british empire

• why did the translantic slave trade begin

  • As the Spanish and English conquered areas in the New World (America) they were in desperate need of new workers. Many Native Americans were killed when the Spanish and Europeans brought over new diseases such as Smallpox.  
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• why did the slave trade being (continued)

  • At first indentured labour ( when a person worked for a number of years under contract) but this did not work as once the contract was over the labour shortage would start once again 
  • The English therefore used the system of slavery already in Africa to solve the issue of labour supply in the New World. African kings were willing to exchange criminals or those captured in war for goods offered by the Europeans such as guns and ammunition. This could then be used to protect their own people. 
• what were the conditions under slavery like

  • Middle Passage – journey between West Africa and North America. Could take as long as 8 weeks. Men were chained together and there were no sanitary facilities. As a result enslaved people had to relieved themselves where they were which enabled diseases to spread.  
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• Conditions when enslaved people arrived in the Americas

  1. Sold at an auction

  2. Brought onto a stage and promoted for their best qualities

  3. Prospective buyers tested the physical strength of the enslaved people and examined their teeth
• Conditions on the plantations

  1. Working days were very long

  2. Enslaved people could only stop for work when their master told them to

  3. Overseer watched the enslaved people and punished them severely if they were too slow or defiant

  4. Common punishment was the use of the whip
• why did some support the slave trade

  • Popularity of resources such as sugar, cotton and tobacco 
  • Kept many people in jobs e.g. sailors, those who made the guns and ammunitions 
  • Plantation owners would gain more profits as they did not have to pay their workers.  
  • A number of British MPs were absentee plantation owners and therefore profited from slavery 
• how did enslaved people resist slavery

  • Resistance- day to day acts against the system of slavery.  
  • Examples: Working slowly, running away, learning to read and write, breaking tools 
  • Rebellion- Violent uprisings/ struggle against plantation owners/ system of slavery 
  • Examples: Bussa Rebellion, Nat Turner Revolt