Slavery

Slaves were captured from various regions in Africa, including West Africa (such as present-day Senegal, Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria, and Benin), Central Africa (such as present-day Angola and Congo), and East Africa (such as present-day Mozambique and Madagascar), among others. These regions were major sources of enslaved people during the transatlantic slave trade.

Slaveholders supported the settlement of freed slaves in Africa because they believed it would help maintain the racial hierarchy and remove potential sources of rebellion within the United States. Additionally, some slaveholders thought it would be a way to rid themselves of free blacks who were seen as a threat to the institution of slavery.

south

The triangular trade route included Europe, Africa, and the Americas. Goods such as raw materials, manufactured goods, and slaves were exchanged among these regions in a triangular pattern. Europe sent manufactured goods to Africa, Africa sent slaves to the Americas, and the Americas sent raw materials back to Europe.

South

Plantation owners with the most land and slaves were predominantly located in the southern United States, particularly states like Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia, and Louisiana. These states were major producers of crops like cotton, tobacco, and sugarcane, which required large numbers of enslaved laborers to cultivate.

The pie chart in map 6-3 reveals that the majority of slave labor in the South in 1850 was concentrated in farms and plantations, with a smaller portion in mining and industry. This demonstrates the significant role of slaves in the agricultural economy of the Southern states during that time.

The area around Richmond, Virginia became a major hub for the sale and transport of enslaved people throughout the South. Richmond's location on the James River, its proximity to major plantations, and its thriving slave markets made it a key trading center for enslaved people.

West Africa was most affected by the transatlantic slave trade, where millions of Africans were forcibly taken and transported to the Americas as slaves between the 16th and 19th centuries. Countries like Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, and Ivory Coast were heavily impacted.

The Southern region of the United States, particularly states like Virginia, Kentucky, and Mississippi, were known for supporting slavery due to the agrarian economy reliant on slave labor for crops like cotton and tobacco. They argued that it was essential for their economy and way of life.

To obtain goods and firearms from Europe

The slave trade disrupted the population distribution in Africa by causing significant population losses in regions where people were captured and enslaved, leading to decreased population density and shifting demographics. Many areas experienced a decrease in population and lost vital labor force, contributing to economic and social turmoil.

Slave labor was used to a greater extent in the Southern colonies of British North America, particularly in regions such as Virginia, South Carolina, and Georgia. The plantation economy in these areas, reliant on cash crops like tobacco, rice, and indigo, led to a high demand for enslaved labor.

The European colonies in the Americas represented the location where the trade process originated in the triangular trade system. This is where goods like sugar, tobacco, and cotton were produced and then sent to Europe.

They had large plantations. (Plantations are a big farm if you don't know what that means.)

Eastern slaves were commonly settled in the Middle East, North Africa, and parts of Asia. They were often sold into slavery in these regions and worked in various capacities within households, farms, or businesses.

Large populations of Africans emerged in North and South America and the Caribbean.

The crop that brought slavery to Georgia was cotton. The economic success and demand for cotton in the 19th century led to the expansion of plantations in the South, which relied heavily on enslaved labor to cultivate and harvest the crop. Cotton became known as "king cotton" and played a significant role in shaping Georgia's economy and society during this time.

Most slaves traveled from Africa to the Americas as part of the Triangular Trade route. They were forcibly transported across the Atlantic Ocean to work on plantations and in mines in the Americas.

The Caribbean region, specifically islands like Haiti, Jamaica, and Cuba, imported the most Africans during the transatlantic slave trade. Millions of Africans were forcibly brought to the Caribbean to work on plantations producing sugar, tobacco, and other cash crops.

The three areas with the largest influx of African slaves between 1701 and 1810 were the British Caribbean, Brazil, and Spanish America. These regions were major destinations for the transatlantic slave trade during that time period.

The Southern colonies in North America, particularly Virginia and South Carolina, claimed that slaves were too expensive to keep due to high mortality rates and low birth rates. This led to the development of the transatlantic slave trade as a means of maintaining a steady workforce.

Kunta misses his family, his culture, and his freedom in his homeland. He longs for the familiar surroundings, traditions, and sense of belonging that he had before being captured and taken away from his home.

Land was important to slaves because it symbolized freedom, independence, and autonomy. Owning or working on land provided an opportunity to create a better life, build a community, and escape the control of slave owners. Land also allowed slaves to grow their own food, practice their culture, and pass down traditions to future generations.

Enslaved Africans faced extremely harsh conditions during the Middle Passage, the journey across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas. They were crowded together in the holds of slave ships, often chained and subjected to unsanitary conditions, disease, and extreme cruelty by the crew. Many did not survive the voyage due to illnesses, malnutrition, and suicide.