The Atlantic Slave Trade (jan 1, 1480 – jan 1, 1867)

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The Atlantic Slave Trade does not have a specific, agreed-upon start date, but it began around the 1480s when Portuguese ships transported enslaved Africans to work on sugar plantations. This trade primarily took place in the Americas, Africa, and Europe. During the 1500s, Christopher Columbus and his men enslaved Indigenous people in the Americas, forcing them to cultivate cash crops such as sugar, tobacco, and cotton. As Indigenous populations declined due to smallpox and other diseases brought by Europeans, there was a shift to Africa for new sources of labor, leading to the enslavement of Africans.

Various European powers, including Portugal, Spain, Britain, France, and the Netherlands, became involved in the Atlantic Slave Trade. Many African kingdoms also participated by capturing individuals from other communities and selling them to European traders. In 1713, Spain and Britain signed the Asiento de negros agreement, which required Britain to supply Spanish colonies with 4,800 enslaved Africans each year for 30 years.

The Atlantic Slave Trade escalated in the 1700s when demand for enslaved labor increased significantly due to the expansion of plantations, particularly in North America. The 1800s marked a crucial period for the trade, with an estimated three-fifths of the total number of enslaved people traded occurring during this time. The trade operated within a triangular system: enslaved individuals were transported from Africa to the Americas, goods were sent from the Americas to Europe, and European ships carried weapons, textiles, and alcohol to Africa in exchange for enslaved people.

The voyage from Africa to the Americas, known as the Middle Passage, was notorious for its horrific conditions, as enslaved Africans were crammed into ships with barely enough room to breathe. These conditions led to the deaths of 15 to 20 percent of enslaved individuals during the journey. Millions of lives were lost through this route, drastically reducing African populations.

Overall, between 12 to 15 million Africans were forcibly taken from their homes and subjected to inhumane conditions on plantations. The decline of the Atlantic Slave Trade began in the late 18th century when Britain abolished the slave trade in 1807. Other nations, including the United States, followed suit, although illegal trading continued. The effects of this trade still contribute to social inequalities that persist in our world today.

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