Atlantic Slave Trade and Thomas Phillips Primary Source

Flashcards covering key concepts and discussions from the lecture on the Atlantic Slave Trade and Thomas Phillips' accounts.

What is the significance of Lauda Equiano in relation to next week’s class discussion?

It is a slave narrative that will be discussed, and students are expected to prepare answers to related questions.

What are students required to do with the PowerPoints provided for the class discussion?

Students must write answers to the discussion questions found in the PowerPoints and come prepared for class.

What was the estimated number of slave ship voyages recorded in the slave trade database mentioned?

36,000 slave ship voyages from the early sixteenth century to the end of the nineteenth century.

What was the mortality rate for slaves on the Atlantic voyages in the earlier centuries?

Around 20%.

How many enslaved individuals approximately were taken from Africa to Brazil during the slave trade?

Around 12,500,000, with 40% going to Brazil.

What was the relationship between the king of Ouida and the European slave merchants, as discussed in Thomas Phillips’ primary source?

The king of Ouida had significant power over the European merchants and dictated the terms of the slave trade.

What goods were often traded in exchange for slaves according to Thomas Phillips?

Cowries, textiles, iron, guns, and other goods like blue paper and brass plates.

What is the importance of branding slaves with hot iron during the transatlantic slave trade?

It was a way to mark slaves for identification and prevent escape.

How did Thomas Phillips portray the conditions aboard the slave ships?

He described them as harsh with high mortality rates and acknowledged the physical suffering of enslaved individuals.

What was the demographic ratio of male to female slaves discussed in the lecture?

About 480 men to 220 women.

What was the economic incentive for slave traders to ensure the health of enslaved individuals during transport?

Their profit depended on delivering alive slaves to the Americas, as lost slaves meant financial loss.

What moral discomfort did Thomas Phillips express in his accounts?

Despite justifying the trade, he acknowledged the suffering of enslaved people and the ethical implications of slavery.

How did Phillips justify the practice of slavery despite his acknowledged discomfort with it?

He employed arguments about racial superiority and the benefits of Christianity to rationalize slave trading.

What does Thomas Phillips' description of the treatment of enslaved people reveal about the perspectives of slave traders during the Atlantic slave trade?

There was a mix of pragmatic concerns about profit and a moral rationalization of slavery, including claims of benevolence.

What key concepts concerning resistance are mentioned in the lecture regarding enslaved people during the slave trade?

Enslaved individuals often resisted through escape, rebellion, or by choosing death over captivity.