The Slave Trade Britain 1750-1900 Flashcards
(41 cards)
Triangle of Trade: What was un/loaded at Europe?
Raw materials unloaded
Manufactured goods loaded
What was the order of the Triangle of Trade?
- Europe –> 2. African Coast –> 3. West Indies
Triangle of Trade: What was un/loaded at the African Coast?
Cargo and manufactured goods unloaded
In exchange for
Slaves which were loaded
Triangle of Trade: What was un/loaded in the West Indies?
Slaves unloaded
Raw materials loaded
What was Africa like before C18?
Skilled, knowledgeable, vibrant, independent
When was the slave trade at its height?
Around 1750
At around 1964, how many slaves did British ships transport a year?
50,000
What percentage of the slave trade did Liverpool transport?
25%
Overall how many slaves were transported across the Atlantic?
10 million
European settlers set up colonies in America + West Indies from…?
1500
Why did they transport and need slaves?
The climate was very hot and they were fair skinned and weren’t used to the heat but Africans were.
Many people were needed to work on the plantations and there weren’t enough.
What were produced at the plantations?
Cotton
Sugar
Tobacco
What were the sugar canes cut with?
Maschettes
How were the slaves captured and taken?
- African tribal leaders would capture them (most were in debt or had committed crimes but some innocent)
- African dealers held them in prisons by Coast and sold to Europeans in exchange for goods
- Most prisoners from the West
How long was the journey across the Middle Way?
2-3 months
Up to how many slaves were crammed into the ships and why?
700 slaves to save time and money?
How were they ordered and placed into the ship?
Tight as possible, 45cm each, chained side by side on ships
What did they do to infected slaves and why?
Threw them overboard to claim insurance and to prevent diseases spreading
Quotes about horrific state of Middle Way ships?
‘smell a slave ship 5 miles downwind’
‘Resembled a slaughterhouse’
What’s did they do during the final days?
Fattened like cattle, disguised sores with gunpowder, oiled the, so looked healthy
What did they feed them?
Mostly biscuits which went mouldy or had flies
How long did the slaves work?
Sunrise to nightfall
Who worked as slaves?
Everybody (children picked weeds)
What groups were the slaves put into?
Gangs. 1st gangs were for well-built men. Hardest work
2nd and 3rd were weakest and has lighter work.
Overseers were promoted slaves or white trash (poor whites)
