Commerce & the Slave Trade

These flashcards summarize key concepts, facts, and themes regarding the relationship between commerce and the slave trade, emphasizing its impact on American and British economies.

What foundation were the British and American empires built on in the 18th and 19th centuries?

An African foundation.

When did Jamaica become a British colony?

Jamaica was established as a British colony in 1655.

Which company replaced the Company of Royal Adventures Trading to Africa in 1672?

Royal African Company (RAC).

What significant act was passed in 1750 related to the slave trade?

African Trade Act.

What were traders who participated in the open slave trade called?

Ten Percent Men.

What treaty allowed the English to export slaves into Spain's American colonies?

Treaty of Utrecht (1713).

What was the Asiento agreement?

A treaty where the English supplied all of the Spanish colonies with slaves.

What was the 'Triple Stimulus' in relation to British industry?

The triangle trade that stimulated British industry by purchasing African people with British manufactures.

Name products produced on plantations from slave labor.

Sugar, cotton, indigo, molasses, other tropical products

Which port was Britain’s main slaving port during the 18th century?

Liverpool.

How many Africans were carried by Liverpool ships between 1700 and 1807?

Around 1.5 million Africans.

What system gave Britain a monopoly in West Indian trade?

Mercantilism.

What did the Navigation Acts (1651, 1660) enforce?

Exclusive monopoly for Britain in the West Indian trade.

What were the West India Docks set up for in 1802?

For the vessels engaged in the West Indian trade to load and unload.

Who was Robert Milligan?

A Scottish businessman responsible for the construction of the West India docks.

What was a typical cargo sent to the slave coast for trade?

Clothes.

Which industries in Britain developed due to the slave trade?

Shipping and shipbuilding, textiles and clothing, sugar refining, and metallurgical industries.

What type of vessels did Liverpool shipbuilders construct for the slave trade?

Special types of vessels.

What was the significance of the Zong Massacre?

It highlighted the cruelty of the slave trade and led to public outcry.

What did the Insurance industry arise to protect in relation to the slave trade?

Owners from losses in slave trading ventures.

What was the purpose of Lloyd's in the 1730s?

To provide insurance for plantations.

What city had a significant fish industry that supported slave plantations?

Scottish port cities.

What percentage of enslaved Africans transported in Rhode Island ships originated from Rhode Island?

79%.

What was Rhode Island's main article of trade used to purchase slaves?

Rum.

Which educational institution became the center for spermaceti candle manufacture?

Rhode Island.

What was dried, salted Atlantic cod known as for slaves?

The meat of all the slaves of the West Indies.

Who was the primary supplier of horses to West Indian plantations?

Connecticut.

What did New England provide to West Indian plantations in terms of lumber?

70% of the lumber used.

What was the significance of shipbuilding in colonial New England?

It became one of the major employers and was critical to the trade with West Indies.

Which university confronted its connection to slavery?

Brown University.

What was the role of colleges in relation to the African slave trade?

Colleges were beneficiaries and had links to commerce and industry fueled by slavery.

When was Harvard University established?

1636.

What was the mission of the college established in Virginia in 1616?

To maintain religious orthodoxy and diminish Native American power.

What did the Brafferton Fund at William and Mary aim to do?

Pay for the education of Native Americans.

What was a significant trade policy in Boston after the Pequot War?

Sale of Native Americans in exchange for enslaved Africans.

Who was John Eliot?

Known as the 'apostle to the Indians', he promoted the conversion of Native Americans to Christianity.

What did Harvard offer to Native Americans in 1655?

Free education.

Who were Caleb Cheeshateaumuck and Joel Iacoomis?

The first Native American students at Harvard.

What was the main use of enslaved Africans on West Indian plantations?

To cultivate sugar.

What major economic activity did plantations rely on outside of sugar production?

Importing goods like clothing, tools, and food supplies from New England.

What was the relationship between Princeton University and planters' sons?

Princeton became welcoming to sons of planters, increasing their student enrollment.

What farming activity was a major part of life on West Indian plantations?

The cultivation of sugar cane.

What was key to the production of sugar on plantations?

Enslaved labor was essential for its cultivation and refinement.

What historical event involved the massacre of slaves for insurance claims?

Zong Massacre.

What did sugar work on plantations run continuously for?

24 hours a day during the peak season.

Why were cargoes of fish significant for slave plantations?

They provided necessary food for enslaved individuals and were a cheap resource.

What was the main destination for products exported by West Indian plantations?

British ports, primarily England.

How did British Parliament influence sugar refining?

By imposing high taxes on refined sugar, prohibiting sugar refineries in colonies.

What role did Birmingham play in the gun trade with Africa?

It became the center for trading guns for slaves.

What did Native American students experience at Harvard in terms of their cultural identities?

They acted as instruments for spreading English culture while facing challenges of assimilation.

Along which coastline did many of the fish caught for plantations originate?

Atlantic coastline near New England.

What was the strategy for acquiring enslaved individuals by planters?

Invitation, purchase, or kidnapping.

What notable feature did the College of William and Mary gain from prominent families?

Founding members were primarily part of leading slaveholding families.

What was John Eliot's establishment's purpose in indigenous communities?

To convert and educate Native Americans into Christian civilization.

Why was cattle significant in West Indian plantation society?

Beef was a luxury, and cattle were used for transportation and labor.

What was the job description of college graduates from Harvard regarding the slave trade?

Many became educated men working directly within the slave trade.

What factors encouraged the growing number of colleges tied to slavery and commerce?

Wealth generated from the slave economy and the need for educated workforce.

What practice involved both education and exploitation of Native Americans in colonial Virginia?

Establishment of a college to convert and educate Native peoples.

What did plantations require vast amounts of in terms of building materials?

Lumber for constructing carts, buildings, and storage.

How did the slave trade contribute to New England’s economy?

By providing trade opportunities and economic benefits through slave-produced commodities.

What type of labor did New England provide for the plantation economy in the West Indies?

Labor for shipbuilding, fishing, and agricultural supplies.

What significant action did the English Parliament take regarding colleges?

They funded the establishment of colleges to aid in evangelizing Native Americans.

What vital role did the town of Marblehead play during the slave trade?

It was home to some of the first ships involved in the slave trade.

What was the document notable for mentioning the importance of enslaved individuals to Harvard?

New England's First Fruits report.

How did the Caribbean connection influence the growth of Northern colleges?

By increasing enrollment from wealthy planters and supporting the trade economy.

What were the demographics of Princeton University in relation to Southern planters after 1772?

A significant increase in students from Southern slaveholding families.

What strategic ties did Columbia University establish?

Connections with the merchant elites benefiting from the slave trade.

What is a key contradiction highlighted in the context of American democracy and slavery?

The statement that human slavery provided security for free men.