The Transatlantic slave trade Flashcards
How did the slave trade begin?
The slave trade began with Portuguese (and some Spanish) traders, taking mainly enslaved West African (and some Central African) people to the American colonies they had conquered in the 15th century.
Who became involved in the trade in the 16th Century?
Britain
What gave people the right to sell slaves in the Spanish Empire?
The Treaty of Utrecht (1713)
Between 1532-1832, how many people were taken away to be slaves?
At least 12 million African people were enslaved and taken to the Americas, and at least a third of them were taken in British ships.
What what the process in which British traders enslaved West Africans
Triangular trade
How were slaves captured
Slave ships used British ‘factors’, men who lived full-time in Africa and bought enslaved people from local leaders. Enslaved peoples might have been captured during warfare or raids on their homes.
Where would a slave be held before going in the ship
They marched to the coast in chained lines called coffles, where they were held in prisons. They were kept in terrible conditions in dark rooms and basements for weeks or months until ships were ready to sail.
What was the first leg of the triangular trade
British enslavers sailed from ports including Glasgow, Liverpool and Bristol to West Africa. It was there that West Africans were exchanged for trade goods such as brandy and guns.
What was the second leg of the triangular trade
Those enslaved people were then taken via the ‘Middle Passage’ across the Atlantic for sale in the West Indies and North America.
How long is the middle passage
Journeys lasted from six weeks to several months, depending on the weather.
How many people died travelling across the middle passage
As many as 2 million enslaved people died during the journey via the Middle Passage due to the terrible conditions on board the ships.
What was the third leg of the triangular trade
British enslavers sold the enslaved people in the West Indies and North America. They brought a cargo of rum, sugar, and other raw or goods back to England to sell.
How did the ships carry slaves
Those enslaved were tightly packed into cramped spaces below deck with one person’s right leg chained to the left leg of another person.
What were the conditions like in the ship
Conditions on the ships were terrible, and many of those enslaved died from diseases such as smallpox, scurvy and measles.
How were slaves sold in the West Indies
The enslaved people were sold at an auction called ‘a scramble’
What was a ‘seasoning camp’
Slaves were trained to follow orders often using brutal methods
Where did the slaves work
On plantations that grow crops such as sugar
What were conditions like on the plantation
Working conditions on plantations were horrific. To maximise profits with crops such as sugar, shift work was developed and brutal violence was used.
How much would a slave be sold for in the West Indies
The selling price of an enslaved person in the West Indies in 1700 was £20, so the trade was very profitable for enslavers.
How much would a slave be worth in West Africa
In 1700, an enslaved person would be traded for goods valued at around three pounds. The goods might be cloth, guns, gunpowder or brandy.
What are some examples of resistance during the slave trade
- African rulers refused to trade people
- Slaves ships were attacked to free the slaves
- Rebellions by the slaves against enslavers
What act did Britain pass in 1807
In 1807 Britain’s parliament passed the Act for the Abolition of the Slave Trade. While this act abolished the trading in enslaved peoples, it did not end enslaved labour. This continued across English colonies for almost another thirty years.
When did slavery end in the British Empire
1833
