the beginnings of african slavery in the americas - middle passage

7/27/2019 The Beginnings of African Slavery in the Americas - Middle Passage

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Chapter 2 Section 5: Beginnings of Slavery in

the Americas


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The Age of European Exploration and

Colonization

Western European countries expand during

15th century

Explore, conquer, and colonize

Trade

Eastern markets of India, China, and Japan

New World

Demand for laborers led to Atlantic slave trade


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In 15th century, slaves used as domestic servants on

Iberian Peninsula

Other European countries had large work forces and

little need for slaves

Purchased from African traders

Portugal and Spain dominated slave trade in 16th century

Dutch dominated 17th century

English dominated 18th century


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Growth of the

Atlantic Slave Trade

Demand for labor in 16th century

Spanish gold and silver mines

Portuguese sugar plantations

Tobacco, rice and indigo


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Growth of the Atlantic Slave Trade

(cont.)

Harsher in the Americas Based on race

Most were males

Believed they were stronger laborers than females West African women did farm work

Agricultural workers

Chattel

Lost rights as human beings


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Slave Colonies of the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries

Map 22. Slave Colonies of the

Seventeenth and Eighteenth

Centuries.

This map indicates regions in

North America, the West

Indies, and South America that

had, during the seventeenth

and eighteenth centuries,

significant populations of

enslaved people of African

descent.


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Atlantic Trade Among the Americas, Great Britain, and West Africa During

the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries

Map 23. Atlantic Trade

Among the Americas,

Great Britain, and West

Africa During the

Seventeenth and

Eighteenth Centuries.

Often referred to as a

triangular trade, this

map shows the

complexity of early

modern Atlantic

commerce, of which theslave trade was a major

part.


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V. The African-American Ordeal

from Capture to Destination

Slavery: byproduct of war between

kingdoms European traders provided firearms

Did not instigate fighting


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Late-Eighteenth-Century Drawing

In this late-eighteenth-century drawing, African slave traders conduct a group

of bound captives from the interior of Africa toward European trading posts.

SOURCE: Culver Pictures, Inc.


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The African-American Ordeal from

Capture to Destination (cont.)

High mortality

Exhaustion, suicide, murder

Long, forced marches from interior to coast

Factories served as

Headquarters for traders

Warehouses for trade goods

Pens or dungeons for captives


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The Crossing

Canary Islands to the Windward Islands

40 to 180 days to reach the Caribbean

Pirates attacked Spanish ships Frightening experience


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The Slavers

Small and narrow ships

Two slaves per ship-tonnage formula

Most captains were tight packers Ignored formula in the name of profits


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The Slavers (cont.)

Crowded, unsanitary conditions

Slaves rode on planks 66 x 15

only 2025 of headroom

Males chained together in pairs Kept apart from women and children

High mortality rates

One-third perish between capture and embarkation


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British Slave Ship

Plan of the British Slave Ship

Brookes, 1788. This plan, which

may undercount the human

cargo the Brookes carried, shows

how tightly Africans were packed

aboard slave ships.


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Conclusion

More than eleven million Africans brought to

the Americas during three centuries of trade

Millions more died

Most arrived between 1701 and 1810

Only 500,000 reached the British colonies of

North America

the beginnings of african slavery in the americas - middle passage

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