Question

What was the Transatlantic slave trade, and what were the effects it had?

Answer 1

Transatlantic slave trade, a portion of the global slave trade that shipped 10 million to 12 million Africans across the Atlantic Ocean from the 16th to the 19th century to the Americas. It was the second of three phases of so-called triangular trade in which weapons, textiles, and wine were exported from Europe to Africa, African-American slaves, and Americas sugar and coffee to Europe.

In Africa the slave trade has had disastrous consequences. Economic opportunities to participate in slave trade for warlords and tribes fostered an environment of lawlessness and violence. Depopulation and an continuing fear of captivity made economic and agricultural growth in much of western Africa almost impossible. Women in their childbearing years and young men who would usually have started families were a significant percentage of the people taken captive. The European slaves typically left behind elderly, disabled, or otherwise vulnerable individuals—groups who were least able to contribute to their societies' economic health.

As demand for slaves increased, the Portuguese began to penetrate Africa's interior forcefully capturing captives; as other Europeans were interested in slave trade, they usually stayed on the coast and bought captives from Africans who had transported them from within. The Africans were marched to the coast after capture, a trip that could be as far as 485 km (300 miles) inland. Usually at the ankle two prisoners were bound together, and chains around their necks held up prisoner columns. Making their way to the coast, an estimated 10 to 15 per cent of the captives died.

Implications of slave trade included: consequences of trade on African cultures in West Africa Slave traders and European 'factories' on the West African coast Development of slave states and economies Destroying communities Development of foreign colonies Members of African cultures played a part in continuing trade.