Turning people into slaves

Slaves and the slave trade have always existed, but in the 16th to 19th centuries a new, vast form of slave trade took place. Slaves were transported in large numbers from Africa to the American continent, as part of the so-called triangular trade.

Triangular trade

The triangular trade was where the Europeans sailed to Africa to collect new slaves, who were then transported to the plantations in America and the Caribbean. From there, goods were transported back to Europe, and then the Europeans sailed to Africa to pick up more slaves. Basically, in a triangle.

Why did the Europeans need slaves?

In the 16th century, Europeans took control over areas where they could grow sugar and cotton. These were products that the Europeans were especially interested in. The large plantations needed a lot of workforce, and at the time, Europeans felt that this could be taken from Africa.

Transportation of slaves to America

The Africans were brought over to America by Europeans or by other Africans who were being paid to do this. The payment was mostly in weapons or liquor. Once the slaves were captured, they were brought down to a port where a ship would be waiting for them.

Many of the organisations that were involved in the slave trade would brand their slaves. The slaves were then chained and placed on a ship. There was not much food or drink and hygiene on the slave ships was not good. Many slaves would die before the ship came to land. Some jumped off the ship and drowned.

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Selling slaves at the market

When the slaves came to America or the Caribbean, the slaves were usually sold at the market. Rich plantation owners would go to the markets to look at the new ‘products’ and choose who they wanted to bring back with them. It was not unusual for husbands and wives to be bought by different plantation owners and that children were separated from their parents. Young, healthy men were the most wanted labour.

⬅ Illustration from the 1860s of a mother and daughter being sold at the market in America at the time.

Property of the plantation owners

The slaves were the property of the plantation owners. If they tried to escape, they would be caught. If they disobeyed or tried to steal food, they would be punished hard, for example with a whipping.

Slavery was abolished

When the triangular trade started, not manypeople believed that slave trade was wrong. Towards the end of the 18th century and at the beginning of the 19th century, this view started to change.

More and more white people spoke up against slave trade. From 1807 British ships were no longer allowed to carry slaves. In the years 1863–1865, President Abraham Lincoln introduced a ban on slavery in America.

A tribute to President Abraham Lincoln for the freedom of the slaves.  ⮕

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Ted-Ed: The Atlantic Slave Trade

The transatlantic slave trade.

Violation of human rights

The slave trade, which continued for about 300 years, was a serious violation of human rights. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the UN in 1948. Today, there are still various forms of slavery in the world, even though this is forbidden.

The consequences of the slave trade

Although the slaves were free people from the end of the 19th century, they did not have the same rights and opportunities as white people. 

It took another 100 years before the struggle for equal rights between Black and White people in America really started. This fight for equal rights is still ongoing.

Sources:

  • Steen, Tone: slaveri i Store norske leksikon på snl.no.
    Hentet 25. november 2020 fra https://snl.no/slaveri

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