1.9 - The Slave Trade

The African Slave Trade and European Empire Building

Introduction:

• The African slave trade emerged as a response to European empire building in the 16th and 17th centuries, particularly due to the establishment of a plantation economy in the New World.

Causes of the African Slave Trade:

1. Plantation Economy:

   • European states, driven by the economic system of mercantilism, initially sought gold and silver in the Americas. However, they soon realized that growing crops on plantations in the warm climates of the Americas, where there was nearly a year-round growing season, was more profitable.

   • Plantations focused on cash crops like sugarcane and coffee, which were grown for export and generated substantial profits.

2. Labor Challenges:

   • The indigenous populations were initially forced into agricultural labor, but several issues arose:

     • The indigenous people were familiar with the land and could escape more easily.

     • They suffered massive population declines due to European diseases, which they had no immunity against, leading to labor shortages.

   • To solve these labor problems, European imperial states turned to Africa as a source of enslaved labor.

3. Demand for Enslaved Africans:

   • Enslaved Africans provided a solution to both major labor issues:

     • Africans had some immunity to European diseases due to centuries of contact.

     • They were unfamiliar with the New World, making escape more difficult.

   • As the plantation economy became more profitable, the demand for enslaved Africans spiked.

The Brutality of the African Slave Trade:

• The African slave trade was characterized by extreme brutality and inhumane treatment:

  • Enslaved Africans were captured and sold to Europeans on the west coast of Africa.

  • They endured the Middle Passage, a horrific journey across the Atlantic that could take between two and six weeks.

  • Conditions on the slave ships were inhumane; captains packed as many people as possible into the cargo holds to maximize profits, leading to severe overcrowding, rampant disease, malnutrition, and high mortality rates.

  • Those who survived the Middle Passage faced a life of brutal plantation slavery in the New World.

Long-Term Impact:

• Over the next two centuries, the plantation economy grew increasingly profitable, and the demand for enslaved Africans continued to rise, further entrenching the system of slavery in the Americas.