Lecture 4

Overview

  1. How did the slave trade begin?
  2. Evolution of the slave trade
  3. Actual slave work

Slave trade: beginnings

Early slave period:

  • More familial: incorporated in the owner’s family
  • Can buy their freedom
  • Higher status

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  • Source of slaves   * Criminals, war prisoners, people in debt

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  • England: Jews are chattels of the King
  • Spain: slaves - ransomed

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  • Fall of Roman empire: slavery falls apart because it isn’t compatible with feudalism   * Must feed slaves → costs a lot of money → free slaves

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  • Small slave trade still exists with more specialized slaves who were kidnapped

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  • Portuguese: looking for gold + trade with African states → only main trading power here   * 3 different trade patterns   * This region is really integrated into the world trade   * Western Africa     * Slaves are directly incorporated into the master’s family, enforcible rights, being sold = punishment     * Civil wars     * No iron, weapons/tools, copper, or cloth → Europeans bring these at a cheaper price   * Portuguese: set up a factory and want to do the transportation for all trades → to make profits   * Wanted to bring slaves to Atlantic islands for labour (ex: sugar)

Slave trade

  • Most important source of gold = in Africa!
  • European kings: give licenses for trade to merchants (if no license can be arrested)   * Gives protection to merchants (ex: convoys → military ships around merchant ships)   * Expeditions = state-sponsored   * Merchants owe a fraction of profits to the government   * Profits are used to fund even more expeditions

Commodities produced

  • Production of sugar, cotton, rice and indigo → drive down the cost of basic goods in Europe (cost of living decrease)   * Allows large-scale production of food specifically for workers

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  • Wages of workers goes down + prices of good go down   * Money goes up → accumulate massive amounts of money to invest

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  • Direct connection between food eaten in Europe and slave workers in America

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  • Portuguese: buy slaves from African merchants and sell them to Spain/England…
  • 1640: 286 000 slaves brought to America

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  • Mortality rates: 15-20% during the voyage

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  • Preference for slaves: men, 15-35 years old, with scars from smallpox (meant that they already had it)

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