Slave Trade Background Flashcards
How many British ships took part in the slave trade
. Exact number unknown
. In the 245 years of British trading merchants in Britain despatched about 10,000 voyages to Africa for slaves
. Merchants in other parts of the British Empire sent out a further 1,150 ships
Transatlantic slave trade
. Three point circuit - triangular trade
. High risk
. Profit could be made at each point
How many people were taken out of Africa
10-12 million people over a 200 year period
Diseases
. Slaves died from European diseases like smallpox
. Sailors died from African diseases like malaria
How many died on slave ships
15% of slaves died on slave ships
How many slaves went where
. 48% of slaves went to the Caribbean
. 41% to Brazil
. 5% to the USA
What was slavery an early example of regarding product purchase
Buying products for pleasure not sustenance e.g. coffee, tobacco and sugar
How much space did slaves have on the middle passage?
4 square feet
Average life expectancy for a slave on a sugar plantation
23
Arguments for slavery (9 points)
. No one could be bothered to change it
. Slaves would not be fed and have accommodation without being enslaved
. People made lots of money from slavery
. It’s natural some people are slaves and its God’s will
. Most slave owners were in parliament and made up most the voters so blocked abolish on attempts
. British empire seemed more powerful with slaves
. France abolished slavery so it was unpatriotic to support it
. Christianity was forced on them and it civilised them
. Africans got manufactured goods and some tribes benefitted
Arguments against slavery (8 points)
. Insufficient and costly form of labour
. Christianity taught people should treat others with love and kindness
. Slaves began uprisings and killed their owners
. Slavery went against Britain’s own laws
. Campaigns from slaves e.g. am I not a man and a brother
. People were motivated by reward rather than work harder
. People were shocked when they found about slave conditions
. Slaves died from African diseases like malaria
How many slaves worked
. 90%
. Only invalids, young children and the infirm were the exempt 10%
Treatment of slaves
. Flogging and mutilation
. Slave women were abused by white men
. All were mostly abandoned to under-nourishment and disease
. If slaves got limbs trapped in machines they were cut off
Treatment of non plantation slaves
The non-plantation slaves like the logwood cutters in Central America had slightly better lives but were still subject to very similar slave codes
When did the Napoleon Wars start and end
1793 - start
1815 - end
