Ch. 16:Ch. 16: Section IV: Africa and the Atlantic Slave Section IV: Africa and the Atlantic Slave Trade Trade

(Pages 377-381)(Pages 377-381)

Ch. 16:Ch. 16: Section IV: Africa and the Atlantic Slave Section IV: Africa and the Atlantic Slave Trade Trade

(Pages 377-381)(Pages 377-381)

This section is about:This section is about: How European explorers of How European explorers of

Africa encouraged the use of Africa encouraged the use of slave labor and eventually slave labor and eventually led to the Atlantic slave led to the Atlantic slave trade.trade.

Triangular trade and its Triangular trade and its impact on enslaved Africans impact on enslaved Africans in the Americas as well as on in the Americas as well as on West African culture and West African culture and population.population.

There were a lot of peoples There were a lot of peoples involved in the slave trade involved in the slave trade – more than just Africans – more than just Africans and Americansand Americans

One of the vocabulary One of the vocabulary word definitions on page word definitions on page 377 shows that (triangular 377 shows that (triangular trade).trade).

Also look at the “Main Also look at the “Main Ideas” on page 377Ideas” on page 377

European Exploration in European Exploration in AfricaAfrica

Slavery had been in the Slavery had been in the world since ancient world since ancient times.times.

What’s different about What’s different about this time is the levels this time is the levels that it reached by the that it reached by the 1500’s.1500’s.

This mostly goes back to This mostly goes back to Europeans exploring Europeans exploring Africa and a way around Africa and a way around it in the 1400’s (Henry it in the 1400’s (Henry the Navigator, Vasco da the Navigator, Vasco da Gama…..)Gama…..)

Slavery in AfricaSlavery in Africa

African slavery was around African slavery was around even in 1000 AD.even in 1000 AD.

Often it was as punishment Often it was as punishment for criminals and prisoners of for criminals and prisoners of war.war.

Sometimes they were more Sometimes they were more servants than slaves, some servants than slaves, some could even “earn” their could even “earn” their freedom, and it was not freedom, and it was not hereditary.hereditary.

These forms of slavery These forms of slavery changed when the Europeans changed when the Europeans showed up – they considered showed up – they considered these people possessions they these people possessions they could buy and sell and use for could buy and sell and use for all kinds of labor.all kinds of labor.

The Portuguese in AfricaThe Portuguese in Africa

Remember the Portuguese Remember the Portuguese exploring and building forts?exploring and building forts?

Some Africans were sold to Some Africans were sold to these Portuguese as early as these Portuguese as early as 1440 (sometimes by African 1440 (sometimes by African rulers).rulers).

After they built some After they built some colonies (in/near Africa), the colonies (in/near Africa), the Portuguese needed more Portuguese needed more workers, and they now knew workers, and they now knew where to get them.where to get them.

They did not treat them well They did not treat them well – making them work long – making them work long hours (looking for gold) hours (looking for gold) under harsh conditions.under harsh conditions.

The Atlantic Slave TradeThe Atlantic Slave Trade

In Europe, slavery was In Europe, slavery was just about gone by the just about gone by the 1400’s. 1400’s.

But the Portuguese But the Portuguese got it going again.got it going again.

By 1600, 275,000 By 1600, 275,000 Africans had been Africans had been shipped across the shipped across the Atlantic.Atlantic.

In the 1700’s, there In the 1700’s, there were about 6 million were about 6 million more.more.

Plantation LaborersPlantation Laborers By the 1520’s Spain and By the 1520’s Spain and

Portugal were sending slaves Portugal were sending slaves to the Caribbean (where to the Caribbean (where they grew sugar cane).they grew sugar cane).

Sugar Plantations needed a Sugar Plantations needed a lot of (cheap) labor to work lot of (cheap) labor to work the fields and make a profit the fields and make a profit (no machines then).(no machines then).

They had tried to use Native They had tried to use Native Americans, but many of Americans, but many of them had died from them had died from diseases.diseases.

Remember Bartolome de las Remember Bartolome de las Casas? (He was a big Casas? (He was a big defender of Native defender of Native Americans).Americans).

He also convinced everyone He also convinced everyone Africans could fight the Africans could fight the diseases better than Native diseases better than Native Americans.Americans.

Competing for TradeCompeting for Trade

The Portuguese were the The Portuguese were the first big slave trading first big slave trading country.country.

Then, the Dutch (and the Then, the Dutch (and the Dutch West India Dutch West India Company) took control of Company) took control of the West African Coast – the West African Coast – and by 1640 were the and by 1640 were the main slave suppliers to the main slave suppliers to the Spanish in the Caribbean.Spanish in the Caribbean.

They eventually even took They eventually even took over all the Portuguese over all the Portuguese forts along the coastforts along the coast

England and France also England and France also were starting to build some were starting to build some colonies at this time.colonies at this time.

…………………………………………..

The French and English The French and English didn’t want the Dutch didn’t want the Dutch getting all the money from getting all the money from this trade, so they started this trade, so they started to form their own trading to form their own trading companies.companies.

And, some wars developed And, some wars developed over this and power in over this and power in general – between the general – between the English, the French, and the English, the French, and the Dutch.Dutch.

The Dutch lost some power The Dutch lost some power during this – leaving during this – leaving England and France to England and France to compete for dominance compete for dominance (with England a little (with England a little stronger).stronger).

Triangular Trade RoutesTriangular Trade Routes

This slave trade This slave trade was just one part was just one part of a “of a “triangular triangular tradetrade.”.”

Again – let’s look at Again – let’s look at U.S. History class U.S. History class information.information.

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The Middle PassageThe Middle Passage If 6-7 million Africans were If 6-7 million Africans were

slaves – more than that were slaves – more than that were actually taken from Africa. We actually taken from Africa. We don’t know how many, but X don’t know how many, but X % didn’t survive the trip % didn’t survive the trip (disease, harsh treatment, (disease, harsh treatment, disasters at sea).disasters at sea).

There was great suffering on the There was great suffering on the trip.trip.

People chained together.People chained together. Cramped closed in places.Cramped closed in places. Rarely allowed above deck.Rarely allowed above deck. Food one/twice a dayFood one/twice a day Some tried to jump Some tried to jump

overboard.overboard. Resisters were Resisters were

beaten/tortured.beaten/tortured. And once you survived the And once you survived the

trip it may even get worsetrip it may even get worse

Impact of the Slave Trade on Western Impact of the Slave Trade on Western AfricaAfrica

We always look at what We always look at what happened with slavery in happened with slavery in the Americas.the Americas.

But, don’t ever forget what But, don’t ever forget what it did to Africa – they lost a it did to Africa – they lost a lot of people.lot of people.

Some groups and some Some groups and some cultures of Africa were lost cultures of Africa were lost forever.forever.

Many of the strongest and Many of the strongest and best men of Africa were best men of Africa were taken from their own taken from their own people.people.

The distrust among The distrust among Africans (with each other) Africans (with each other) led to many other led to many other problems – some still todayproblems – some still today