The Four Phases Of Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade

In the Africa, the period from sixteenth to nineteenth centuries is called an Era of Salve Trading or Slave trading Era as slaves were sold and bought on a huge scale. Africa has seen four great phases of slave trades. The trans-Saharan, Red Sea and Indian Ocean slave trades are oldest slave trades which the continent experienced during 800 AD. In these slave trades, Africans were carried from the southern Saharan desert, internal of the Red Sea, and internal of the coast of Eastern Africa, and were transported to Northern Africa and the Middle East. Trans-Atlantic Slave trade is the most researched and a largest slave trade of all during Africa. In the early 1500s century, a huge number of slaves were shipped from West Africa, West Central
Africa, and Eastern Africa to America across Atlantic Ocean. Over the period of fifteenth to eighteenth centuries, more than 12 million people were shipped from Africa to European colonies by European merchants (Nunn, 2010). In this essay, I will discuss the causes of Trans-Atlantic salve trade and its consequences on African society referring to the documentary “ The prince among slave.”
Europeans needed slaves to develop new colonies.
The key cause of Trans-Atlantic slave trade was the demand for cheap labor in America. Prince among slaves tells a story of Abdul Rehman, an educated African prince who was purchased by the plantation owner, Thomas Foster. Abdul Rehman and 160 people were put into a long journey of slavery. Abdul Rehman attempted to run but found no escape. He thus came to forest land and adopted the life slavery gave him. The slaves attempted to resist their slavery by running away from slave-holders ownership as Abdul Rehman did. They eventually had to leave Africa behind and accepted their slave condition. Africans who attempted to run away from slavery faced the challenges because they were new to the New World. They thus had to return back to their
masters. Abdul Rehman’s hard work, discipline and intelligence made foster one of the prosperous farmer of his area. As a result, Abdul Rehman was given a few social privileges such as he was given a freedom of worship. He earned money and a degree of independence in plantation. His family grew and he became a familiar figure in Natches. Africans used their culture and social background to cope with the extensive farming and hard salve condition.
The movement of slaves across the Atlantic Ocean resulted in the death of numerous Africans.
Many African slaves died in Africa due to slave attacks and middle passage. They indeed died in a huge number in America too because of poor and extensive working conditions. The overall impact of trans-Atlantic trade has three aspects such as demographic, economic and social. It affected the African continent demographically as nearly 20 million Africans left the continent during the time due to mass murder, raids and attacks. Thus it resulted in depopulation in Africa. Social impact includes insecure atmosphere and destruction of material achievement in Africa due to conflicts, violence, attacks and wars. Slave trade also led to economic downturn and underdevelopment in Africa. The Africans between the ages 15 to 45 were targeted for slavery which is considered to be the most productive period of human life. The loss of youth and skilled workers influenced the scientific, cultural and technological progress in Africa. Through slave capturing and wars, numerous markets and industries lost their business and thus resulted in a huge economic loss. In the absence of productive people, agriculture sector also faced a huge loss and existing people could not concentrate on their
practices.
In conclusion, the cross-Atlantic slave trade was smallest in duration but it was the largest and intense among all other phases of slave trade. Referring to the story of Abdul Rehman, it can be said the Africans were facing horrible conditions in America. They attempted to resist slavery by running away but could not find ways to go back to home country. They thus accepted their conditions in the new world and used their social background to cope with hard farming. As a result of Abdul Rehman’s intelligence, skills and hard work, he was given some privileges. After 40 years of struggle, he got freedom from slavery and went back to his own country. The story of Abdul Rehman is a portrayal of horrible conditions of Africans in America.