The Atlantic Slave Trade Why Africans and

The Atlantic Slave Trade

Why Africans and Not Native Americans? n 1. Plan “A” Failed –originally Euros planned on using Native Americans, but the Natives were not resistant to disease and knew the land n Enconmienda System- Spanish forced Native Americans to work on Plantations and in mines. It failed for a few reasons, so Europeans had to find another labor force

2. Islamic beliefs n Islam was already culturally diffused into Africa by the 15/1600 s n Africans who followed Islam believed it was their duty to enslave captors taken during battle and would later trade them to Euros

3. Africans were immune to Euro Diseases n After hundreds of years of exposure to Euros new generations of Africans were born with antibodies to fend off diseases such as small pox n Had contact w/ domestic animals that carried diseases

4. Africans were experienced farmers

5. Africans were strangers to the Americas n They don’t know the lay of the land, hiding places, language, where to get food, etc. n In order to survive they must depend on their masters

6. Mercantilism (Regents) n An economic philosophy that the colonies exist for the monetary benefit of the mother country n Demand for colonial goods such as sugar, tobacco, and cotton skyrocketed, so too did the demand for labor

About 9. 5 million Africans will be brought to the Americas

Slavery Facts n Spain and Portugal are first Europeans to bring slaves to the Americas n Will later be dominated by the English and French n A great number of slaves were traded to Euros from African kings n Slaves were traded for metal cookware, livestock, seeds, rum, and guns

Triangular Trade Ship returns to Europe full of goods like tobacco Americas Middle Passage Europe Ship w/ trade goods like guns heads to Africa West Coast of Africa

Middle Passage n Regents wants you to remember this as the inhumane transport of slaves across the Atlantic n Slaves were packed into the ships to maximize space n Most could hardly move n Bodily functions such as vomit, urine and diarrhea were released n Stench was unbearable n Many slaves attempted suicide by jumping off the ship or died of disease

European Trading Post in Ghana

Post on The Gold Coast

“. . each slave is secured to the roof-posts by a cord knotted to a cane ring which either encircles his neck or is intertwined with his woolly hair. Many die of pure starvation, as the owners give them barely enough food to exist upon. . After suffering this captivity for a short time they become mere skeletons. All ages, of both sexes, are to be seen: mothers with their babes; young men and women; boys and girls; and even babies who cannot yet walk . . ”

Slave “Store” in Brazil

Packing A French Slave Ship

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Global Trade Begins n Columbian Exchange - the transfer of foods, plants, animals, and disease between Europe and the Americas

From Europe to the Americas n Citrus fruits, grapes, onion, olives, coffee, grains n Cattle, sheep, pigs, horses n Small pox, flu, measles, typhus

From Americas to Europe n Beans, Vanilla, Corn, Tomatoes, Potatoes, Peanuts, Peppers, Squash, Pumpkins, Tobacco, Turkey, Cacao

Capitalism n Belief in private ownership and investment to make profit n Joint Stock Company- people pool their money together to invest in new colonies in hopes of making money n Example: Holland Land Company – bought up a ton of land in New York and sold it for profit