The slave trade began fifty years before Columbus first sailed to the New World by the Portuguese when the developed the ships and maritime skills needed to sail to Africa. They focused their trade in the region surrounding the Congo River. The Dutch were the next to join in. Eventually, Africa was divided between the French along the Senegal River, the British on the Namibia and Portuguese maintaining their hold of the Congo region. Africans maintained a great amount of control over the slave trade. The Europeans working in the slave trade to abide by rules set by Africans. In exchange for taxes, duties, and presents to the African business partners called comey, factories were set up. The factories were places where ships were docked,
…show more content…
Eighty percent of the slave trade occurred within 120 year period. At the peak at the peak of the slave trade, 80,000 slaves per year were taken. Young healthy people more likely to be taken, as were men at a ratio of two to one which changed the demographics. As demand for slaves increased, warfare increased to provide captives to sell. Slave ships required large crews to both sail the ship and keep the slave cargo under control. For every eight slaves, there was one crew member. Sailors were not treated much better than slaves. As technology improved, the slave trade expanded. Larger ships, meant more slaves could be transported, not more space for each slave. More reliable firearm lowered the need for as many sailors to guard the slaves. Copper sheathing on the hull increased sailing speed. European endeavors in Africa were very different from the conquest of North America. In Africa, Instead of infective the natives with disease, Europeans sailors had a high mortality rate as they succumbed to the malaria and yellow fever common in Africa. Africans fought off Europeans despite the superior firepower. Europeans remained close to the coast instead of spreading …show more content…
Their slaves came from Portuguese or Dutch trade. At first, the Africans lived and worked alongside white laborers. For the English, no one could be born into slavery, and no one could remain for the lifetime. The Dutch provided slave labor to the tobacco plantations in Virginia. The African slaves were treated much like the white indentured servants.
In New England, Africans worked in a range of fields such as household servants, craftsman, farmers, or miners. The percentage of Africans was a small portion of the population, less than five percent. Slaves in New England were sometimes rented out by masters during the winter. North America had slaves, but not an institution of slavery. Slavery in the Americas changed when King Charles II created the Royal African Company. The company had a monopoly on slaves taken to English colonies in the Americas. The number of slaves to English colonies increased. By 1700, blacks outnumbered whites in some colonies, especially in the Caribbean. On the sugar plantations, slave owners created slave codes that prohibited traditional African music, gatherings of slaves, or leaves from plantations. The English moved chattel slavery north into the
Eighty percent of the slave trade occurred within 120 year period. At the peak at the peak of the slave trade, 80,000 slaves per year were taken. Young healthy people more likely to be taken, as were men at a ratio of two to one which changed the demographics. As demand for slaves increased, warfare increased to provide captives to sell. Slave ships required large crews to both sail the ship and keep the slave cargo under control. For every eight slaves, there was one crew member. Sailors were not treated much better than slaves. As technology improved, the slave trade expanded. Larger ships, meant more slaves could be transported, not more space for each slave. More reliable firearm lowered the need for as many sailors to guard the slaves. Copper sheathing on the hull increased sailing speed. European endeavors in Africa were very different from the conquest of North America. In Africa, Instead of infective the natives with disease, Europeans sailors had a high mortality rate as they succumbed to the malaria and yellow fever common in Africa. Africans fought off Europeans despite the superior firepower. Europeans remained close to the coast instead of spreading …show more content…
Their slaves came from Portuguese or Dutch trade. At first, the Africans lived and worked alongside white laborers. For the English, no one could be born into slavery, and no one could remain for the lifetime. The Dutch provided slave labor to the tobacco plantations in Virginia. The African slaves were treated much like the white indentured servants.
In New England, Africans worked in a range of fields such as household servants, craftsman, farmers, or miners. The percentage of Africans was a small portion of the population, less than five percent. Slaves in New England were sometimes rented out by masters during the winter. North America had slaves, but not an institution of slavery. Slavery in the Americas changed when King Charles II created the Royal African Company. The company had a monopoly on slaves taken to English colonies in the Americas. The number of slaves to English colonies increased. By 1700, blacks outnumbered whites in some colonies, especially in the Caribbean. On the sugar plantations, slave owners created slave codes that prohibited traditional African music, gatherings of slaves, or leaves from plantations. The English moved chattel slavery north into the