Use LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to navigate between flashcards;
Use UP and DOWN arrow keys to flip the card;
H to show hint;
A reads text to speech;
9 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
|
. |
In the 17th century sugar cane was brought to British West Indies from Brazil. At that time most local farmers were growing cotton and tobacco. However, strong competition from the North American colonies meant that prices in these crops were falling. The owners of the large Caribbean plantations decided to switch to growing sugar cane. |
|
|
The need for slaves |
Sugar production was labour intensive. The increased demand led Europeans to forcibly transport Africans as slaves. |
|
|
importance of sugar |
By 1750, sugar surpassed grain as the most valuable commodity in European trade - it made up a fifth of all European imports |
|
|
life was hard |
Life on the plantations was extremely hard with a third of newly imported slaves dying within three years. This created a constant demand for new slaves to replace them. |
|
|
middle passage |
Slave ships completing the ‘Middle Passage’ from Africa, unloaded and sold their cargo of slaves, before being loaded with sugar and rum to sell in Britain. |
|
|
places that benefitted from slavery |
The main destination ports for ships loaded with sugar were Bristol and Liverpool. In 1785, 22,811 barrels of sugar were imported through Bristol. |
|
|
Role of the slave trade in British industry |
The slave trade stimulated British manufacturing and industry through the demand for goods such as plantation utensils and clothing needed for slaves and estates. Profits made in the slave trade provided money for investment in British industry. Banks and insurance companies which offered services to slave merchants expanded and made cities such as London very wealthy. |
|
|
The involvement of British ports |
The main British ports involved in the slave trade all experienced periods of rapid growth and increasing wealth during the 18th century. From 1761 to 1807, traders based in British ports hauled 1,428,000 African captives across the Atlantic and pocketed £60 million - perhaps £8 billion in today's money - from slave sales. |
|
|
Industry |
Bristol's sugar industry Glasgow's tobacco industry
|
