Source: Walsh-cross-section-of-slave-ship-1830, Wikimedia

Picture showing how African slaves were stuffed into crowded cargo pits during the "Middle Passage" to the Americas.

Great job! You might have noticed that many of the pictures on the timeline dealt with the issue of slavery. Along with the death of millions of American Indians, the slave trade is definitely one of the more grim aspects of the new Atlantic world.

All the wealth that flowed into the Spanish and Portuguese empires during this era would not have been possible without the exploitation of millions of Africans for slave labor (usually on sugar plantations in places like Brazil and the Caribbean Islands).

In addition to being horrifying for those who were taken as slaves, the slave trade devastated the mother countries that the captured left behind. African peoples were pitted against one another in wars in an attempt to capture more slaves for the Europeans. In exchange for slaves, the Europeans would give African partners guns and other technologies which would escalate the tension even further.

In many African communities, the majority of the men were taken as slaves leading to a massive gender imbalance. Not enough men were around to provide for families and communities, forcing African women to take on a greater burden.

Reflection Questions: Answer these reflection questions in your notes.

1. How did the triangle trade expand slavery in the Western Hemisphere?
2. What are some of the jobs that slaves performed?
3. Many slaves were sold to work in North America. Where else in the Western Hemisphere did slavery occur?
4. What was the "Middle Passage"? Why is it significant?
5. In your opinion, what is the impact that slavery has left on society in the United States and other countries that participated in slavery?