THE TRANS-ATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE AND THE HOLOCAUST OF

ENSLAVEMENT

Key Words

• 1. SLAVERY- Is a system where people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work for free.

• Such people are often held against their will.

• 2. Slave Trade – The act of selling and purchasing human beings against their will.

Background to enslavement of Africans

• Period from 16th to 19th Century in sub-Saharan Africa is called ‘THE SLAVE TRADE ERA’.

• It was a period when trade in slaves was the dominant economic activity.

• Most slaves crossed the Atlantic Ocean, while a few went to Europe. Hence Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade.

Background continued…

• Figures show that close to 20 million Africans crossed the Atlantic to work as slaves in North and South America.

• Triangular trade system created as follows:• (a) Europeans provided the money;

manufactured products and managerial work.• (b) Africans provided slave labor.

Background continued…

• (c) The New World (The Americas), provided the mines, plantations and any associated products for use in European industries.

• Items: cotton; sugarcane; tobacco; minerals; animal products.

Slave market memorial in Africa

Why Europeans settled for African slaves

• When Europeans ‘discovered’ the New World in 1492 (Christopher Columbus), they had problems in utilizing the labor of indigenous Americans (Native Americans). Why?

• (a) They were not used to doing hard jobs (such as mining and extensive farming).

Why Africans continued…

• (b) The Columbian Exchange- Diseases such as smallpox, syphilis, tuberculosis, cholera and malaria.

• Many Americans wiped out, due to lack of immunity.

The turn to Africa

• A system of slavery already existed in Africa. • Europeans took advantage and encouraged

Africans to start selling slaves to them.• Mainly Portuguese; Spanish; French and

British Merchants.• Africans were already used to doing hard jobs

– working in the fields; already used to climatic conditions.

Holocaust of Enslavement

• Holocaust = catastrophe where many suffer and/or die (See Karenga for definition)

• European slave merchants transplanted millions of slaves across the Atlantic Ocean (Middle Passage).

• Conditions in these journeys were appalling/dreadful/terrible/awful.

• Led to many getting sick; starving; dying; whipped; killed.

Packing African slaves in a ship

Holocaust continued…

• Apart from suffering in the Middle Passage, Africans also suffered through:

• (a) Poor working conditions in the New World.• (b) Loss of lives; infrastructure; businesses and

art works in Africa.• (c) Loss of freedom; human dignity; and unity.

Slave house in America

Slaves in Georgia (USA)

Loading cotton bales (USA)

Sugar Processing in Antigua

• The American slavery was brutal as expressed in the physical, psychological and sexual abuse suffered by men, women and children:

• Physical: Whipping with cow hide whip (both men and women even pregnant and those nursing small babes), mutilation, torture, murder, overworking, deprivation of food, clothing and shelter

• Psychological: Daily humiliation, denial and deformation of African history and humanity

Brutality of Slavery

• Sexually: African women, children and men, raped by members of the masters family, selling family members/ separation of families

• Cultural Genocide: Wholesale destruction of people’s culture and cultural identity /naming system, language. No political right, no ethnic identity, no cultural leaders. Total alienation of one’s culture and community, one’s ancestors . No free movement.

Impact of slave trade in Africa

• 1. Demographic Impact• Estimates are that Africa lost close to 100

million people.• Some died during slave raids; others died on

their way to America.• Others permanently transferred to America.

Impacts continued…

• 2. Economic Impacts • Through slave raids and captures, Africa lost

some of its most productive people (14 to 45 years targeted).

• African businesses; industries; and markets affected.

• Food production almost stopped due to slave raids.

Impacts continued…

• 3. Social Impacts• Separation of families (through trade or

death).• Political disintegration, due to slave raids.• An alternative way of disposing off criminals.

RESISTANCE TO ENSLAVEMENT IN AMERICA

• Throughout their stay in the New World, Africans worked out ways to challenge their enslavement.

• Mostly unsuccessful, due to harsh winter conditions; smaller population size; and the hindrances of the terrain (mountains and forests); lack of weapons.

Slave revolt

Notable slave rebellions

Slave resistance

Nat Turner slave rebellion

Running away from enslavement

Sit-ins were common

Forms of Resistance

• 1. Cultural Resistance• The retention, creation and use of African

cultural practices.• Slaves continued with African languages;

religious practices; dances; names; music. • Against Europeans who hoped to destroy

African values and achievements.

Resistance continued…

• 2. Day-to-Day Resistance• The most visible form of resistance. • Included breaking tools; destroying crops;

work slow downs (sit ins); stealing property from masters; self mutilation; arson; violent attacks on whites; committing suicide; running away to freedom; strikes.

Resistance continued…

• 3. Abolitionism • Efforts aimed at abolishing or ending

enslavement. • Done by both free Africans and formerly

enslaved Africans. • Leading figures: Frederick Douglas, Harriet

Tubman; William Brown; Sojourner Truth.

Frederick Douglas

Sojourner Truth

Harriet Tubman

• The Abolitionists were involved in:• (a) Fundraising efforts to purchase, assist and

provide legal defense for slaves.• (b) provide security at anti-slavery rallies.• (c) publication of books and newspapers

against slavery.

• 4. Emigrationism • This involved the push to go back to Africa.• Most preferred to go to West Africa (Liberia,

Sierra Leone).• Organizations involved: THE AFRICAN SOCIETY

and NEGRO CONVENTION MOVEMENT.

• 4. Armed Resistance • This came through:• (a) Revolts: Over 250 revolts in the USA. • Such as the Nat Turner Revolt in 1831; the

NYC Revolt of 1812; and the South Louisiana Revolt of 1811.

• (b) Ship Mutinies: Happened in the Middle Passage.

• Slaves made attempts to seize ships and return them to Africa.

• Successful mutinies: Little George in 1730; Jolly Bachelor in 1740; and The Amistad in 1839.

• (c) Guerilla Warfare• Target was usually oppressive slave masters.• Organized by members of independent

communities. • Common in Virginia, Georgia, North and South

Carolina, Florida, Alabama and Louisiana.