The Roots of Slavery Slavery can broadly be described as the ownership, buying and selling of human beings for the purpose of forced and unpaid labor. It is an ancient practice, mentioned in both the Bible and the Koran.

West African History ·        Start with West African History to appreciate this continent’s ancient history, stretching back long before contact with Europeans. ·        Africa is often considered the home of humankind; humans may have evolved there first, many millions of years ago. ·        Africa is a richly diverse land with many peoples, languages, religions, cultures and traditions. Show the leopard gold weight. ·        This gold weight from Ghana is another beautifully made object. Note its attention to detail, the dynamic tale and teeth, and bodily decorations. ·        The leopard reflects African wildlife and its material points to the mineral wealth of this part of Africa. Indeed, many of the powerful kingdoms were based upon trade, especially in gold. ·        The European trade that developed in people in West Africa was resisted by some African kingdoms while others, such as the Dahomey, developed its economy capturing and selling Africans as slaves.

In the 400 years (1450-1850) of the slave trade, about 21 million Africans were enslaved. Up to 2 million (or almost 20 percent) died on the Atlantic crossings, which lasted from 1 to 9 months on white slave trader ships. Probably as many slaves (at least 7 million) died on the way to the slave ports when they were captured by African elites. Particularly in the 17th and 18th centuries, slave owners made fabulous profits, as much as 135 percent.

Triangular Trade The triangular trade demonstrates how people were reduced to commodities to be sold. Goods such as metal, cloth, beads and guns went from Britain to Africa, enslaved Africans went to America and the Caribbean, and raw products such as sugar, tobacco and cotton came back to Britain. Show the picture of the sugar nippers. ·        One of the reasons the trade lasted for so long was because it was incredibly profitable. The British appeared to have an insatiable appetite for luxury goods from the Caribbean, especially sugar and this demand fuelled supply. ·        Before the twentieth century, sugar came in cones from which chunks would be nipped off and used to sweeten the bitter taste of coffee, chocolate and tea. What people consumed in one part of the world altered forever the lives of those from other parts of the world.

Questions What are the roots of slavery? It is an ancient practice mentioned in the Bible and the Koran. Examples are Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. What part of Africa did most slaves come from? Why? Most slaves came from West and Central Africa. They were traded for in these areas because it was closer to the New World and it was along the coast. How many Africans were enslaved from 1450 to 1850? 12 million What items were traded for slaves? Manufactured goods, metal tool and GUNS.

Trans-Atlantic Slavery Different from Previous Forms of Slavery Were forced to leave the land that they knew and travel thousands of miles across the Atlantic via the cruel “Middle Passage” Went to a new land with a new culture and a new language Were seen as being inferior – were property, like a horse

Slave-gun Cycle European merchants relied on African rulers to provide slaves In return, African rulers would get guns and manufactured goods African rulers would use guns to take more slaves and conquer more land

Africans were crowded and chained cruelly aboard slave ships.

Middle Passage ·        This theme uncovers the degrading and inhumane treatment of enslaved Africans during the journey across the Atlantic. Show the Brookes image. ·        This illustration gives a sense of how people were crammed together like cargo on board ships. Here, 454 enslaved Africans are tightly packed into every available space. In fact, when the ship sailed in 1783, over 600 people were squeezed together, often in shackles, for the Atlantic crossing. ·        The crossing could take 1-2 months. This followed the 4-6 months spent sailing along the African coast to load slaves. Months suffering such appalling conditions resulted in the death of at least 1.25 million Africans, often from dysentery.

Questions How was the Atlantic slave trade different from past enslavements? The Atlantic Slave trade was different from past enslavements for three reasons: 1. African slaves were taken thousands of miles from their homeland 2. They had to learn a new culture and a new language. It was difficult to communicate. 3. The practice was racist. Europeans treated the African slaves as inhuman more like property or cattle. What was the slave gun cycle? European merchants brought manufactured goods to Africa and in exchange African rulers sold slaves from weaker tribes. What were conditions like for slaves on their journey to the Americas? Conditions were unbearable. It was hot, dark, crowded, unsanitary, smelly, depressed and haven for disease.