The Atlantic Slave Trade involved the transportation of millions of African Slaves. These slaves were transported from Africa to locations in Europe and America, basically locations surrounding the Atlantic ocean known as the New World. It involved the largest intercontinental migration of people in world history before the 20th century. The majority of the slaves were taken from the west coast of Africa from a stretch of land below the Sahara Desert. They were transported by ship from Africa to the Americas( The New World). This voyage was known as the Middle Passage.
The trade began because of the growing need for labor on plantations. So Africans became the labor source. They preferred Africans over European natives because the
y were better immune to diseases such as measles and smallpox and could work better under the sun.The Portuguese were the first Europeans to trade for slaves. Going and stealing the slaves was their first method of getting the slaves. That soon became a problem because of violent confrontations with there owners. So they soon began trading merchandise in exchange for slaves. The Spanish and British soon picked up on the slave trade idea.
Ending the Atlantic Slave Trade was a long process. The Europeans began shifting from agriculture to industry in the late 18th century. With this shift slave-operated plantations had to compete for capital and preferential laws with textile mills and other industries that hired free laborers. Besides the economic changes, Antislavery sentiments started around Europe stemming from the roots of Christian religious principles. By 1807 Britain banned the slave trade and so did the United States in 1808 and others soon followed. It did continue throughout the 19th century, it did not completly stop until slavery was outlawed everywhere in the Americas.
y were better immune to diseases such as measles and smallpox and could work better under the sun.The Portuguese were the first Europeans to trade for slaves. Going and stealing the slaves was their first method of getting the slaves. That soon became a problem because of violent confrontations with there owners. So they soon began trading merchandise in exchange for slaves. The Spanish and British soon picked up on the slave trade idea.Ending the Atlantic Slave Trade was a long process. The Europeans began shifting from agriculture to industry in the late 18th century. With this shift slave-operated plantations had to compete for capital and preferential laws with textile mills and other industries that hired free laborers. Besides the economic changes, Antislavery sentiments started around Europe stemming from the roots of Christian religious principles. By 1807 Britain banned the slave trade and so did the United States in 1808 and others soon followed. It did continue throughout the 19th century, it did not completly stop until slavery was outlawed everywhere in the Americas.
2 comments:
After learning about slavery so many times throughout the entire span that we've been in school, it's always just as shocking and disgusting to learn what happened as it was the first time I learned about it. I mean, to treat living human beings as inanimate objects is just so petrifying.
I think that's true. The specter of slavery is something that provides a lot of background for our society, but we don't really confront what it means very often.
Part of that is a genuine desire to move beyond the evils of the past. But part of it is also that we know there is really no way to atone for slavery. It's like when you say something really mean and hurtful to a family member, and eventually you just never talk about it anymore because you'd rather excise it from your shared history.
At least, it's kind of like that. Except obviously much worse.
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