History: Chapter 2- Caribbean Economy and Slavery

What island had the British claimed in 1623?

The British had claimed the island of St. Christopher, now known as St. Kitts. It was the English Crown's first West Indian property.

What was the motive behind Europeans exporting cash crops like cassava and maize to West Central Africa?

The Europeans exported such crops the West Central Africa to ensure the population of Africans had not declined while they were transporting millions of them for to the New World.

What factors made Africa an attractive source of slaves?

-Geography: Africa was well placed for cheap trans-shipment of slaves by Europeans to the New World -Ecology: Africans were accustomed to heat and resistent to yellow fever and malaria; they were experienced farmers and poor soil limited their own agricultural production -Technology: Europeans could manufacture goods more cheaply than Africans; Africans wove their own cloth; -Economic: The high demand for labour for the cultivation of sugar on the Caribbean plantations were in Europe's favor due to Africa's cheap source of labour

In what order of the Europeans did they transport slaves from Africa to the New World?

-Portuguese -French -Dutch

What were some reasons why Africans became slaves?

-Some were kidnapped -Some were prisoners of war -Used as a punishment for a crime -To remove themselves from poverty -When a person was in debt -When a poor person sold their children

What were the specific buildings located on the plantation?

1. The 'great house' which referred to the planter's residence. It was normally two stories high; the top floor with wooden floor and a large central hall for the dining area and the banquet rooms. The bottom floor was used as a storm shelter, a stronghold in case of revolts, and a storage shelter. Most times, the residence was located on a hill so that the planter would have a clear view of the operations on the plantation. 2. The mill was where the sugar cane would be crushed and the juiced would be extracted. Three types of mills were; Water mills - the most efficient but were not always reliable, mostly used in Cuba, Jamaica, and Guyana. Windmills - the cheapest but were not very efficient because they depended on the wind and if there wasn't any they had to use animal power, mostly used in Barbados and the Leeward Islands. Animal mills - the most reliable types so they were the most common. 3. The boiling and the curing houses were close to the mill. They were used to boil the sugar and produce sugar crystals. 4. The distillery was where the molasses and rum was made. 5. The hospital was there to help the sick Europeans; it was often a one-room shack with terribly stacked medicine. 6. The barracks were long, poorly constructed cabin-like structures where the slaves only slept. They were packed into tight spaces. The barracks were located close to the cane fields and the mills so that time would not be wasted for the slaves to commute there. 7. There were additional provision grounds allocated for the slaves to be able to produce their own food during their free time, and on Sundays. It served as a benefit to the planters because they would be able to spend less on money to provide food for the slaves. 8. Every plantation had a woodland area where fuel would be supplied for the mills, curing and boiling house, distillery.

What defined status in a plantation society?

Color was the main signifier of social status. If you had lighter skin and straight hair, then you had higher status.

Caravel

A small, highly maneuverable three-masted ship used by the Portuguese and Spanish in the exploration of the Atlantic.

Hogshead

A wooden barrel

Mercantilism

Acquiring wealth to benefit the mother country

What three locations made up the Transatlantic Slave Trade?

Africa (slaves) sent off to the New World (West Indies) (to produce raw materials) where in Europe (manufactured goods were produced and brought to Africa for trade)

What are the things Africans bartered and what did they receive in return?

Africans bartered food, slaves, ivory and wax for clothes, beans, guns and other European goods.

What is the main reason why Africans were targeted for labour on the plantations of the New world?

Africans had adapted to the climate and were also genetically immune to diseases, like malaria.

So why were Africans favored over Europeans or Asians?

Africans were an inexpensive source of labour which benefitted the European's because Europeans and Asians were either not plentiful or would be too expensive to shop from their homelands.

What happened as the slaves arrived in the Caribbean?

As they arrived, they were treated well and were given time to relax for a few days, all for the purpose to ensure they were in the right condition to be sold in the slave market.

What British West Indian island became the most profitable by 1627?

Barbados had become the most profitable island by 1627, and did so well in sugar industry that it had a larger population density than Europe. Unfortunately, by 1680 Barbados was no longer profitable due to the sugar prices falling, and many other geographical issues.

Why didn't planters have too many slaves from the same tribe together on their plantation?

Because they new that the cultural and language differences would make rebellion more difficult

What did the Dutch do by the mid-17th century?

By the mid-17th century, the Dutch had set up slave forts in West Africa and were the main suppliers of enslaved Africans to the Caribbean plantations.

How was a typical sugar plantation organized?

Each building on the plantation had a specific area where it was located. Each plantation functioned as both a farm and a factory as the crop was both grown and produced on the plantation ground.

What times of the day was food served?

Food was served twice a day, at 10 am and at 5 pm.

Who started the English slave trade in 1562?

It was Captain John Hawkins who started the English slave trade in 1562.

What was the disadvantage to sugar cultivation?

It was a back-breaking process, and unfortunately, the process of sugar could not have a halt because it worked around the clock. The cane juice, if not boiled within 24 hours of being cut would spoil. The overworking, malnutrition and disease killed many enslaved Africans, that new ones had to constantly be shipped in to replace them.

What cash crop created the trade in enslaved Africans to the Americas and the Caribbean?

It was spices that created the trade.

What was the Middle Passage?

It was the journey from the coast of Africa to the New World.

Where was logwood produced?

Logwood was produced in Belize.

What area were most Africans brought to the Caribbean from?

Most Africans were brought to the Caribbean from West Central Africa.

What is rum made from? And how is rum made?

Most rums are made from molasses, and the process of creating rum is called fermentation. The heavier and darker rums are made from molasses enriched with the skimmings remaining in the boilers used for sugar production. The liquid extracts yeast from the air and and ferments naturally. It is distilled twice in pot stills, producing a distillate clear colour which turns golden as it is stored in the hogsheads over time. When caramel is added, it deepens the color of the rum. They are aged for 5 up to 7 years. The other type of rum which is dry and light-bodied uses cultured yeast in fermentation, which is usually blended and are aged from one to four years. This 'white-rum' is pale and mild in flavor as opposed to the darker rums which have a more pronounced flavor because of its longer ageing process and the addition of caramel.

Did the crew eat different food than the captives?

No, the crew ate the same food as the captives.

What happened to the slaves that hadn't been sold?

Often times they were left at the ports, to die.

Who were able to hold political office?

Only whites were able to hold political office. Not even mixed race or freed slaves.

When was Rum invented? And where?

Rum was invented in the 17th century in the Caribbean.

What was the most important product made from sugar cane, besides sugar?

Rum was the most important crop made from sugar cane.

What were the factors that came with the 'scramble' method?

Scramble: it affected the slaves because they were to be separated from their friends and family.

What occurred on the trip during the Middle Passage?

Slave ships usually carried 300-400 captives per trip. While the men were shackled to the slave deck, the women and children huddled together in the back cabin and had to sleep on top of one another. Some ships had more than one tier to store more captives. The captives were placed in spaces that were five feet three inches high and four feet four inches wide, whilst being "tight packed". Many of the deaths on the boat were due to the high scent of faeces causing nausea, the heat causing dehydration or malnutrition in general.

What caused the decline of tobacco being the most profitable crop? And what replaced it?

Sugar cane had taken tobacco's place as a cash crop because by the 17th century, tobacco created in the US colony of Virginia was cheaper and of better quality than Caribbean tobacco.

What marked the beginning of the modern world?

The Industrial Revolution marked the beginning of the modern world.

What did the Navigation Act of 1660 list?

The Navigation Act of 1660 listed the colonial products that could be shipped directly only to British colonies. These included sugar, indigo and tobacco, rice and molasses.

What were the different foods each nationality of the ships provided to the captives?

The Portuguese supplied cassava; The English and Dutch gave corn; and the French, oats. Other foods like rice, yams, millet, kidney beans, plantains, etc were usually stocked on the ship.

Who performed the first commercial transport of enslaved Africans to the New World from Europe?

The Portuguese were the first Europeans to transport enslaved Africans to the New World.

What happened to the left-over crushed stalks?

The crushed stalks were used as fuel.

Social stratification

The division of society into groups arranged in a social hierarchy

What caused the less-fortunate in England to be able to buy the once expensive stimulants like coffee and sugar?

The expanded cultivation of these stimulants in the Americas (the New World), brought prices down until consumption of sugar, coffee and tobacco, became widespread in Europe (England).

What did the non-sugar environment consist of?

The non-sugar environment consisted of mahogany, logwood, tobacco, cotton, cocoa and coffee.

How was the population in the Caribbean divided?

The population in the Caribbean was divided into 3 groups: At the top were the whites, in the middle were the mixed-race and the freed Africans, and at the bottom were the enslaved Africans. There was also a division within these groups: WHITES Occupation: 1. Large planters, attorneys and managers of large estates. 2. Merchants and professionals, lawyers, doctors, bookkeepers, overseers 3. Poor whites and missionaries NON-WHITES Complexion/Legal Status/Occupation: 1. Mixed-race people/Freed Africans: those who owned property 2. Farmers, craftsmen 3. Paid labourers SLAVES 1. Artesian slaves 2. Domestic slaves The field slaves held no status at all.

What would be done to the left-over stumps of sugar cane after being cut in the previous process 15 months ago?

The previously cut stump would be used for a second harvest. Unfortunately, this provided less sugar, but the process could be repeated a couple more times before the field exhausted.

What were the two methods slaves were sold by?

The slaves were either sold by 'scramble', which meant that a signal would be given where the planters would rush for the slaves they wanted and dragged them away; or they were sold by 'auction', which meant that they would line up and the highest bidder would take home their chosen slave.

What is the process of sugar?

The soil must first be fertile and irrigated. Then, to plant the cane, shallow holes must be dug with hoes to place the stalks inside. After a period of 15 months, the canes would be ready for harvesting and processing. Once the canes were cut, they were carried to the mill where the juice was ground out of them. The juice was then boiled, skimmed then cooled; this process was done to separate the crystals from the molasses. The sugar was then exported to Europe to be refined.

What were the different categories of the enslaved Africans?

There were three categories which included: 1. skilled slaves- these included those who were carpenters, masons, engineers, etc. 2. non-praedial/house slaves- butlers, cooks, washer-women, seamstress, etc. 3. praedial/field slaves (split into three groups) -the first gang: the strongest of the bunch that did the heavy work; digging drains or cutting the cane -second gang: did the same work as the first but a little less; included pregnant women or older slaves -third gang: also known as the 'hogmeat gang'; included children between 4 and 10, did simple jobs like feeling the smaller animals, weeding, collecting firewood.

What did the Dutch supply the settlers (British, French, Spanish) with?

They supplied the settlers with goods and capital, and also bought sugar in the colonies for transport to Europe.

Which first two crops were grown on a commercial sale in the Caribbean?

Tobacco and cotton were the first crops grown on a commercial scale in the Caribbean.

Why was tobacco a successful cash crop?

Tobacco was a success because it had no competition in comparison to the others (indigo dye, coffee, sugar).

What was initially the most profitable crop cultivated in the Caribbean?

Tobacco was the first most profitable crop.

Calico

plain white cotton

Calinda

stick fighting, also the name of an early form of calypso