CW3 – p37 Vocab & Answer this ?

• How was slavery part of West Africa before Europeans arrived?

European Exploration & Colonization

• The Atlantic Slave Trade had its origins in Europe’s expansion that began in the 15th

Century.

• Europeans became the new consumers of the already existing slave trade in West Africa.

• The founding of the New World and especially sugar provided the huge demand for slaves.

The Slave Trade

• Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands, France and England all began to colonize Africa.

• Originally, Europeans wanted a faster way to reach Asia for trade (Columbus)

• When Columbus accidentally discovered America, Europeans quickly enslaved the people of the New World and many died from disease as well.

• The demand for a workforce created the Atlantic Slave Trade.

Slavery in Africa

• Slavery had already existed in Africa and the world for thousands of years.

• Islamic invaders would come to forest region and capture those who couldn’t resist because of no state or less technology.

• Mainly looking for women or children as concubines or domestic servants.

• The trans-Saharan slave trade made empires of West Africa and North Africa rich.

Atlantic Slave Trade Origin

• Portuguese were the first to trade in W Africa (gold, ivory, and pepper)

• Later they began to bring home slaves they traded for as domestic servants.

• They did not capture slaves, they mainly traded with the ruler of the area for slaves from interethnic rivalries and wars.

• Neither side had developed the concept of racial solidarity at this point, later this will develop.

Growth of Atlantic Slave Trade

• Originally, only small numbers of slaves were taken to Europe for domestic servants

• When the New World is settled, this number explodes as the native workforce dwindles.

• Europe demanded so much sugar, a labor intensive plant in the New World, many workers needed.

• The new form of slavery that developed in the Americas was much harsher, and the slaves became property of their owners (chattel)

• Mostly men and boys were taken to America for the harsh labor.

Portugal, Spain and the Dutch

• Portugal and Spain dominated the slave trade during the 16th

Century.

• 2,000 Africans per year to the Americas, most to Brazil.

• Profits from this brought in the Dutch, who drove out the Portugese from West Africa and took over the trade when first Africans were taken to the British colonies.

• Soon the British through wars will take over the trade and expand it to 50,000 per year for sugar, tobacco and soon cotton.

Triangular Trade

• A triangular trade developed between W Africa, America and Europe.

• For the most part, manufactured goods went from Europe to Africa to trade for slaves who went to America to get more sugar, rum, tobacco and cotton to return to Europe.