Causes of the African Slave Trade

Vocabulary flashcards covering the primary causes and economic drivers of the African slave trade based on lecture notes.

Plantations

Large estates used for growing crops that required significant amounts of labor.

Labor Shortage

A situation on American plantations caused by the death of many Native Americans, leading Europeans to purchase large numbers of Africans.

Mercantilism

An economic goal or system where the primary objective was to acquire silver and gold.

West African kings and slave traders

Individuals who found weapons and rum very appealing, contributing to the growth of the slave trade.

Profitable business

The status the slave trade eventually reached as it grew into a massive commercial enterprise.