The Atlantic Slave Trade Origins of Slavery 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 Servants-worked 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 1600s until the 1800s 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 1600s, 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