COL155 Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Jonathan Fulton Spring 2014

Readings: Bentley

Effect of European trade in Africa Europe’s textiles + metal goods became popular Food crops came to Africa via the Americas, esp manioc, maize + peanuts Manioc most imp. - high yield and thrived in tropical climates

Effect of European trade in Africa

Manioc: used to make flour – this bread became staple food in west/central Africa Result: better nutrition = population growth

Population growth 1500 CE – sub-Saharan Africa 34,000,000 people 1600 CE – sub-Saharan Africa 44,000,000 people 1800 CE – sub-Saharan Africa 60,000,000 people

Population Growth Especially strange as millions of Africans were being sent to the Americas as slaves at this time

Atlantic Slave Trade Began in the 15 th Century, continued to the 19 th. Europeans got slaves to work on plantations Africans got manufactured products – mostly guns

Atlantic Slave Trade Slavery – long history in Africa Most slaves were war captives Some criminals or people expelled from clans No personal or civil rights Could be punished, sold, Some worked in agriculture, or soldiers, advisors, administers, etc

Society in Africa Law – no private property Wealth and power = control of labor # of slaves a way to measure wealth More slaves = more bigger harvest Slaves could become part families & eventually could win freedom

Islamic Slave Trade Muslim slave traders from north Africa, Arabia and Persia sold slaves after 8 th century Sent slaves to Mediterranean, India, southwest China, southeast Asia, and China Captured, transported to east Africa, and shipped them 8 th – 12 th centuries – up to 10,000,000 slaves

European slave trade By the time Europeans started, the slave trade was well-established Used networks developed by Islamic slave trade

Growth of Atlantic Slave Trade Started with Portuguese. Tried to capture slaves, got attacked Realized that they could buy instead of capture slaves, no more attacks. 500 slaves / year sent to Portugal and Spain to work as miners, porters, domestic servants Also sent to plantations in Atlantic colonies

Growth of Slave trade Started to send them to sugar plantations of Brazil, Sao Tome Spanish Caribbean and American colonies needed people to work as disease was destroying native populations. African slaves considered solution First African slaves to Caribbean in 1518 Early 17 th century – slaves to North American mainland

Triangular Trade Three parts to European voyages: 1) Carried European horses and guns to Africa to trade for slaves 2) Took African slaves to Americas, where they were sold at huge profit (2X, 3X) 3) Bought American products – sugar + molasses – returned to Europe to sell

“At every stage of the process, the slave trade was a brutal and inhumane business” (426) African leaders started raiding other societies to capture more slaves, to meet demand Very violent – wars started to capture slaves as well

The Middle Passage Trans-Atlantic journey – ships were ‘filthy and crowded’ Many slaves tried to starve themselves en route Some tried to start revolts Sick & weak slaves were thrown from ships to save food

The Middle Passage Trip took 4-6 weeks. Beginning – 50% of slaves died in transit Eventually got that down to 5% Over course of Atlantic slave trade, 25% of slaves didn’t survive Atlantic passage

Impact on Africa Before 1600 – about 2000 slaves/year 17 th century – 20,000/year 18 th century – 55,000/year 1780s – 88,000/year Sometimes 100,000+

Impact on Africa 12 million Africans to the Americas 4 million died in transit Some African societies profitted Most of the continent suffered, however

Impact on Africa Approximately 2/3 of slaves were male Preferred young men between 14 – 35 years old Changed social / gender roles in many societies Led to polygamy