Y8 Slave Trade Flashcards
Trans-Atlantic slavery
The system of capturing or purchasing slaves in Africa to use as workers on the sugar, tobacco and cotton plantations in the Carribean and America. Most popular in the 1700s.
Trade Triangle
The system of trade that developed in the 1700s. The British took their manufactured goods to Africa in exchange for slaves. Slaves were then transported to the Carribean and Americas in exchange for raw materials such as cotton. Raw materials such as cotton, tobacco and sugar were then transported back to Britain to be used in the factories or bought by British people. This made many people very rich.
What caused trans-atlantic slavery?
Farmers in the Caribbean and America had very large plantations to meet the demand in Britain for sugar, tobacco and cotton. They needed more workers. Slaves were cheap and reliable workers. At the same time, Britain was pushing farther into Africa and were able to purchase or capture slaves from different African tribes.
Slave Ship Zong
in 1781, this slave ship threw 133 sick slaves overboard and then claimed that they did this because they were running out of water and wanted to save the other slaves. He lied to the insurance company to get a refund on the lost slaves, because he knew the insurance company would not pay if the slaves died of sickeness or poor treatment. The captain was taken to court and found guilty of insurance fraud (lying) and the story made national news in Britain showing people how bad the slave trade was.
What is a plantation.
A very large farm. The word is used to describe tobacco, sugar and cotton farms in the southern states of the USA and the Carribean.
Name three jobs slaves did on the plantations.
Harvesting crops, planting, weeding, driving the slave master’s cart, servants in the slave master’s house, overseers (watch over the other slaves working).
Name two common reasons that slaves were punished.
Running away, rebellions against the slave owners, stealing, not working hard enough.
Name two types of punishment used.
Treadmills, neck rings, death by burning, castrating men (removing testicles), iron rings, whipping, branding (hot iron to burn an name or initial into the skin).
