The Slave Trade
From Jessica McElrath,
Your Guide to African-American History.
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Slavery in Africa and Other Countries
From the earliest known history of Africa, slavery existed. However, slavery was much different from the modern day slavery that eventually came to dominate the New World. For most parts of Africa, slavery was not based on race. For example, Egyptians enslaved whomever they captured, regardless of race.
Slavery was also prevalent in other countries. Slavery was common to the Greek and Roman empires. Those that were enslaved were put to work in the fields and were used as personal servants to the wealthy. Menial work was not considered degrading, and slaves were given educational opportunities.
Intellectual Changes and the Acceptance of Slavery
The institution of slavery was strongly influenced by the Muslim invasion of Africa. They captured men to serve in the military and women to serve their harems. They sent slaves to Arabia and Persia. The demand for slaves was not substantial since it was dependent upon the needs of the wealthy. Slaves were not needed to work in fields. Instead, they were treated as servants and did not experience the same harshness as modern slaves.
The institution of modern slavery was influenced by a change in the worldview. This change resulted from the influence of the Renaissance period and from the Commercial Revolution. The Renaissance created a new outlook on the individual. Renaissance thought promoted the idea that the rights and interests of the individual took precedence over the benefit of others. The Commercial Revolution, on the other hand, took place after feudalism had ended, and it created a new avenue of commercial activities to pursue. With the rise of commercial endeavors came competition and greed. Based upon these changes, modern slavery arose in an era where greed and self-interest dominated.
By the end of the fourteenth century, Europeans, mainly Portuguese and Spaniards, began bringing African slaves to Europe. They made them into servants, and justified it by rationalizing that they were introducing them to Christianity. The slave trade quickly became a profitable and an accepted part of European commerce.
By the end of the fifteenth century, European trade relations with African’s were well established. Forts and trading ports were built. However, the slave trade was not exceedingly profitable, nor was it engaged in on a large scale. There was not a substantial demand for slaves in European countries. Slaves mainly served the wealthy, and of the many jobs that were available, the white landless population filled them. Thus, slavery in Europe had no profitable future.
As Europeans were exploring the New World, Africans often accompanied them serving as explorers and servants. The New World was full of natural resources that European countries were interested in exploiting. For this, labor was needed. Despite having Africans working in other capacities, Europeans did not immediately enslave them. Instead, since Native Americans were readily available, they were used as slaves first. However, because Europeans brought diseases, there was a high mortality rate and the work was too harsh.
Europeans next looked to the employment of poor whites to serve as indentured servants. However, many problems arose. Often indentured servants ran away, refused to serve out their term, and there were not enough of them to work in the fields.
Thus, the enslavement of Africans quickly became the solution.
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It appeared to solve the need of cheap labor since slaves in Africa could be easily obtained.
The Slave Trade
In 1517, the trans-Atlantic slave trade officially began. As slave trading developed into big business, European countries vied for dominance. By the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the main traders were Dutch, French, and English companies. While independent traders existed, the Dutch West India Company and the English Royal African Company monopolized trading relations on the African coast. However, in the end, England came to dominate trading, and began providing slaves to not only its own colonies, but to other countries colonies.
The trading process began at trading posts on the west coast of Africa. African kings and merchants cooperated and traded slaves for European goods that included guns, whiskey, brandy, cotton textiles, and utensils made out of brass, pewter, and ivory. The trading of European goods for slaves was known as the first leg of the triangular trade.
Obtaining slaves was not always easy. Africans acquired slaves by capturing Africans from other tribes. Not all captors went without a fight. When the opportunity arose, attempts were made to escape. Some even jumped into the ocean rather than be taken to the New World. Those that did not escape had to endure the long trip across the Atlantic Ocean to the New World. This was called the middle passage of the triangular trade.
The last phase of the triangular trade occurred after slaves were brought to the Americas. When slaves arrived, they were sold to plantations. In exchange for the slaves, traders received goods such as cotton, tobacco, and sugar, and returned to Europe with these items. This was the last leg of the triangular trade.
In early 1800s, many countries began banning the slave trade. Denmark (1803), Great Britain (1807), and the United States (1807) were the first to ban the importation of slaves. The Swedish and Dutch followed. Because of economic interests, Great Britain put pressure on France, Spain, Portugal, and Brazil to end their involvement. Portugal and Spain agreed after an arrangement for a cash payment from Britain was reached. Brazil did not agree until military action was taken against its coastal areas. France also did not agree to ban trading until 1815, but black market slave trading still existed until 1848.
Reference: From Slavery to Freedom: A History of African Americans, John Hope Franklin & Alfred A. Moss, Jr., 2000. ISBN 0-375-40671-9