The Atlantic Slave Trade Origins of Slavery in

The Atlantic Slave Trade Origins of Slavery in the Colonies Effects of Slavery

Symbol of the Tragedy of Slavery • The Door of No Return on Goree Island • Symbol of the tragedy of slavery • Of the coast of Senegal stands the House of Slaves

House of Slaves

Origins of the Slave Trade • Shortage of labor in the Americas • Needed large numbers of workers for plantations, estates where crops such as sugar and tobacco were grown

Sources of Labor • Native Americans-died because of European diseases • Indentured Servantsworked for a period of time in exchange for passage to the America’s (TOO EXPENSIVE) • SOLUTION=AFRICAN SLAVES

African Slaves • Millions of Africans taken to the Americas from 1600 s until the 1800 s • Came from the Coast of West Africa (between Senegal and Angola)

Atlantic Slave Trade

Triangular Trade • 1. First leg consisted of ships carrying products from Europe to Africa in exchange for slaves • 2. Second Leg=Middle Passage=Africans brought to America and sold as slaves • 3. Third leg consisted of America products such as sugar, tobacco, and rice being sent to Europe

Middle Passage • Africans were chained together and packed on dark ships

Olaudah Equiano quote page 489

Middle Passage

Middle Passage

Life on the ships • Life was rough on the slave ships • Trip lasted 3 to 6 weeks • 10 -20% of slaves died • Some slaves tried to starve themselves to death, refusing to eat either of their two meals • Some slaves committed suicide by strangling themselves or jumping off slave ships

Where were slaves auctioned? • Spanish traders took slaves to the Caribbean sugar plantations • Portuguese sent their slaves to Brazil • English slave ships mainly went to the West Indies and to North America • By the end of the 1600 s, England dominated the slave trade

West Indies

Slave Conditions • Most slaves worked on plantations • Some worked in mines, towns, and in the countryside • Skilled slaves continued their skill work such as carpentry or metal work • Female slaves sometimes given domestic duties like servant or cook

What happened to slaves who committed minor offenses?

Punishing slaves

Slave Rebellions • Slaves were considered property therefore they had no rights • Enslaved people would rebel in different ways – – – Cultural traditions Religion Slow work Destroying Equipment Attacking slaveholders

Human Cost Problems in Africa • Countless people died and many others deprived of their freedom • Many of the strong, young leaders were captured and sold into slavery • African tribes began to fight with each other to gain captives for trade

Economy of the Americas African Diaspora • Expanded because of free slave labor • African music, art, religion and food introduced to the Western world