankle deep or mid-leg in water which floats an oozy mud, and exposed to a burning sun which makes the air and exposed to a burning sun which makes the air hotter than human blood; those poor wretches are in a hotter than human blood; those poor wretches are in a furnace of stinking putrid vaporfurnace of stinking putrid vapor””

2 out of 3 African-American children on rice plantations failed to reach their 16th birthday (malaria, harsh working conditions)

Copper SunAbout a 15 year old African girl, Amari, and

her experiences with the slave trade

Historical Fiction: Work of fiction, but events of the story are based on factAuthor spent 10 years researching its content

Written by Sharon Draper, 2006Grand-daughter of a slave

Setting: 1738 (slave trade in full swing); African village, then South Carolina

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