Unit One - The Atlantic Slave Trade Flashcards
3 reasons why Africans were enslaved
- produce sugar as demand rose
- indigenous people died so Africans brought to help
- easy to enslave as unprotected and no weapons
Describe the triangular trade
- Manufactured goods taken from Britain to Africa ( 50-60 days)
- Slaves transported from Africa to West Indies (35 days)
- Raw marginals transported from West Indies to Britain (40 days)
Who took the slaves?(3)
- Europeans kidnapped
- Africans paid by Europeans to kidnap
- Europeans exchanged objects/money for pre owned slaves
Things africans were traded for when bought off Africans (6)
- Manila
- guns
- cotton items
- jewellery
- rum
- cooking pots
Describe ways slaves were treated when being taken from mainland Africa to the coast ready to board the ships(5)
- made to walk for days
- limited/ no food
- if slaves collapsed - left for dead
- 7kg yolkes
- one person falling pulls all down causing neck injury
Order of processing of slaves in slave factories (5)
- Separated by gender
- Given health inspections
- Healthy separated from ‘second raters’
- Healthy slaves branded with hot iron
- Slaves put on ships
What were slave parties like? (4)
- tended to be small
- slaves ages estimated
- slaves hair shaved off
- held underground until good weather
What effects did the slave trade have on Africa (6)
- half of people taken died
- lower food supplies
- fewer workers resulted in famine
- violence increased
- propaganda = racist ideas
- some industry improved
Main causes of death on the middle passage (3)
- disease
- infection
- suicide
Physical health effects on the middle passage (5)
- lying in own waste
- children born on board without medical assistance
- had to eat lying down
- only got one pint of water per day
- disease spread easily
Effects of the middle passage on mental health(4)
- many people went insane
- didn’t know where they were going
- deck covered in blood looking bad ( like slaughter house)
- sailors raped women
Mistreatment on the middle passage (5)
- tumble over each other due to shackles
- packed into small spaces
- often forced to lie on sides
- only fed twice a day
- Limited fresh air
Why were African societies keen to get involved in the slave trade?(5)
- attack against enemy tribes
- a way to make money
- tradition
- receive European goods
- Instead of holding prisoners hostage can make a profit off them
Why was rebellion so hard on the middle passage?(4)
- not all Africans spoke the same language making communication hard
- difficult to move due to chains
- weak as not enough food or water
- crew have weapons
Positive impacts on the Caribbean (5)
- new culture introduced
- ports developed
- money into local economy
- more trade opportunities
- advances weapon art ideas from Europeans
Impact on the population of the Caribbean islands (3)
- native islanders killed off
- massive increase in disease too quickly
- pressure on food supplies
Impacts of disease on the Caribbean Island (3)
- natives not used to European diseases
- over crowding
- poor conditions
These are all factors of which lead to the spread of disease on the Caribbean Islands
What were the four biggest slave ports in Britain? (4)
- Glasgow
- Liverpool
- Bristol
- London
Facts on the Glasgow slave trade port (5)
- no more than 30 salve ship voyages
- involvement downplayed
- Traded tobacco more than slaves
- no slave voyages after 1766
- 1/3 of Jamaican plantations were owned by Scots
Facts on the London slave port (3)
- many banks opened in London
- only British port allowed to trade before 1700
- played an important role until 1785
Facts about the Bristol slave port(4)
- 2nd biggest English port
- the positioning on the west coast offered advantage
- mainly used for trading goods but often slaves
- African traders trusted Bristol merchants
Facts on the Liverpool slave port (3)
- deepest port
- 469 slave ships made in final 20 years
- first slave voyage in 1700
Why was the slave trade important for the British economy? (6)
- banks established to pay for/insure slave trade
- easy access to cheap raw materials in the West Indies
- ship building/ repairing industries grew
- new markets to sell good to as closer connections w other nations
- many new industries formed ( providing jobs)
- more employment opportunities
What were the methods for selling slaves?(2)
- private sale / treaty
This is when there is is agreement between slave ship owners and plantation owners, they can reserve slaves and agree deals - slave auction
This is when slaves are taken and presented to perspective buyers who will place bids on what they see
Jobs on the plantations (6)
- fishing
- field hand
- reproduction
- driver
- house work
- prostitution
Sugar production order (6)
- Holes dug in the ground and sugar planted
- rats and other animals chased away
- cane burned and cut
- cane brought to factory to be chopped and crushed
- burning sugar stirred
- juice from cane boiled and distilled
Advantages and disadvantages of growing sugar (2)
ADVANTAGE - made the most money due to highest demand
DISADVANTAGE- took 18 months to grow
What were some punishments faced by slaves on the plantations (6)
- whipping
- salting wounds
- hung till death
- ears cut off
- regular lashings
- separation from family
Reasons for punishment (4)
- trying to escape
- rebellion
- protesting against plantation owners taking women for sexual activity
- faking injury to get out of work
Why did slaves have a low life expectancy? (6)
- food of low quality/ quantity
- slaves vulnerable to disease
- slaves couldn’t always adapt to weather
- Severe punishment
- weakened by hard work
- women forced to sleep with owners (spread of STD’s)
Ways slaves resisted on plantations (6)
- attempt escape
- break tools
- learning
- working slow
- faking confusion
- stealing
How was resistance on the plantations dealt with? (6)
- thumb screws
- hung from waist
- separation from family
- execution
- branding
- rewards for killing runaway slaves
Why was resistance on the plantations mainly unsuccessful?(6)
- plantation owners had guns
- plantation owners legally allowed to abuse
- plantation owners can inflict fear
- brainwashed to obey
- white masters unite against them
- slaves had to weapons
What were the living conditions for slaves on the plantations (4)
- cramped
- dirty
- crowded
- uncomfortable
Why was slave work dangerous(6)
- dangerous tools
- exhaustion leads to more accidents
- exhausted them
- many injuries
- punishments
- damaged bodies
Why did slaves resist? (6)
- poor conditions
- children
- avoid work
- keep traditions
- boost morale
- have control over own life
To what extent was plantation life the worst (6)
WAS- exhausting work
- dangerous work
- realisation this was their life
WAS NOT - access to sunlight
- knew what was happening
- less cramped than middle passage
Methods used by abolitionists (6)
- petitions
- gathering evidence
- personal accounts
- speeches
- taking cases to court
- being strict with memberships
How did William Wilberforce get abolition approved?
- brought up issues in parliament
- speeches in parliament
- convinced Christians the slave trade was unbiblical
- present a bill in parliament every year 1791- 1807
- Succeeded in having the st abolished in 1807
- used evidence in parliament from Thomas Clarkson
Josiah wedgewood (1)
Created an unofficial logo for the movement. A man in chains, asking ‘ am I not a man and a brother ?’
Granville Sharp
Fought legal cases on behalf of slaves fighting for their freedom
Hannah more
Organised a sugar boycott which led to sales falling by a third
Oloudah Equiano
A former slave, he published an autobiography about his mistreatment and the experiences he endured
John Newton
Published a pamphlet about the evils of the trade, he was respected as he was a minister
Thomas clarkson
Collected evidence of the abuse for example thumbscrews, handcuffs etc. He toured the country to raise awareness
Arguments of the abolitionists (6)
- inhuman
- unbiblical
- many British sailors died
- taking jobs brits could get paid for
- responsible for African wars
- sugar produced cheaper by Indians
Argument of anti abolitionists (6)
- would take away luxury goods
- many British jobs would be lost
- slaves not badly treated
- opens slaves to new culture
- slaves entertained
- banning trade would spark rebellion
