Slave Trade Essay 1 - Development Of The Slave Trade

Question 1

Military factor

Answer 1

Knowledge
Uk has a powerful navy, that navy was used for protection of the slave trade
Uk was at war relied on funds from the slave trade to fund it self

Analysis
Used the money to develop its cities and it military, more development needed more money which meant increasing the slave trade

Analysis+
However britians expansion was determined by imperial and rivalling other nations not slaves

Question 2

Labour shortages

Answer 2

Knowledge
Europeans colonised america, wanted to use its resources, this required labour. Native americans resisted work or died to disease
Spain needed slaves for its empire, created a contract called the Asiento to supply slaves to spain.

Analysis
As trade developed more workers needed, more slaves largers slave trade

A+
Asiento company failed, shows slave labour wasnt as needed as thought

Question 3

Religious factors

Answer 3

Knowledge
Religion was a big part of peoples lives, religion held alot of influence so if they said slavery was ok slaver was ok
Some christians used certain passages to justify slavery whilst ignoring those that were anti slavery

Analysis
Christian beliefs meant people could morally justify slavery, and use the argument of civilising to expand the slave trade

A+
True christians realised how wrong slavery was and was the voice of abolition

Question 4

West indian colonies

Answer 4

Knowledge
The uk had control of most of the west indies islands in the caribbean
these islands had the perfect climate to grow sugar
They became the most valuable part of the British empire

Analysis
As more sugar plantations were being established in the west indies more money was being made to be spent on developing the uk, however this meant more slaves were required

A+

Question 5

Racist attitudes

Answer 5

Knowledge
Many white europeans have never even saw a black person at this point in time viewed ranged from the being savages to the devil
Slaverd latched onto this and allowed them to justify them treating humans as animal (cattle)

Analysis
This is important because slavers could justify their actions by claiming slaves were a lesser species, it also meant the general public could be persuaded into believing this

A+
To convince people lf this they twisted darwins theory of evolution into being that since we came from monkeys, and their skin was darker they were less evolved justifying their argument