Migration: British Colonies and the Slave Trade Flashcards
What were the economic factors that caused people to leave Britain?
- high rates of unemployment
- low wages for farmers and labourers
- starvation due to failed harvests
- chance of making money abroad through cash crops, plantations and fishing
What were the religious factors that caused people to leave Britain?
- Christian groups such as the Quakers and Puritans faced religious persecution
- promise of religious freedom in America
- wanted to convert the indigenous people of America
- civil war increased conflict between religions
Why did people move to Jamestown, Virginia?
To find gold and grow crops
What problems did settlers face in Jamestown Virginia? How?
Conflict between early settler and indigenous people whose land they were occupying
When did people move to Jamestown, Virginia?
1607
Was the Jamestown settlement a success? Why/ why not?
Yes due to tobacco plantations
Why did Settlers move to new Plymouth?
To escape religious persecution
When did settlers move to New Plymouth?
1620
What were the aims of the New Plymouth colony?
- set up their own colony
- fishing and trading with other colonies
- farmed offshore cod
How do the principles of the New Plymouth colony settlers relate to modern day America?
Formed the basis of modern day America:
- established democratic principles and a constitution to keep their Puritan beliefs central to the colony
What was the impact of the British on the indigenous people living in the Americas?
- spreading diseases that they don’t have immunity to
- attacking crops and villages
- destroyed their nomadic way of life
- intermarriages
- wiped out their population
How big is the current indigenous population of America?
0.7%
Why were slaves preffered to indentured servants?
- enslaved people were a cheap source of labour
- could buy ensalved people outright - couldn’t do that w indentured servants
- enslaved people had no legal rights + worked without payment
- any children born to the enslaved people became the owner’s property which increased the size of the unpaid workforce
What was the slave triangle?
How enslaved peopole were taken from Africa to America and the Carribbean
What happened in Britain in the slave triangle?
Traders leave with goods to trade
What happened in Africa in the slave triangle?
Goods traded with tribe leaders in exchange for prisoners of war, some also kidnapped
What happened in America and the Caribbean in the slave triangle?
Enslaved people traded with plantation owners + farmers for goods such as sugar, cotton or tobacco
What was the economic impact of the slave trade?
- slave trade industry made approx. £60 mill. from 1761 to 1808
- Britain became one of the richest and most powerful countries in the world
What was the profit expected by the traders involved in the slave triangle?
800%
How much money did Britain make from the slave triangle?
£60 million
What was the social impact of the slave trade?
- west coast towns and ports : Glasgow, Liverpool and Bristol grew into large cities using the profits of the slave trade
- led to the belief in white supremacy and how the Europeans were superior to the Africans
When was the slave trade abolished?
1807
What did the government do due to the abolishment the slave trade?
Government agreed to pay slave owners of the time compensation, which was £20 mill in total
