Ch 15 Global Commerce

The Atlantic slave trade and slavery in Americas represents the most universal human practice-pg450. The atlanitc slave trade transformed African Societies negativley, it made it worse as a society, decreased population in Africa due to disease, by disease it slowed down Africas growth, it disrupted the political system and new ethnic groups came about. Slavery is illegal now a days because of the 14th amendment. Although it shares some characteristics of existing patterns as slavery today, the Atlanitc slave trade was distinctive by the size of traffic in slaves and centrality to the economies of America, the natives ended up dying off becasue of slavery.

The Europeans and Africans played a huge important role in the unfolding of the slave trade, european owners tried to develop an American and European economy. Africans played a role in trading as well, it was either trade or be traded, why did this happen, well it was the luxory of having power over other people, it was convient to own slaves and have them work for you. It was also a source of profit.

Africa became the primary source of slaveryfor the plantation economies of the Americas. Most of the Africans were black, there was racisim between the Africans and the Europeans. The demand for slaves was the main cause of tragic commerce. The impact of the slave trade derived not only from the loss of slaves but due to economic stagnation.

I took African Studies last semester with professor fitzgerald, it was amazing to learn about the cause of death during the stave trade and the routes the europeans had to go through to enslave the africans. Africans were traded to the north and south America, they were called indentured servants. The portuguese were the first to engage in the New World  Slave trade