History The Slave Trade

What was the first step in the Transatlantic Slave Trade?

Portuguese traders took enslaved Africans to American colonies

What were some economic reasons for the slave trade?

Indentured labourers hard to find, slaves free and last for ages, profit, helped establish UK in colonies

What were some attitudes that made people think the slave trade was acceptable?

People thought Africans were inferior to Europeans and subhuman, apparently they're better suited to working in the climate, slaving had happened in the past

When did the kingdom of Benin emerge?

1200s (more prominent 1450s onwards)

Who was one of the first slave captains?

Sir John Hawkins

In what century did slaving start becoming a thing in the UK?

16th century

In what three places did the UK have a colony?

West Virginia, Barbados and Jamaica

In what year was the Royal African Company established?

1672

By 1760, how many African people were transported to America per year?

10,000

What were some religious reasons for the slave trade?

Bible mentions slavery, converting Africans to Christianity, being better off with Western culture

How did slaving impact the development of British cities?

British nobles used their slaving money to build things

What institutions based their collections off slaving money?

The sugar industry, Tate Modern, British Museum and Library and some key banks

Who received compensation for the emancipation of slavery?

MPs

What was the situation like in the hold of the ships on the Middle Passage?

Men chained in pairs, women and children free, 0.5m vertical space on shelves

What did the slaves do on deck?

Danced for exercise sometimes, had 1-2 meals a day, scrubbed down w/ warm vinegar

What was it like in the ship's hold?

30+ degrees, no toilets, sickness v common

How many slaves were taken across the Atlantic?

9-11 million

How many slaves died during the Middle Passage?

1.5 million (avg loss per ship was 1/8 of all slaves)