The transatlantic slave trade and abolition

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Lektionsnotizen

What was the transatlantic slave trade?

The transatlantic slave trade was the transportation of enslaved African people to the Americas by slave traders.
It was operated by slave ships from both Europe and the New World.
Some voyages used the triangular trade route and its Middle Passage, particularly in the early phases.
Europeans established a coastal slave trade in the 15th century, and trade to the Americas began in the 16th century, lasting through the 19th century.
Most people transported in the trade were from Central and West Africa.

How the trade operated

Slave traders generally bought their cargo from West and Central African slave merchants rather than capturing people themselves.
While Europeans were involved in some raiding, this was uncommon and discouraged.
The Portuguese built barracoons in their African slaving bases to gather newly purchased captives ready for the next ship.
Northern Europeans operated some forts as African bases, originally for trading in gold, but later for slaves.
North European slave traders usually used their ship as a base to gather cargo, meaning ships spent much longer on the African coast and the first slaves bought endured longer confinement on board.

Why enslaved labour was demanded in the Americas

The Americas had a much lower population density than other inhabited continents, after Australia.
European conquerors needed a workforce, but the sparse indigenous population was shrinking due to European diseases.
Demand for labour could not be met by Europeans, who were reluctant to emigrate at this early stage.
The solution was the same used for the sugar plantations of Madeira and the Canary Islands around 1450: slaves brought from Africa.
Enslaved people were sold to work on coffee, tobacco, cocoa, sugar, and cotton plantations, in gold and silver mines, rice fields, the construction industry, cutting timber for ships, as skilled labour, and as domestic servants.

From indentured servants to racial slavery

The first enslaved Africans sent to the English colonies were classified as indentured servants, with legal standing similar to contract-based workers from Britain and Ireland.
By the middle of the 17th century, slavery had hardened as a racial caste.
African slaves and their future offspring became legally the property of their owners.
Children born to slave mothers were also slaves — the principle of partus sequitur ventrem.
As property, people were considered merchandise or units of labour, sold at markets with other goods and services, their prices determined by their health and expected productivity.

The scale of the trade

The major Atlantic slave trading nations, in order of trade volume, were Portugal, Britain, Spain, France, the Netherlands, the United States, and Denmark.
The largest slave trading ports were in South America.
New World-based ships probably carried more enslaved people from Africa than ships with a home port in Europe.
The current estimate is that about 12.75 million Africans were loaded onto slave ships for transportation to the Americas.
Of these, up to 2 million died during the voyage.
About 8 million Africans were enslaved and remained on the African continent.

The Middle Passage

The Middle Passage was the stage of the triangular trade in which enslaved Africans were transported across the Atlantic to the Americas.
Conditions on board were brutal; up to 2 million died during the voyage.
The first slaves bought by North European traders endured longer confinement on board while ships gathered their cargo on the African coast.

Resistance by enslaved people

Enslaved people resisted their captivity in many ways, including rebellions.
Resistance took place both on the ships during the Middle Passage and on the plantations in the Americas.
Acts of resistance challenged the slave system and contributed to the growing movement against the trade.

The abolition campaign

Key figures in the abolition campaign included Olaudah Equiano, Thomas Clarkson, William Wilberforce and Granville Sharp.
Olaudah Equiano, a formerly enslaved African, wrote a powerful autobiography that exposed the horrors of slavery.
Thomas Clarkson gathered evidence and organised the campaign against the slave trade.
William Wilberforce led the parliamentary campaign for abolition.
Granville Sharp was an early campaigner who worked to end slavery in Britain.

Abolition laws and legacies

The Abolition of the Slave Trade Act (1807) banned the trade in enslaved people.
The Slavery Abolition Act (1833) abolished slavery itself in most British colonies.
Near the beginning of the 19th century, various governments acted to ban the trade, although illegal smuggling still occurred.
The trade left lasting legacies in Britain, Africa and the Americas, including economic, social and cultural impacts.

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Übungsfragen

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1.Which Act abolished the slave trade throughout the British Empire in 1807?
Easy
- AThe Abolition of the Slave Trade Act
- BThe Slavery Abolition Act
- CThe Factory Act
- DThe Reform Act
2.Which of these countries was the largest slave trading nation by volume?
Easy
- APortugal
- BBritain
- CSpain
- DFrance
3.The 'Middle Passage' refers to which part of the triangular trade?
Easy
- AThe leg that carried enslaved Africans across the Atlantic to the Americas
- BThe leg that carried manufactured goods from Europe to Africa
- CThe leg that carried colonial goods from the Americas back to Europe
- DThe overland route across Africa to the coast
4.The transatlantic slave trade began in the 16th century and lasted through the 19th century.
Easy
True or false?
5.Match each person to their main role in the abolition campaign.
Medium
- Olaudah Equiano
- Thomas Clarkson
- William Wilberforce
- Granville Sharp
- Wrote an autobiography and campaigned for abolition
- Collected evidence against the slave trade
- Led the parliamentary campaign against the slave trade
- Campaigner for the rights of enslaved people
6.Put these events in the correct chronological order.
Medium
- The Slavery Abolition Act
- The Abolition of the Slave Trade Act
- The first enslaved Africans are brought to the English colonies
- The transatlantic slave trade begins
7.Which of the following were common forms of resistance by enslaved people on plantations? (Select all that apply)
Medium
- ABreaking tools
- BWorking slowly
- CEscaping
- DRebelling
- EReporting other enslaved people to the overseer
8.Which of the following was a direct consequence of the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act of 1807?
Medium
- AThe immediate end of slavery throughout the British Empire
- BThe continued illegal smuggling of enslaved people
- CThe emancipation of all enslaved people in the British Empire
- DThe end of the transatlantic slave trade worldwide

Mehr Fragen

9.Which of the following were goods or commodities that enslaved people were forced to produce on plantations in the Americas? (Select all that apply)
Medium
- Asugar
- Btobacco
- Ccotton
- Dspices from the Indies
- Egold and silver from mines
10.Match each abolitionist to their main contribution to the campaign against the slave trade.
Medium
- Olaudah Equiano
- Thomas Clarkson
- William Wilberforce
- Granville Sharp
- Wrote a widely read autobiography describing the horrors of slavery
- Gathered evidence against the trade and helped found the abolition society
- Led the parliamentary campaign to abolish the slave trade
- Campaigner who helped formerly enslaved people challenge slavery in the courts
11.Put these stages of the triangular trade in the order a typical slave ship would have followed them.
Medium
- Ships sail from Europe to West Africa carrying manufactured goods
- Enslaved Africans are purchased and loaded onto ships on the African coast
- The Middle Passage carries enslaved people across the Atlantic to the Americas
- Enslaved people are sold in the Americas to work on plantations and in mines
- Ships return to Europe carrying colonial goods such as sugar, tobacco and cotton
12.Which of the following statements about the scale and effects of the transatlantic slave trade are supported by historical estimates? (Select all that apply)
Medium
- AAbout 12.75 million Africans were loaded onto slave ships for transportation to the Americas.
- BUp to 2 million Africans died during the voyage across the Atlantic.
- CAbout 8 million Africans were enslaved and remained on the African continent.
- DThe largest slave trading ports were in South America.
- EBritain was the largest slave trading nation by volume.
13.What does the term 'Middle Passage' refer to?
Medium
- AThe journey of enslaved Africans across the Atlantic to the Americas
- BThe route taken by ships from Europe to West Africa to trade goods
- CThe return journey from the Americas to Europe carrying colonial goods
- DThe overland journey of enslaved people from Central Africa to the coast
14.The transatlantic slave trade involved the transportation of enslaved African people to the Americas.
Easy
True or false?
15.Why did European traders want to find a maritime route to the Indies in the 15th century?
Medium
- ATo trade for luxury goods such as spices without relying on Islamic traders
- BTo establish slave trading forts along the West African coast
- CTo spread Christianity to the Americas
- DTo find new sources of gold in India
16.Why did European colonisers in the Americas turn to enslaved African labour?
Medium
- AIndigenous populations had collapsed due to European diseases, and Europeans were reluctant to emigrate
- BAfrican workers were cheaper to transport than European indentured servants
- CThe Americas had a high population density that could not supply enough workers
- DEuropean governments forced colonisers to use enslaved African labour
17.Which of the following were consequences of the transatlantic slave trade for West and Central African societies? (Select all that apply)
Medium
- AAbout 8 million Africans were enslaved and remained on the African continent
- BAfrican slave merchants supplied captives to European traders
- CEuropean traders commonly raided for slaves themselves
- DThe trade ended isolation for some societies and increased inter-societal contact
- EAfrican societies were completely depopulated
18.Which of the following best explains why Portugal and Britain became the largest slave-trading nations?
Medium
- AThey had the largest populations in Europe
- BThey established coastal forts and trading bases in Africa and had strong navies
- CThey were the only countries with access to the Atlantic Ocean
- DThey were forced by African rulers to trade in enslaved people
19.Which of the following was a consequence of the transatlantic slave trade for the Americas?
Medium
- AThe indigenous population increased
- BPlantations producing sugar, tobacco and cotton expanded
- CEuropean countries stopped trading with the Americas
- DSlavery was immediately abolished in all colonies
20.Which of the following best explains why the Atlantic slave trade declined in the early 19th century?
Medium
- AEuropean governments banned the trade, though illegal smuggling continued
- BAfrican rulers stopped selling captives to Europeans
- CThe plantations in the Americas became unprofitable
- DEnslaved people successfully rebelled and ended the trade themselves
21.The transatlantic slave trade was the only slave trade in history.
Easy
True or false?
22.Which of the following best describes the 'Middle Passage'?
Medium
- AThe journey of European ships from Europe to Africa to trade for enslaved people
- BThe sea journey that transported enslaved Africans across the Atlantic to the Americas
- CThe return journey of ships carrying sugar and cotton to Europe
- DThe overland route used to move enslaved people within Africa
23.A historian writes: 'The usual approach of North European slave traders was to use their ship as a base in which to gather their cargo. This meant these ships spent much longer on the African coast than Portuguese vessels.' What does this interpretation suggest about the experience of enslaved Africans on North European ships?
Medium
- AThe first captives bought endured longer confinement on board before the ship left the coast.
- BNorth European ships carried fewer enslaved people than Portuguese ships.
- CCaptives on North European ships were freed once the ship reached the Americas.
- DNorth European traders avoided buying captives from African merchants.
24.A table of estimates for the transatlantic slave trade gives: 12.75 million Africans loaded onto slave ships; up to 2 million died during the voyage; about 8 million enslaved and remained on the African continent. Which conclusion is best supported by these figures?
Medium
- AMost Africans taken in the trade died during the Atlantic voyage.
- BThe trade affected Africa as well as the Americas, with millions enslaved who never crossed the Atlantic.
- CThe transatlantic voyage was safe for most enslaved people.
- DMore Africans were loaded onto ships than were enslaved within Africa.
25.An interpretation states: 'The Americas had a much lower population density than other inhabited continents. Exploitation by the European conquerors needed a workforce, but the sparse indigenous population was shrinking due to European diseases.' Which factor does this interpretation identify as the main reason for importing enslaved Africans?
Hard
- AA shortage of labour caused by the collapse of the indigenous population from disease.
- BA religious duty to convert Africans to Christianity.
- CThe refusal of Europeans to work in mines and on plantations.
- DThe abundance of indigenous workers willing to labour for low wages.
26.A map of the Atlantic shows the main slave-trading ports. Most of the largest ports were located in South America, and ships based in the New World probably carried more enslaved people from Africa than ships with a home port in Europe. What does this suggest about the geography of the trade?
Medium
- AEuropean ports were the only significant bases for slave voyages.
- BThe trade was controlled entirely by African merchants.
- CA large share of the trade was organised from the Americas rather than directly from Europe.
- DMost enslaved people were transported to Europe rather than the Americas.
27.A source describes the 'Columbian exchange' as involving 'the transfer of goods unique to one hemisphere to the other. Europeans brought cattle, horses, pigs, sheep, and chickens to the New World, and from the New World Europeans received turkeys, tobacco, potatoes, tomatoes, and maize.' Which statement about the exchange is supported by this evidence?
Medium
- AIt moved only luxury goods such as spices and silver.
- BIt involved the movement of both animals and crops between hemispheres.
- CIt was limited to the trade in enslaved people.
- DIt took place entirely within the Old World.
28.A historian argues: 'Technical and geographical factors combined to make Europeans the most likely people to explore the Atlantic and develop its commerce.' Which of the following factors are identified as driving European exploration and trade? (Select all that apply)
Hard
- AThe desire to find profitable commercial opportunities outside Europe.
- BThe wish to create an alternative trade network to that controlled by the Muslim Ottoman Empire.
- CThe search for gold in West Africa.
- DThe need to find a maritime route to the Indies for luxury goods such as spices.
- EThe intention to end the transatlantic slave trade.
29.Which of the following statements about the early English colonies in the Americas are supported by the evidence that 'the first enslaved Africans sent to the English colonies were classified as indentured servants, with legal standing similar to contract-based workers from Britain and Ireland' and that 'by the middle of the 17th century, slavery had hardened as a racial caste'? (Select all that apply)
Medium
- AInitially, some Africans in the English colonies had a legal status similar to contract workers.
- BBy the mid-17th century, African slaves and their children were legally the property of their owners.
- CSlavery in the English colonies was always based on race from the very beginning.
- DChildren born to slave mothers were also slaves.
- EIndentured servants from Britain and Ireland were enslaved for life.
30.According to the estimates, about 8 million Africans were enslaved and remained on the African continent.
Easy
True or false?
31.Which British politician led the parliamentary campaign for the abolition of the slave trade?
Easy
- AWilliam Wilberforce
- BThomas Clarkson
- CGranville Sharp
- DOlaudah Equiano
32.Which abolitionist wrote an autobiography in 1789 that described the horrors of slavery and helped the campaign?
Easy
- AOlaudah Equiano
- BThomas Clarkson
- CWilliam Wilberforce
- DGranville Sharp
33.What did the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act of 1807 achieve?
Medium
- AIt made the buying and selling of enslaved people illegal throughout the British Empire.
- BIt freed all enslaved people in the British Empire immediately.
- CIt banned slavery in Britain but allowed it in the colonies.
- DIt gave enslaved people the right to vote.
34.Which Act abolished slavery itself throughout most of the British Empire?
Medium
- AThe Slavery Abolition Act 1833
- BThe Abolition of the Slave Trade Act 1807
- CThe Reform Act 1832
- DThe Factory Act 1833
35.Which of the following were key figures in the British abolition campaign? (Select all that apply)
Medium
- AWilliam Wilberforce
- BThomas Clarkson
- CGranville Sharp
- DOlaudah Equiano
- EChristopher Columbus
36.Match each term about the transatlantic slave trade to its correct meaning.
Medium
- Triangular trade
- Middle Passage
- Barracoons
- Partus sequitur ventrem
- A three-part Atlantic trading route linking Europe, Africa and the Americas
- The sea journey carrying enslaved Africans across the Atlantic to the Americas
- Coastal bases used by the Portuguese to hold captives before shipping
- The rule that a child born to a slave mother was also a slave
37.Put these events in the history of the Atlantic slave trade and its abolition in the correct chronological order, earliest first.
Medium
- Europeans establish a coastal slave trade in Africa
- Trade in enslaved Africans to the Americas begins
- The Abolition of the Slave Trade Act is passed
- The Slavery Abolition Act is passed
38.Which of the following were tasks or industries in the Americas in which enslaved Africans were forced to work? (Select all that apply)
Medium
- ASugar plantations
- BGold and silver mines
- CRice fields
- DDomestic service
- EShipbuilding in British naval dockyards
39.Which of the following statements about the scale of the transatlantic slave trade are supported by current estimates? (Select all that apply)
Medium
- AAbout 12.75 million Africans were loaded onto slave ships for transportation to the Americas.
- BUp to 2 million died during the Atlantic voyage.
- CAbout 8 million Africans were enslaved and remained on the African continent.
- DMore enslaved people were carried in ships based in the New World than in ships from European home ports.
- EThe trade ended completely and immediately once governments banned it.
40.A historian notes that North European slave traders usually used their ship as a base to gather cargo, while the Portuguese built barracoons on the African coast. What was one consequence of this difference?
Medium
- ANorth European ships spent longer on the African coast, so the first captives they bought endured longer confinement on board.
- BNorth European traders bought no captives from African merchants.
- CPortuguese ships avoided the Atlantic crossing altogether.
- DNorth European traders relied entirely on raiding rather than purchase.
41.Name the 1789 autobiography by Olaudah Equiano that helped the abolitionist cause.
Easy
42.In which year was the Slavery Abolition Act passed?
Medium
43.Complete the sentence about the triangular trade.
Easy
The three stages of the triangular trade were: goods from Europe to ____, enslaved people from Africa to the ____, and colonial goods from the Americas back to ____.
44.Which European country had the largest trade volume in the Atlantic slave trade?
Easy
45.In which year was the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act passed?
Easy
46.What name is given to the sea journey that transported enslaved Africans across the Atlantic to the Americas?
Easy
47.Approximately how many Africans were loaded onto slave ships for transportation to the Americas, according to current estimates?
Medium
48.Name the three continents involved in the triangular trade.
Easy
The triangular trade connected ____, ____, and ____.
49.According to current estimates, approximately how many Africans were loaded onto slave ships for transportation to the Americas? Give your answer in millions.
Easy
50.Approximately how many Africans died during the Atlantic voyage, according to estimates? Give your answer in millions.
Easy
51.Approximately how many Africans were enslaved and remained on the African continent? Give your answer in millions.
Medium
52.Complete the sentence about the Middle Passage using the correct numbers.
Medium
The Middle Passage was the sea journey that transported enslaved Africans across the ____ Ocean to the ____. Estimates suggest about ____ million Africans were loaded onto slave ships, and up to ____ million died during the voyage.
53.Explain one way in which the abolition campaign used the evidence of formerly enslaved people such as Olaudah Equiano.
Hard
54.Explain why the transatlantic slave trade is described as part of the 'triangular trade'.
Hard
55.Explain how the 'Columbian exchange' was connected to the transatlantic slave trade.
Hard
56.Explain how the evidence of the 'Columbian exchange' helps us understand the connection between European exploration and the transatlantic slave trade. Use the source material in your answer.
Hard
57.Explain why the transatlantic slave trade is described as part of the 'triangular trade', using evidence from the source material.
Hard
58.In which year was the Slavery Abolition Act passed?
Medium
- A2199
- B2016
- C1833
- D1650
59.In which year was the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act passed?
Easy
- A1988
- B1807
- C1626
- D2169
60.Approximately how many Africans were loaded onto slave ships for transportation to the Americas, according to current estimates?
Medium
- A12750000 people
- B14025000 people
- C15300000 people
- D11475000 people
61.According to current estimates, approximately how many Africans were loaded onto slave ships for transportation to the Americas? Give your answer in millions.
Easy
- A12.75 million
- B13.75 million
- C14.75 million
- D11.75 million
62.Approximately how many Africans died during the Atlantic voyage, according to estimates? Give your answer in millions.
Easy
- A2 million
- B1 million
- C3 million
- D4 million
63.Approximately how many Africans were enslaved and remained on the African continent? Give your answer in millions.
Medium
- A7 million
- B10 million
- C9 million
- D8 million

Lernnotizen

## The Transatlantic Slave Trade and Abolition ### What was the transatlantic slave trade? The transportation by slave traders of enslaved African people to the Americas. It was operated by slave ships from both Europe and the New World. Some voyages used the **triangular trade route** and its **Middle Passage**, particularly in the early phases. - Europeans established a coastal slave trade in the 15th century; trade to the Americas began in the 16th century and lasted through the 19th century. - Most transported were from **Central and West Africa**. - Traders generally **bought their cargo from West and Central African slave merchants**; European raiding was uncommon and discouraged. - The Portuguese built **barracoons** in their African slaving bases to gather captives. Northern Europeans often used their ship as a base, so they spent longer on the African coast and the first enslaved people endured longer confinement on board. ### Why did the trade develop? - The Americas had a low population density; the indigenous population was shrinking due to European diseases. - European conquerors needed a workforce; Europeans were reluctant to emigrate. - The solution was the same used for the sugar plantations of Madeira and Canary Islands c. 1450: **slaves brought from Africa**. ### Where did enslaved people work? Coffee, tobacco, cocoa, sugar and cotton plantations; gold and silver mines; rice fields; the construction industry; cutting timber for ships; skilled labour; and as domestic servants. ### From indentured servants to racial caste - The first enslaved Africans sent to the English colonies were classified as **indentured servants**, with legal standing similar to contract-based workers from Britain and Ireland. - By the middle of the 17th century, slavery had hardened as a **racial caste**: African slaves and their future offspring were legally the property of their owners. Children born to slave mothers were also slaves (**partus sequitur ventrem**). - Enslaved people were considered merchandise or units of labour, sold at markets; prices were determined by their **health and expected productivity**. ### Scale and nations - Major Atlantic slave trading nations, in order of trade volume: **Portugal, Britain, Spain, France, the Netherlands, the United States, and Denmark**. - The largest slave trading ports were in South America; New World-based ships probably carried more enslaved people than ships with a home port in Europe. - About **12.75 million Africans** were loaded onto slave ships; up to **2 million died during the voyage**; about **8 million** were enslaved and remained on the African continent. - Near the beginning of the 19th century, various governments acted to ban the trade, although illegal smuggling still occurred. ### Atlantic travel and the Columbian exchange - In the 15th century, European seafaring technologies produced multi-masted sailing vessels with centre-line rudders, replacing the medieval cog and the Mediterranean round ship. - Between 1600 and 1800, approximately **300,000 sailors** engaged in the slave trade visited West Africa. - European overseas expansion led to the **Columbian exchange** (named after Christopher Columbus): cattle, horses, pigs, sheep and chickens went to the New World; turkeys, tobacco, potatoes, tomatoes and maize came to Europe. Sugarcane, coffee and cotton, along with gold and silver, became important trade commodities. ### Abolition - **Olaudah Equiano, Thomas Clarkson, William Wilberforce and Granville Sharp** were key figures in the abolition campaign. - The **Abolition of the Slave Trade Act (1807)** banned the trade; the **Slavery Abolition Act (1833)** abolished slavery itself. - Legacies of the trade persisted after abolition.

Transatlantic slave trade: The transportation by slave traders of enslaved African people to the Americas, operated by slave ships from both Europe and the New World.
Triangular trade: A trade route used by some slave voyages, particularly in the early phases of the transatlantic slave trade.
Middle Passage: The part of the triangular trade route that carried enslaved Africans across the Atlantic to the Americas.
Barracoons: Enclosures built by the Portuguese in their African slaving bases to gather newly purchased captives ready for the next ship to arrive.
Partus sequitur ventrem: The legal principle that children born to slave mothers were also slaves.
Columbian exchange: The transfer of goods unique to one hemisphere to the other, starting the global silver trade from the 16th to 18th centuries, named after Christopher Columbus.
Abolition of the Slave Trade Act (1807): An Act that banned the slave trade.
Slavery Abolition Act (1833): An Act that abolished slavery.
Olaudah Equiano: A key figure in the abolition campaign.
Thomas Clarkson: A key figure in the abolition campaign.
William Wilberforce: A key figure in the abolition campaign.
Granville Sharp: A key figure in the abolition campaign.

Karteikarten

What was the transatlantic slave trade?

The transportation by slave traders of enslaved African people to the Americas, operated by slave ships from Europe and the New World.

What was the triangular trade route?

A trade route used by some slave ships that connected Europe, Africa and the Americas, with the Middle Passage forming its central leg.

What was the Middle Passage?

The sea journey that formed part of the triangular trade, carrying enslaved Africans across the Atlantic to the Americas.

When did the transatlantic slave trade begin and end?

Europeans established a coastal slave trade in the 15th century; trade to the Americas began in the 16th century and lasted through the 19th century.

Where did most people transported in the transatlantic slave trade come from?

Most were from Central and West Africa.

How did European slave traders usually obtain enslaved Africans?

They generally bought their cargo from West and Central African slave merchants rather than raiding for captives.

What were barracoons?

Enclosures built by the Portuguese at their African slaving bases to gather newly purchased captives ready for the next ship.

Why did North European slave ships spend longer on the African coast than Portuguese vessels?

They usually used the ship itself as a base to gather their cargo, so the first enslaved people they bought endured longer confinement on board.

Why did European colonisers in the Americas need enslaved African labour?

The sparse indigenous population was shrinking due to European diseases, and Europeans were reluctant to emigrate, so demand for labour could not otherwise be met.

What kinds of work were enslaved people forced to do in the Americas?

Work on coffee, tobacco, cocoa, sugar and cotton plantations, in gold and silver mines, rice fields, the construction industry, cutting timber for ships, as skilled labour and as domestic servants.

How did the legal status of Africans in the English colonies change by the mid-17th century?

Slavery hardened into a racial caste: African slaves and their future offspring became legally the property of their owners, as children born to slave mothers were also slaves.

What does partus sequitur ventrem mean?

A legal rule meaning that a child born to a slave mother was also a slave.

How were enslaved people treated as property at markets?

They were considered merchandise or units of labour, sold alongside other goods and services, with prices determined by their health and expected productivity.

Which were the major Atlantic slave trading nations, in order of trade volume?

Portugal, Britain, Spain, France, the Netherlands, the United States and Denmark.

Where were the largest slave trading ports?

In South America; New World-based ships probably carried more enslaved people from Africa than ships with a home port in Europe.

How many Africans were loaded onto slave ships for transportation to the Americas?

About 12.75 million.

How many Africans died during the transatlantic voyage?

Up to 2 million died during the voyage.

How many Africans were enslaved and remained on the African continent?

About 8 million.

What happened to the slave trade near the beginning of the 19th century?

Various governments acted to ban the trade, although illegal smuggling still occurred.

What was the Columbian exchange?

The transfer of goods unique to one hemisphere to the other after European overseas expansion led to contact between the Old and New Worlds.

Give examples of goods Europeans brought to the New World in the Columbian exchange.

Cattle, horses, pigs, sheep and chickens.

Give examples of goods Europeans received from the New World in the Columbian exchange.

Turkeys, tobacco, potatoes, tomatoes and maize.

Which crops of the Americas became important in trade?

Sugarcane, coffee and cotton.

Why did Europeans want to find a maritime route to the Indies?

To trade for luxury goods such as spices without having to obtain them from Islamic traders.

What technological development in the 15th century helped Europeans sail the Atlantic?

Multi-masted sailing vessels with centre-line rudders, replacing the medieval cog and the Mediterranean round ship.

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