The slave trade Flashcards
Give 3 facts about Africa before slavery:
- they mostly traded with Arabs who controlled North Africa at the time
- slavery existed, however slaves were only captured when tribes went to war with other tribes and the slaves had a lot more rights, including being able to marry and gain freedom
- It was very wealthy as it was rich in natural resources like gold
Give 3 examples of pre-slavery contact between Europe and Africa:
- The Romans established a province across Tunisia, Algeria and Libya and it became the second wealthiest part of their empire
- The Greeks ruled Egypt until it fell to the Roman Empire and became a Roman province
- Portuguese explorers journeyed across the coast of West Africa in the 15th century
What was the triangular slave trade?
The three legged route that made up the Atlantic slave trade where Europeans would travel to Africa and transport Africans from Africa to America
How did sugar influence the slave trade?
Brazil and the Caribbean had ideal climates for growing sugar, but they did not have enough workers. Eventually, the Portuguese ( who were in control at the time ) resorted to using slave labour
Why did England get involved?
They took control of many South American and caribbean islands from Spain and Portugal. Seeing the success of previously established plantations, the English set some up as well and used slave labour
Give 3 reasons Africans were taken from Africa to America and the Caribbean:
- African slaves were chosen specifically, as they were more immune to western diseases and were used to working in hot weather
- Slavery was extremely profitable and massively boosted both the English and American economy
- High crop production required a large workforce and they didn’t have to pay them
Which group of people in Britain started to buy sugar due to the Atlantic slave trade?
The Middle Class
What was the journey from Africa to America/the Caribbean called?
The Middle Passage
Who were the Agojie warriors?
A group of 6,000 female warriors from the kingdom of Benin whose duty was to protect the king
Give 3 things the Agojie warriors had to do in order to be selected:
- learn not to feel pain
- vow not to get married
- train to a very high level
Why were they created?
( why couldn’t men do it? )
Due to the slave trade, most males had been captured, meaning there weren’t enough left to protect the king
What makes the Atlantic slave trade different to African slavery?
( Give 2 things )
- The Atlantic slave trade was based on race - a lot of White people believed that Africans were inferior and deserved to be captured
- African slavery was based on war and who could be taken prisoner
- In the Atlantic slave trade, slaves had no rights, weren’t able to gain freedom, wouldn’t get proper food or water and their children would also be slaves
- In African slavery, slaves were treated with respect, were given food, housing and could gain independence after a certain period of time
Give 3 bad things about the middle passage:
- Overcrowded spaces which meant quicker spread of disease
- The Africans didn’t receive proper food, water or medicine
- `No toilets
How many Africans were estimated to be transported from Africa to the US?
12.5 million
What is an overseer?
Someone in charge of a large number of enslaved people
Give 3 facts about life for a field slave:
- had to wake up at 4am and would work until sunset
- field slaves lived in basic huts with one room for a whole family and limited resources
- conditions on cotton or tobacco fields were slightly less bad than those on sugar plantations
Give 3 facts about life for a house slave:
- house slaves worked as cooks, gardeners or maids and generally had a better life than field slaves, as they got better food and accomodation
- house slaves often faced hostility from field slaves because they were seen as having more privileges
- sometimes, white families wanted to make sure they didn’t get any extra food so would spit in their bowls
Give 3 facts about life for slave children:
- in the fields, children did easier jobs such as scare away birds or carrying water
- owners didn’t give them full portions of food or clothing, as they didn’t want to waste resources
- sometimes they would be sold without warning, meaning they would be separated from their families
Give 3 facts about the treatment of slaves:
- the most common punishment for disobedience was being whipped
- sometimes they were given incentives like getting time off, getting larger portions or extra clothing
- Families were separated a lot, as owners could choose when they sold slaves
Give 3 ways enslaved people could revolt:
- house slaves could poison their owner’s food
- they could set fires
- they could throw themselves over board during the middle passage
What was the Underground railroad?
A network of secret paths that slaves used to escape slavery in the South and travel to the North
What did you call the free people who chose to help slaves escape?
Conductors
What were the enslaved people trying to escape called?
Cargo
What was Harriet Tubman’s nickname?
Black Moses
Who was Harriet Tubman?
A formerly enslaved woman who escaped the South and returned to help other enslaved people escape using the underground railroad
How many people did Harriet Tubman free?
300
Give 3 ways Britain was profited from slavery:
- Most of the buildings in Liverpool were built from the profits of slavery
- Lloyds of London insured many slave ships
- The National Gallery received its first donation of paintings from a man who built up his art collection with money made from dealing enslaved people
