Slave Trade and European Imperialism

The Slave Trade  When Europeans began to colonize the Americas, they used Native Americans for slave labor.  Diseases, however, decreased the population of Native American slaves dramatically.  The Native Americans were not used to diseases the colonists carried.  By the mid-1600’s, colonists in the Americas had turned to Africa as a new source of labor.

Triangular Trade  A pattern of trade known as triangular trade occurred between Europe, the Americas, and Africa.  Merchants from Europe brought manufactured goods to trade for captured and enslaved Africans in one leg of the triangle.  Africans were traded for items such as guns and cloth from Europe, and rum and gunpowder from the American colonies.

Triangular Trade  Another part of the trade triangle was known as the Middle Passage. Enslaved Africans were transported from Africa to the West Indies on crowded, dangerous ships.  They were traded for sugar, molasses, and other products in the Americas.  These agricultural goods were shipped to Europe and European colonies, making up the third leg of the trade triangle.

Triangular Trade  A Dutch ship that landed in Jamestown, Virginia, in 1619 was the first known slave ship in North America.  The ship left Africa carrying 100 Africans, but arrived in Jamestown with only 20.  It was common for people to perish on slave ships. Often the ships carried hundreds of people in dangerous conditions.  They were chained together by their hands and feet.  The people were held in spaces that were only tall enough to sit in, so they were unable to stand up.  Illness spread quickly in the slave ships, and many Africans died in transit between Africa and the colonies.

Triangular Trade  They were chained together by their hands and feet.  The people were held in spaces that were only tall enough to sit in, so they were unable to stand up.  Illness spread quickly in the slave ships, and many Africans died in transit between Africa and the colonies.

Colonization of Africa  At first, European explorers would only explore the coasts of Africa.  The interior was unexplored and unknown. Exploration became safer as science improved. Most of Africa had been mapped by the mid- 19th century.  Steamships and railroads allowed travel into the continent.  This started the age of colonialism.  Colonialism is the forced control of one nation by another nation.

Reasons for Colonization  Africa is a continent of vast wealth.  It has many raw materials such as cotton, rubber, ivory, and minerals that are not found in Europe.  South Africa is rich in diamonds and gold.  New industries in Europe needed metals like copper and tin.  The industrial revolution in Europe needed more raw materials.

Reasons for Colonization  Europeans also used Africa as a source of cheap labor.  African countries were new markets for European goods.  They wanted to keep a positive trade balance.  A trade balance is the difference in value between a country’s imports and exports.  The trade balance is favorable when exports are greater than imports.

Suez Canal  Colonizing Africa made it possible to create secure trade routes for European countries.  The Suez Canal was the most important trade route.  It is a man-made water route between Europe and Asia.  The Suez Canal is located in Egypt, and was completed in  Before its construction, ships had to travel around the continent of Africa.  Both the British and French wanted to control the canal.  Cities and forts on the coast of Africa helped protect trade ships.

European Way  Europeans wanted to change African culture to be more like European culture.  A missionary is a person who goes to a foreign country to spread his or her religion.  Missionaries brought Christianity to Africa.  They also tried to end the slave trade.

Beginnings of New Imperialism  The end of the 19th century is called the age of New Imperialism, which refers to countries competing for land and power.  The growth of European colonies in Africa is called “The Scramble for Africa”.

Great Britain  Great Britain and France fought for control of the region.  The British took control of the Cape Colony from the Dutch in the early 1800’s so that the French could not control it.  The British also controlled some forts in West Africa, which gave them control of the gold and ivory trade.  Britain took control of the Suez Canal and Egypt.

France  France wanted to increase its trade.  It also wanted to spread French culture. By 1848, the French established themselves in northern Algeria, their first colony.  Trade outposts were built in West Africa for the slave trade.  Most of the French-controlled land was desert.  The French also traded palm oil and timber.

Belgium  Belgium was also competing for African land.  King Leopold II purchased the Congo River basin with money from investors.  Belgians did not support the purchase.  The amount of land purchased was bigger than Belgium itself.  The king wanted to make sure that other European countries could not control the region.

Berlin Conference  The Berlin Conference was a series of meetings in Berlin, Germany, held by European nations from 1884 to  African rulers did not attend.  The European nations discussed Africa’s land and how they wanted it to be divided.  Ten percent of Africa was in European hands going into the meeting.  Europeans owned most of Africa by its end.