Today, we take sugar for granted because it is so accessible, but what did people do before it was? The Sugar Trade lasted for almost two centuries, from 1655 to 1833. Africa, England, America, Europe, and the West Indies were the most superior in the trading process. It thrived through the world for three main reasons: The colonial islands that had a climate that was ideal for sugar production, the sweet tooth for sugar causing high demand, and the money that funded the assets required for the crucial process of sugar production.
As the slave trade expanded in the colonies, the land and climate was essential to growing sugar. As seen in Document 1, the map shows various Caribbean Islands and European Islands that owned them. The British had …show more content…
As shown in Document 3a, because of the such high demand of sugar in Britain and Europe, people would climb into hogshead to find any little scraps of sugar in sight. And this wasn’t a full barrel of sugar, it was empty. Like any container with food in it, there is always a slight amount still left, but the difference between what we would do now with it is immensely different than what they did then. Nowadays, we just throw it in the garbage, but with something like sugar that had this high of demand, Civilians are willing to go through any means possible to acquire some of this auxiliary good. According to Document 3b, “ for, such is the influence of sugar, that once touching the nerves of taste no person was ever known to have the power of relinquishing the desire for it.” Once someone has tasted sugar, it is unbearable to not want more. Sugar is an “auxiliary” product which goes along with tea, coffee and chocolate. The growth of these products affected the growth of sugar because they all contain stimulants. Stimulants are very addictive causing people to have a strong desire for sugar. As seen in Document 5 “Sugar consumption approached nearly 10 percent of overall food expenditures for some families in England in the 1700s.” The British population increased by more than 2 million people causing the annual consumption to increase about 400% in 70 years! This proves that there was a high demand for sugar in the West Indies creating more sugar imports. The accessibility for sugar increased causing even more
As the slave trade expanded in the colonies, the land and climate was essential to growing sugar. As seen in Document 1, the map shows various Caribbean Islands and European Islands that owned them. The British had …show more content…
As shown in Document 3a, because of the such high demand of sugar in Britain and Europe, people would climb into hogshead to find any little scraps of sugar in sight. And this wasn’t a full barrel of sugar, it was empty. Like any container with food in it, there is always a slight amount still left, but the difference between what we would do now with it is immensely different than what they did then. Nowadays, we just throw it in the garbage, but with something like sugar that had this high of demand, Civilians are willing to go through any means possible to acquire some of this auxiliary good. According to Document 3b, “ for, such is the influence of sugar, that once touching the nerves of taste no person was ever known to have the power of relinquishing the desire for it.” Once someone has tasted sugar, it is unbearable to not want more. Sugar is an “auxiliary” product which goes along with tea, coffee and chocolate. The growth of these products affected the growth of sugar because they all contain stimulants. Stimulants are very addictive causing people to have a strong desire for sugar. As seen in Document 5 “Sugar consumption approached nearly 10 percent of overall food expenditures for some families in England in the 1700s.” The British population increased by more than 2 million people causing the annual consumption to increase about 400% in 70 years! This proves that there was a high demand for sugar in the West Indies creating more sugar imports. The accessibility for sugar increased causing even more