The Transatlantic Slave Trade forcibly transported 12.5 million Africans to meet labor demands in Europe and the Americas, primarily for sugar plantations. This trade caused societal collapse in Africa, with many Africans captured during wars or sold by their communities, leading to brutal conditions and high death rates among the enslaved. The Middle Passage journey was horrific, with significant mortality rates, and upon arrival, enslaved individuals were sold in markets, marking the continuation of their suffering.
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The Transatlantic Slave Trade forcibly transported 12.5 million Africans to meet labor demands in Europe and the Americas, primarily for sugar plantations. This trade caused societal collapse in Africa, with many Africans captured during wars or sold by their communities, leading to brutal conditions and high death rates among the enslaved. The Middle Passage journey was horrific, with significant mortality rates, and upon arrival, enslaved individuals were sold in markets, marking the continuation of their suffering.
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The Transatlantic Slave Trade forcibly removed 12.5 million Africans to meet labor
demands in Europe and the Americas. Driven by economic interests, European
colonies required workers for sugar plantations, particularly in Brazil and the
Caribbean. Many Africans were captured during wars or sold by their own
communities, leading to brutal conditions where enslaved individuals often lived only
until about 23 years old.
The trade had a devastating impact on African societies, causing societal collapse
and increased violence. Some African leaders participated for economic gain, trading
captives for goods like guns and food. By the end of the nineteenth century, most
enslaved Africans had arrived in Brazil and the Caribbean, where harsh plantation
conditions resulted in high death rates among the enslaved population. The Triangular Trade was a system connecting Europe, the Americas, and
Africa, where raw materials like sugar were sent from the Americas to Europe.
European traders used the wealth gained from plantations to produce goods for
trade with Africa, where these goods were exchanged for enslaved people sent
back to the Americas. This trade system allowed Europeans to profit
significantly, as they aimed to export more than they imported, leading to
increased wealth in gold and silver, which contributed to the start of the
Industrial Revolution in Great Britain.
The Middle Passage refers to the journey enslaved Africans took across the
Atlantic as part of this trade. It began at ports on Africa’s west coast, where
traders exchanged goods for about 12.5 million captives. Many enslaved
individuals were transported from as far as 1,600 km inland, captured by
traders with European-made guns. The "Points of No Return," or castles along
the West African coast, marked the last place enslaved people saw before
boarding ships, and these historical sites still exist today. Conditions on the ships during the Middle Passage
were horrific, leading to the death of about 15% of
captives during the two-to-three-month journey.
Enslaved individuals were chained and crammed into
tiny spaces, surrounded by filth, including feces,
urine, and vomit, with some forced to sleep next to
dead bodies. Sick captives were often thrown
overboard, treated like discarded cargo. They
received very little food, such as mushy beans and
water, and towards the end of the trip, they were fed
slightly more to appear healthier for potential buyers.
Upon arrival, enslaved people were sold in markets
like livestock, marking the end of their difficult journey
but the continuation of their suffering under new
owners.
