TRADE AND EXPLORATION - Transatlantic slave trade

Slavery

A system built where individuals are owned as property, especially in regard to labour.

Transatlantic slave trade

Beginning in the 1500’s, it was a route used to transport enslaved africans, from africa to the ‘new world’ or europe, across the atlantic.

NEGATIVES

Facilitated the exploitation, abuse and dehumanization of enslaved individuals between 1500-1863

Native groups suffered colonization and enslavery as a consequence of 15-19th century imperialism.

Greed for money and capital had become common in imperial nations.

african population decline → long-term economic underdevelopment

racial hierarchy and systemic racism rooted in slavery

cultural destruction (languages lost, families separated)- displacement of families, social and cultural negative impact.

deep inequality in americas that still exists today

creation of african diaspora across caribbean and americas (dispersion/spread of the africans across caribbean and americans)

NEGATIVES (HOW POLITICAL IDEOLOGIES IMPACTED SOCIETIES)

• Social darwinism emerged as a superior ideology, and racism was normalised heavily.

• Greatly impacted native and african societies as the ideologies held justified enslavement

• Silk trade into atlantic slave trade – the most tragic events unfolded with:

- the spread of diseases in native lands like hispaniola = increasing death rates

- breakdown of civilizations for slavery and modern globalisation.

POSITIVES (EMPIRES & ECONOMY)

The economical advantages of creating capital through colonisation and empire-building in the 15th - early 19th centuries included:

• The movement of goods and global modernisation.

• Cheap labour for workforce to drive national economies.

• The process of trade and exploration between the new and old world led to the creation of the Renaissance. 

Trade and exchange of slaves and, most evidently, goods of commodity influenced the creation of empires wherein:

• nations like spain and portugal became extremely wealthy in resources and capital to fuel industrialisation and modernisation of society.

• Nations held political reputations due to exploration and additional knowledge – fulfilling their primary agenda with the commission of columbus in 1492.

POSITIVES (INTELLECTUAL)

The process of trade and exploration between the new and old world led to the creation of the Renaissance era (14th-17th centuries) – inspiring educated individuals to strive for the knowledge of the unknown and delve into humanistic approaches within fields of science, art and innovation. 

EXAMPLE: The natives of hispaniola

On his first voyage in 1492, in the bahamas - where he believed to be san salvador, he met the taino natives.

The Taíno, initially unaware of European civilization, were surprised by the appearance of Columbus's ships and the Spanish people. They welcomed the newcomers, exchanging gifts of food, cotton, and gold with them, and offered them hospitality.

The Spanish soon began to view the Taíno as a source of labor and wealth, and the relationship quickly deteriorated. They initiated a brutal conquest, enslaving the Taíno to work in gold mines and on plantations.