Unit One: Becoming African American

Africa is geographically, ethnically, religiously, politically, and culturally diverse West Africa is typically the ancestral homeland of most African Americans There are several ancient civilizations of West Africa Africa

Race was not a factor in the slave trade in Africa Usually slaves taken for use in Africa were used as concubines & domestic servants (women & children) or as soldiers (men) Slaves were often captured in warfare They were forced to trading posts on the coast Slaves were stuffed tightly in slave ships for the trip across the Atlantic Ocean The Slave Trade in Africa

Portugal & Spain led the way in European exploration in the 15 th century In need of labor for their colonies in the “New World,” (Americas) they focused on Africans There was already a thriving slave trade in Africa European Exploration Africans traded slaves to Europeans, often times due to rivalries among tribes

European demand for sugar drove up prices, making sugar plantations very profitable Because the cultivation of sugar is extremely labor intensive, the Native labor supply could not meet the demands of the sugar industry Motives for the Expansion of Slavery African slaves were then imported to meet this demand

Poor sanitation Insufficient food Widespread disease Cramped conditions Sexual abuse of women by crew of ships Slaves would throw themselves overboard to drown Resistance & rebellion commonly occurred Conditions on Slave Ships

Atlantic Slave Trade

The “Middle Passage” was the middle leg in a triangular trade that linked Europe, Africa, and the Americas. On this middle leg, slaves purchased with European products were transported to the Americas Once there, they worked in agriculture, producing commodities for the European market The Middle Passage

Triangle Trade

Most slaves who survived the journey were first sold in the Caribbean (West Indies) They were “seasoned,” by learning their new jobs, environments, language, and rules Behaviors & attitudes were modified to break connections with Africa The goal was to produce efficient & effective laborers Slaves were subjected to the humiliation of examination & sale They were often purchased by British & later American plantation owners for work in North America Seasoning Process

Most slaves were men, used for agricultural labor Slaves became personal property, losing basic rights. Characteristics of Slavery in America The slave trade was outlawed: Britain in 1807 United States in 1808