HIS103Y1 Lecture 7: Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade
12 million Africans were loaded into ships, 10.5 million made it to North America, South
America, and the Caribbean
Before 1820, 2.5 million Europeans migrated to the Americas
8.5 Africans were transported there in slave ships
Largest forced migration across the Atlantic ever
Redirection of people against their will to the other side of the world
Didn’t start the slave trade, but became the biggest slave traders
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Britain abolish the slave trade, destroyed Trans-Atlantic Trade
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27k ships carried slaves from West Africa to Americas, 12k of which were British
Europeans are entirely on Africans for slaves
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Africans learn how valuable slaves are
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Demand more and more goods in return
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Establish complex trade system
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Relied on African traders / elites to go into interior and buy / fight for other Africans to
sell to Europeans
Slavery as an institution had a long history in Africa, slave traders had been selling
trades across the world for centuries
Plantation system is different from what had existed before
Slaves were men, best workers
African traders valued women for reproductive value and for work they were willing to
do
More demand for slaves, prices went up, more women and children enslaved to meet
demand
Humans are packed in hull of ship
Only brought outside for exercise if it is good weather, some people were sick,
'resembled slaughter house'
Fewer slaves died in shipment throughout 1700s, but still large amounts
Slaves are landed, washed, made to appear well-fed and healthy, then sold
Cajttel
System that breeds / nurtures sense that these people are not people
1444 - 1880 : Brazil and Cuba finally outlaw slave trade in 1880s
All European states are involved.
Barbados becomes English in 1627, British take Jamaica from Spain in 1665.
perfect land for growing sugar (popular in Europe)
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English tries to work land in West Indies with European convicts or
indentured servants
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British: sugar cultivation in West Indies
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Why slavery?
Small group of elites own large amounts of land
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Use slave labour to harvest staple crops to sell and make a profit
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Farm labour and some mining labour (in Brazil)
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Sugar is difficult: cutting, boiling, hot and hard work
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Didn't take care of land: needed to expand the land to keep growing sugar -->
need for more slaves
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Expand control over West Indies and N.A., demand for slaves increases --> development
of plantation system
Expensive to travel to Africa to buy slaves
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Some forts were built in Africa to protect ports / areas where slaves were landed
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Not colonialism: West Africa was not controlled by Europeans
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End of war of Spanish Succession: British get asianto --> right to supply trade to
Spanish colonies as well
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1660: England. Company of Royal Adventurers trading in Africa
Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade
November 2, 2016
2:53 PM
LECTURE Page 36
Document Summary
12 million africans were loaded into ships, 10. 5 million made it to north america, south. Before 1820, 2. 5 million europeans migrated to the americas. 8. 5 africans were transported there in slave ships. Redirection of people against their will to the other side of the world. 27k ships carried slaves from west africa to americas, 12k of which were british. Didn"t start the slave trade, but became the biggest slave traders. Britain abolish the slave trade, destroyed trans-atlantic trade. Relied on african traders / elites to go into interior and buy / fight for other africans to sell to europeans. Slavery as an institution had a long history in africa, slave traders had been selling trades across the world for centuries. Plantation system is different from what had existed before. African traders valued women for reproductive value and for work they were willing to do. More demand for slaves, prices went up, more women and children enslaved to meet demand.
