To understand slavery in the busy trading port of Bristol, it is important to describe the context in which it developed. Slave trade was at it 's best in Bristol between 1730 and 1745 making it the second largest city in England after London. The city traded with all countries, France, Ireland, Spain, Portugal and most importantly North Africa. The location of the port in the South West of England on the River Avon had made it a prime location for marine trade for many centuries. Control of all trade was originally dominated by the Royal African Company. However, in 1698, an organization of merchants in the city named The Society of Merchant Venturers, wanted to break the Company 's control over the slave trade which they did successfully.
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It allowed the establishment of the city of Old Town that, like Bristol, had an advantageous position to see arrival of traders. This caused Old Town to become one of the primary sellers and the rulers evidently were turned into an object to envy for the local slave trading families. Thus, as much as slavery meant economical improvement in Old Calabar, it also meant rivalry whether it be between the new developing trading centers around it or the local traders. It even came to a point where they were all keeping each other from capturing slaves leading to a great lack of stability in the region. The massacre of Old Town in 1767 lead to it never being as prosperous as it was in the past so slavery came with a great deal of violence in the region. Moreover, slaves were a form of currency in Old Calabar and they would either be captives of war, had been sold by their parents, or just couldn 't sustain themselves so went into slavery in hopes of a form of improvement. Many were also sold because of adultery or theft as well. Traders in Old Calabar did not keep slaves on hand, they were either captured by night or recruited during the day therefore, slavery also came with fear since anyone could become a slave once the sun disappeared. This fear was also prominent because a person could easily fall into slavery but sadly rarely could get out of it. Finally, slavery meant a …show more content…
However, all of these elements are linked to a single extremely logical explanation : the slaves were being bought by the Europeans from the Northern Africans not the other way around. There was no reason for fear, violence and cultural adaptation related to the slave trade in Bristol and, in Old Calabar, there was no use for a new form of religious acceptance. Nonetheless, it is important to remark that the similarities brought on by slavery in both trading points were rooted in the same willingness to improve their economical
It allowed the establishment of the city of Old Town that, like Bristol, had an advantageous position to see arrival of traders. This caused Old Town to become one of the primary sellers and the rulers evidently were turned into an object to envy for the local slave trading families. Thus, as much as slavery meant economical improvement in Old Calabar, it also meant rivalry whether it be between the new developing trading centers around it or the local traders. It even came to a point where they were all keeping each other from capturing slaves leading to a great lack of stability in the region. The massacre of Old Town in 1767 lead to it never being as prosperous as it was in the past so slavery came with a great deal of violence in the region. Moreover, slaves were a form of currency in Old Calabar and they would either be captives of war, had been sold by their parents, or just couldn 't sustain themselves so went into slavery in hopes of a form of improvement. Many were also sold because of adultery or theft as well. Traders in Old Calabar did not keep slaves on hand, they were either captured by night or recruited during the day therefore, slavery also came with fear since anyone could become a slave once the sun disappeared. This fear was also prominent because a person could easily fall into slavery but sadly rarely could get out of it. Finally, slavery meant a …show more content…
However, all of these elements are linked to a single extremely logical explanation : the slaves were being bought by the Europeans from the Northern Africans not the other way around. There was no reason for fear, violence and cultural adaptation related to the slave trade in Bristol and, in Old Calabar, there was no use for a new form of religious acceptance. Nonetheless, it is important to remark that the similarities brought on by slavery in both trading points were rooted in the same willingness to improve their economical