Turning people into slaves

Slave trade has always existed.. But from about 1500 to 1800, a large number of slaves were moved from Africa to America. They were part of the Atlantic slave trade. This trade was between Europe, Africa and the Americas.

Triangular trade

The triangular trade was where the Europeans sailed to Africa to pick up slaves and took them to America and the Caribbean. Goods were transported from the Caribbean and America to Europe, and then the Europeans sailed to Africa to pick up more slaves. This was called the triangular trade because the route looked like a triangle on the map.

Why did the Europeans need slaves?

The Europeans took control over areas where they could grow sugar and cotton. They were very interested in these products. To be able to grow a lot, they created large farms called plantations. They needed a lot of people to work on the plantations. The Europeans felt that this was a good reason to take people from Africa. 

Transportation of slaves to America

The Africans were brought over to America by Europeans or by other Africans who were being paid. The payment was mostly weapons or liquor. The slaves were brought on a crowded ship. There was little food and drink, and hygiene on the ship was not good. Many slaves died before they came to land. Some jumped off the ship and drowned.

Selling slaves at the market

When the slaves came to America or the Caribbean, they were sold at the market. Rich people came to the market and decided who they wanted to buy. It was not unusual for husbands and wives to be bought by different people and children being separated from their parents. Healthy young men were the most wanted help.  

⬅ 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 plantation owners made the rules, as the slaves belonged to them. If the slaves tried to steal or break any of the rules, they were punished. The punishment could be whipping.

Slavery was banned

First, people didn’t think that the slave trade was wrong. But at the end of the 18th century, this view started to change.

People spoke up and believed that the slave trade was wrong. In the years 1863–1865, President Abraham Lincoln introduced a ban on slavery in America. This officially ended slavery.

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 was a serious violation of human rights. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was put into action by the UN in 1948. Slavery still exists today, even though it is forbidden.

The consequences of the slave trade

The slaves were free people from the end of the 19th century. But they didn’t have the same rights as white people. 

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

Sources:

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

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