The Atlantic Slave Trade Flashcards
(21 cards)
What is the triangular trade?
The route taken on the slave ships (Britain - Africa - West Indies)
What impact did the slave trade have on Africa’s population?
- famine was more likely
- population halved
- disease spread and population reduced
What happened to the development of Africa during the slave trade?
- helped improve transport networks
* farming improves
What conflict resulted due to the slave trade?
• the demand of Africans = conflict between tribes
What racism happened because of the slave trade?
Propaganda used by slave trade suppliers meant that racism still lasts to this day
What is tight packing?
Slaves crammed into a hold that is 5ft with shelves below and above to fit in more slaves
What is loose packing?
Had enough space to lie out and move kind of
Fewer slaves died
What were the conditions onboard the slave ship like?
- chained together
- were let out 1/2hrs per day
- sick people would be chained to healthy people for ages
- they ate, slept, urinated, pooped, gave birth, went insane and died in the one room
What was a slaves daily routine?
- fed twice a day
- allowed out after eight days of being on the ship
- clean the ship
- gave decent food
What were the disease onboard the ship like?
- usually began in Africa (scarlet fever, yellow fever)
- high risk of disease of the slaves remained below deck for too long
What were the crew like onboard?
- would sleep where they could hang a hammock
- high death toll
- allowed to rape
What happened during rebellion?
Tried to take over ship but many of them died trying
Why did so few slaves resist on the middle passage?
- no leaders
- severe punishment
- lack of opportunities
- too scared
- too weak
- lack of weapons
What happened with family life of slaves?
- were allowed to get married and have children on the plantation
- in Africa men had a few wives but this was stopped because it was against Christianity
- could be split up = slave owners selling the slaves to other owners
What happened during a slaves leisure time?
- personal domestic chores
- story telling
- music , dancing , drinking
What work did they have to do on plantations?
- whatever their master asked them to do
- Slave driver = punish those not working hard enough
What were the slave living conditions like?
- housed away from plantation
- wooden huts
- cramped
What was punishment like on the plantation?
- women = sexual abuse victims but it was not legal in America
- torture and sometimes death
Why was Olaudah Equiano significant?
- bought his own freedom
- (1789) published his autobiography “The Interesting Life of Olaudah Equiano or Gustavas Vassa, the African”
- (1786) member of sons of Africa
Why was William Wilberforce significant?
- fought for the abolishment of the slave trade for 18 years in parliament
Why was Frederick Douglass significant?
- his autobiography “Narrative of The Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave” told harsh reality of daily physical and spiritual brutalities
