Chapter 20 3 The Atlantic Slave Trade Causes

Chapter 20. 3 The Atlantic Slave Trade

Causes • The Americas – Need for cheap labor source: Sugar and Tobacco – Native Americans (original labor source) die from European diseases • Why didn’t Africans die? – Profitability of industries (sugar, tobacco, mining, coffee, cotton) is a “pull” factor • Africa – Drought and famine in Africa results in selling of children and adults into slavery – Warfare and enslavement: response to European demand – African merchants and rulers willing role to sell its people – Supply and demand (for products and labor)

Slavery in Africa • Slavery not a new concept • 7 th century (600 s) spread of Islam increases slave trade – Across the Sahara, the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean • Justification for – Muslim belief non-Muslim prisoners can be bought and sold • b/t 650 -1600 17 million Africans transported throughout Muslim land in North Africa

Slavery in Africa Cont… • African and Muslim Societies allow – Slaves’ rights and upward mobility – Muslim slaves have positions of power and serve in military – African slaves may marry into family of slave owner

Africa’s Role • Euro traders wait at ports • Local rulers and merchants capture Africans to sell • Exchange humans for gold, guns, and goods • Profits lure more rulers

Contributors to Slave Trade • Portugal and Spain lead way • Colonization of Americas kills off native population • African’s Advantage over Native Americans: – Exposure to Euro’s diseases and animals – Experienced farmers – Escape less likely – Skin color (you are a slave!)

Contributors by Volume • England: – From 1690 to abolishment leading carrier – 1. 7 million to colonies in West Indies – 400, 000 to North American colonies • Portugal: – 17 th century more than 40% to Brazil • French, Dutch, Spanish • Danish least amount

Mapping the Contributors

Mapping the Volume

Triangular Trade • Triangular Trade crisscrossed northern and southern colonies, West Indies, England, Europe, and Africa • The first stage : – Take manufactured goods from Europe to Africa: cloth, spirit, tobacco, beads, shells, metal goods, and guns. – Guns were used to help expand empires and obtain more slaves. Goods were exchanged for African slaves. • The second stage of the – The Middle Passage involved shipping the slaves to the Americas. • The third stage – Involved returning to Europe with the products of the slavelabor: cotton, sugar, tobacco, molasses and rum.

Mapping the Trade

The Middle Passage • • • Humans are “cargo” on a slave ship Theory: majority of deaths occurred during the middle passage – – Result of malnutrition and disease Survival Rate for the Middle Passage – Estimated death rate of around 13% – Lower than the mortality rate for seamen, officers and passengers on the same voyages

Population Shift • Result of the slave trade on colony populations: – Five times as many Africans arrived in the Americas than Europeans. • David Eltis 1893: – By 1820: 8. 4 million African immigrants to Americas – 2. 4 million Europeans – Euro population however exceeds African’s by 11 million – Sex ratios: more men then women – Survival and reproduction of Africans dramatically lower – Fertility rates low/mortality rates high • Location, location – Geography: most slaves settled in low-lying tropical areas – General mortality rate in areas higher than temperate regions

Culture Survives • Cultural heritage survives as way of coping • Forms of Resistance – Slow work – Escaping – Revolts: Spanish, Brazilian, North American, and West Indies colonies • Stone Rebellion – South Carolina 1739