chapter 21

The Atlantic Slave Trade spanned from 1526 to 1810, resulting in the transportation of about 12 million Africans. Major trade routes connected West Africa to the Americas, particularly through the notorious Middle Passage, with most enslaved people settling in the West Indies, Brazil, and Spanish America. This period saw the development of plantation economies in the Americas, leading to an increased demand for slave labor to support the production of crops like cotton, sugar, tobacco, rum, and coffee, which fueled European economic growth and the rise of commercial capitalism.

Before European contact, traditional slavery existed in Africa, often involving local captives. However, many African societies began to rely heavily on slave trading to strengthen their power and trade networks. In this dynamic, men were typically sold for labor, while women were often kept for domestic roles. Initially, Portugal was the dominant force in the slave trade, establishing trading posts in Africa, but soon other European powers such as the Netherlands, England, and Spain entered the trade. The slave trade often involved complex relationships with local African rulers.

Despite facing brutal conditions, enslaved Africans managed to retain elements of their culture, language, and belief systems. Instances of resistance and rebellion were frequent within slave communities, leading to notable uprisings. As Enlightenment thought gained traction in the mid-18th century, resistance to the slave trade grew, with key abolitionists like John Wesley and William Wilberforce advocating for reform in Britain. Ultimately, the British Parliament abolished the slave trade in 1807, while Brazil was among the last to fully abolish slavery in 1888.