20.3

Stono Rebellion

Occasional uprisings also occurred in Brazil, the West Indies, and North America. In 1739, a group of slaves in South Carolina led an uprising known as the Stono Rebellion. Uprisings continued into the 1800s.

Describe England's experience with slavery

AsEngland'spresenceintheAmericasgrew, it came to dominate the Atlantic slave trade. From 1690 until England abolished the slave trade in 1807, it was the leading carrier of enslaved Africans. By the time the slave trade ended, the English had transported nearly 1.7 million Africans to their colonies in the West Indies.

What 2 European countries used more slaves than any others in the 1600s?

The Spanish took an early lead in importing Africans to the Americas. Spain moved on from the Caribbean and began to colo- nize the American mainland. As a result, the Spanish imported and enslaved thou- sands more Africans. By 1650, nearly 300,000 Africans labored throughout Spanish America on plantations and in gold and silver mines. By this time, however, the Portuguese had surpassed the Spanish in the impor- tation of Africans to the Americas. During the 1600s, Brazil dominated the European sugar market. As the colony's sugar industry grew, so too did European colonists' demand for cheap labor. During the 17th century, more than 40 percent of all Africans brought to the Americas went to Brazil.

What was the effect on the population of the influx of some many Africans to the Americas?

The influx of so many Africans to the Americas also has left its mark on the very population itself. From the United States to Brazil, many of the nations of the Western Hemisphere today have substantial African-American populations. Many Latin American countries have sizable mixed-race populations.

Explain the connection between slavery and Islam

The spread of Islam into Africa during the sev- enth century, however, ushered in an increase in slavery and the slave trade. Muslim rulers in Africa justified enslavement with the Muslim belief that non- Muslim prisoners of war could be bought and sold as slaves. As a result, between 650 and 1600, Muslims transported about 17 million Africans to the Muslim lands of North Africa and Southwest Asia. In most African and Muslim societies, slaves had some legal rights and an opportunity for social mobility. In the Muslim world, a few slaves even occu- pied positions of influence and power. Some served as generals in the army. In African societies, slaves could escape their bondage in numerous ways, includ- ing marrying into the family they served.

Describe the harsh life of an American Slave

Upon arriving in the Americas, captured Africans usually were auc- tioned off to the highest bidder. After being sold, slaves worked in mines or fields or as domestic servants. Slaves lived a grueling existence. Many lived on little food in small, dreary huts. They worked long days and suffered beatings. In much of the Americas, slavery was a lifelong condition, as well as a hereditary one.

In detail describe Triangular Trade

Africans transported to the Americas were part of a transat- lantic trading network known as the triangular trade. Over one trade route, Europeans transported manufactured goods to the west coast of Africa. There, traders exchanged these goods for captured Africans. The Africans were then trans- ported across the Atlantic and sold in the West Indies. Merchants bought sugar, cof- fee, and tobacco in the West Indies and sailed to Europe with these products. On another triangular route, merchants carried rum and other goods from the New England colonies to Africa. There they exchanged their merchandise for Africans. The traders transported the Africans to the West Indies and sold them for sugar and molasses. They then sold these goods to rum producers in New England

What is the main reason that Europeans turned to Africa to acquire slaves for the colonies?

European owners had planned to use Native Americans as a source of cheap labor. But millions of Native Americans died from disease, warfare, and brutal treatment. Therefore, the Europeans in Brazil, the Caribbean, and the southern colonies of North America soon turned to Africa for workers. This demand for cheap labor resulted in the brutalities of the slave trade.

What was the advantage to slave owners in using Africans instead of Native Americans as slaves?

Europeans saw advantages in using Africans in the Americas. First, many Africans had been exposed to European diseases and had built up some immu- nity. Second, many Africans had experience in farming and could be taught plan- tation work. Third, Africans were less likely to escape because they did not know their way around the new land. Fourth, their skin color made it easier to catch them if they escaped and tried to live among others.

Negative consequences of slavery on Africa

In Africa, numerous cultures lost generations of their fittest members—their young and able—to European traders and plantation owners. In addition, countless African families were torn apart. Many of them were never reunited. The slave trade devas- tated African societies in another way: by introducing guns into the continent.

Atlantic Slave Trade

In time, the buying and selling of Africans for work in the Americas—known as the Atlantic slave trade—became a massive enterprise. Between 1500 and 1600, nearly 300,000 Africans were transported to the Americas. During the next century, that num- ber climbed to almost 1.3 million. By the time the Atlantic slave trade ended around 1870, Europeans had imported about 9.5 million Africans to the Americas

Name a few of the ways a slave tried to resist

Slaves also found ways to resist. They made themselves less productive by break- ing tools, uprooting plants, and working slowly. Thousands also ran away. Some slaves pushed their resistance to open revolt. As early as 1522, about 20 slaves on Hispaniola attacked and killed several Spanish colonists. Larger revolts occurred throughout Spanish settlements during the 16th century. Occasional uprisings also occurred in Brazil, the West Indies, and North America.

Middle Passage

The voyage that brought captured Africans to the West Indies and later to North and South America was known as the middle passage. It was considered the middle leg of the transatlantic trade triangle. Sickening cru- elty characterized this journey. In African ports, European traders packed Africans into the dark holds of large ships. On board, Africans endured whippings and beat- ings from merchants, as well as diseases that swept through the vessel. Numerous Africans died from disease or physical abuse aboard the slave ships. Many others committed suicide by drowning. Scholars estimate that roughly 20 percent of the Africans aboard each slave ship perished during the brutal trip.

Contributions of slaves to the Americas

While they were unwilling participants in the growth of the colonies, African slaves contributed greatly to the economic and cultural development of the Americas. Their greatest contribution was their labor. Without their back-breaking work, colonies such as those on Haiti and Barbados may not have survived. In addition to their muscle, enslaved Africans brought their expertise, especially in agriculture. They also brought their culture. Their art, music, religion, and food continue to influence American societies.