The Atlantic Slave Trade: 15th And 18th Century

The Atlantic Slave Trade
The Atlantic slave trade occurred between the 15th and 18th century in the Caribbean islands, Spain, Europe, Asia, Britain, Portugal, Brazil, and in the Americas. The trade of black slaves between these countries worked like a triangle between Africa, Europe, and Asia. Between 1650 and 1860 approximately 10 to 15 million slaves were transported to the different countries and Africans suffered greatly from this. “But soon to my grief two of the white men offered me eatables; and on my refusing to eat, one of them held me fast by the hands, and laid me across the windlass, while the other flogged me severely”, (Olaudah Equiano). Britain encountered the Atlantic Slave Trade which impacted them socially, politically,
and economically. With an increase in cotton plantations and tobacco farming this created the high demand for the exchange of slaves. This promoted the expansion of the Triangle Slave Trade across the Atlantic between 1750 and 1807. Slavery had existed in Africa for centuries until Europeans saw advantages to using Africans in the Americas.
Captain John Hawkins was the first known to make an English slaving voyage to Africa in 1562 during the reign of Elizabeth I. He had made three journeys over the period of six years introducing slave trading to the English. The Europeans exchanged goods for enslaved Africans that began in the middle of the 15th century. This set the terms of the slave trade for the next 400 years. Cheap labor was in high demand between the European Colonists and the different countries in the Americas. It began around the 1500s when European colonists were in search of cheap labor and they began using enslaved Africans on plantations and farms. As cotton and tobacco farming became larger the demand for cheap labor increased in Europe as well as America. Farmers had originally used prisoners of war to work until Europeans noticed the advantages to using Africans for slavery. They noticed that (1) many Africans had been exposed to European diseases and had built up immunity. This was good because the slaves that they were using now continued to perish because of European diseases. (2) Many of the Africans had experience in farming and could be taught plantation work, (3) Africans were less likely to escape because they were unfamiliar with the new land. (4) Since African skin was a different color from white man's skin that made it easier to catch them if they escaped and
tried to live among others. Since not all the slaves they used in previous years where African, they could escape and be able to blend in with society.
Atlantic Slave trade contacts were first made between the continents of Europe, Asia, Africa, and North and South America in the 17th century. The only problem was that tidal currents in the Atlantic ocean made it almost impossible for the countries to reach each other. Europe was the first to solve this problem by inventing seafaring technologies that allowed them to travel safely by ship, thus creating the Atlantic Slave trade. The exploration that took place was the triangle slave trade across the Atlantic ocean working like a triangle between Africa, Europe and the Americas. The high demand for cheap labor made Europeans look towards Africans and in doing so they also noticed many positives to using them as slaves. Brazil, Caribbean and southern colonies of North America followed these practices. This demand resulted in the brutalities of the slave trade. This occurred between 1650 and 1860 because back then there were no laws saying they could not enslave Africans for cheap labor. Now there are laws that give Africans rights and freedom. Britain and Africa where both impacted from the triangle slave trade. Britain's economy grew as they dominated the slave trade from 1609 to 1807. British slave ship owners made a twenty (20%) to fifty percent (50%) profit showing that large amounts of money were made by ship owners. The slave trade also provided many jobs for people in Britain as many worked in factories. African culture was gone due to white influences and families were torn apart. Many parts of Africa suffered from the increase in violence, the drain of people, and the economy became reliant on slavery. The Atlantic Slave Trade impacted the country economically. This created many ties between these countries and a big financial impact on how we purchase things today. The Atlantic Slave Trade grew during the 18th century financially. Developments in business networking to mitigate the hazards of communication in long distance trade. The factory owners in Britain were brought by slave captains to barter with. One half of the textiles produced in Manchester where being exported to Africa and the other half to the West Indies. This shift is of modernizing tendencies in business practice in Britain during the industrial revolution. 18th century British overseas commerce began to grow with a business landscape characterized by the transformation of forms of collective rent sought by groups of merchants. They were embedded in political, social and cultural power bases at the level of locality, county and region, with connections sometimes stretching far beyond the shores of the kingdom. The regulated trading companies declined in importance and as the locus of political power shifted from crown to parliament to county and municipal administrations. The Atlantic Slave Trade impacted Britain socially. For all the miseries of the slave years this would prove to be a great enrichment of the cultural life and would contribute to the global culture of modern times. Sugar plantations started and they relied on Indians to do the work but because they were too weak they became reliant on Africans. Slaves were brought to provide labor for sugar plantations but the abundance of slaves caused them to be in all areas of the economy. The slave trade allowed for the constant importation of inexpensive labor and this had influenced the society itself. By the late 18th century half the households held slaves to do their everyday work for them. A common expression in Brazil was created during the 17th century and it said, “without Angola no slaves, without slaves no sugar, , without sugar no Brazil.” Many Africans were transported causing an impact in religion, food, music, and dance. The drawings on a combination of African tradition, population is mostly blacks in many places. Brazil received 4,000,000 slaves which is four times as many as American destinations. The Atlantic Slave Trade had impacted Britain Politically as well and influenced how they purchase things today.
There was an increase in British profit from trading and goods sold. They benefited from cotton mills which became the emblem of the “Industrial Revolution” and the profits they gained from the slave trade gave the British economy an extra source of capital. Even after the abolishment of the Atlantic slave trade profits continued to flow into Britain from investments. A law was made towards the end of the slave trade that abolished slave trading and made judicial punishment for buying and selling slaves. European and American enforcement of the abolishment measures faced numerous obstacles including mutual mistrust of one another's naval forces, non cooperation and noncompliance of various nations, and innovations in slave smuggling along the African coast and on the high
seas.
The Atlantic slave trade had contributed to the economic development significantly in Britain. It stimulated the process and manufacturing industries and enabled production through the use of African labor (USI). As Britain and the rest of Europe became more developed Africa became more underdeveloped and created a clear relationship between the economic and political conditions in the two continents (USI). A change that occurred after the slave trade was the abolishment of the Atlantic slave trade. The trade itself changed African culture and the world with it. The Atlantic Slave Trade was abolished on March 2, 1807 but other countries continued to enslave Africans. The U.S. Congress passed the act to “prohibit the importation of slaves into any port within the jurisdiction of the United States… from any foreign kingdom, place, or country.”(U.S. Congress) Europe and America enforced the abolishment of the slave trade using judicial methods. The first country was Denmark, then Britain then other countries in Europe and the Americas abolished the slave trade because of reasons in their economic requirements. African families were separated and cultures were changed. In Africa numerous cultures lost generations of their fittest members. Guns were also introduced increasing the amount of violence and Africans began to require iron weapons. Africa's greatest contribution was labor. Without their back breaking work, colonies may not have survived. They brought with them their muscle, expertise, and especially in agriculture. Britain encountered the Atlantic Slave Trade which impacted them socially, politically, and economically. These impacts can still be seen today all over the world in both positive and negative ways. The abolishment of the Atlantic Slave Trade is still in effect today preventing slavery and it is a reminder of what happens when greed takes over. Throughout the whole Atlantic slave trade the countries were united and separated through disagreements. Rights were broken and hardships were faced but nothing as hard as how slaves were treated. They were beaten and disregarded but not forgotten. This helped to create freedom that lives on today in America. “Without Angola no slaves, without slaves no sugar, without no sugar no brazil.” This was a common saying in Brazil that represents the importance of slaves.