The Atlantic Slave Trade: What Schools Never Told You

Summary

This video script delves into the harrowing history of the Atlantic slave trade, detailing the forced migration of 10 to 12 million Africans to the Americas between 1500 and 1880 CE. It exposes the brutal conditions of the 'Middle Passage,' the economic incentives that drove European nations to participate, and the significant role Africans played, both as victims and, in some cases, as facilitators. The script also touches on the lasting impact of this trade on the involved societies and the ongoing quest for recognition and reparations.

Takeaways

• 😔 The Atlantic slave trade involved the forced movement of 10 to 12 million African slaves from Africa to the Americas between 1500 and 1880 CE, with approximately 15% dying during the journey.
• 🌍 Enslaved Africans were taken from six primary regions in Africa, including Senegambia, Sierra Leone, the Windward Coast, the Gold Coast, the Bight of Benin, Biafra, and West Central Africa.
• 📦 An estimated 12.4 million people were loaded onto slave ships and transported through the 'Middle Passage', which had many different destinations in the Americas.
• 🐂 Upon arrival, slaves were sold in markets similar to cattle, and slave owners often branded their new slaves on the cheeks, as they would with cattle.
• 🔗 The transatlantic slave trade was a critical part of the Triangular Trade, which involved Europe, Africa, and the Americas, and significantly contributed to the economic development of the European colonies.
• 🚢 The Middle Passage was the trade route that transported slaves and was known for its brutal conditions, with mortality rates for sailors on slave ships being around 20%.
• 🔗 The transatlantic slave trade was not the only route; Islamic traders also exported slaves from Africa to various regions, totaling 10 million slaves from AD650 to 1900.
• 🗽 The Amistad rebellion in 1839, where slaves took control of the ship and demanded to be returned to Africa, had significant political and legal repercussions and was a notable event in the American abolition movement.
• 🏛️ African elites were also involved in the slave trade, sometimes through intermarriage and political alliances, and in some cases, they had knowledge of the conditions faced by those sold into slavery.
• 🕊️ Despite the atrocities of the slave trade, there have been global apologies and recognitions, including the designation of August 23 as International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition by UNESCO in 1998.

Q & A

How many African slaves were forcibly moved from Africa to the Americas during the Atlantic slave trade?

Between 1500 to 1880 CE, somewhere between 10 and 12 million African slaves were forcibly moved from Africa to the Americas.

What percentage of enslaved Africans died during the Middle Passage?

About 15 percent of the enslaved Africans died during the Middle Passage, which was the journey across the Atlantic.

Which six primary regions were the majority of enslaved Africans taken from?

The majority of enslaved Africans were taken from six primary regions: Senegambia, Sierra Leone, the Windward Coast, the Gold Coast, the Bight of Benin, Biafra, and West Central Africa, also known as Congo and Angola.

What was the purpose of branding slaves on the cheeks?

Slave owners would often brand their new slaves on the cheeks, similar to how they would brand cattle, as a means of identification and ownership.

Why did Europeans look towards Africa for a solution to labor shortages in the colonies?

European diseases and the violence of conquest led to the death of many Indian slaves, creating a labor shortage that Europeans sought to fill by looking towards Africa for slaves.

When was the first slave voyage from Africa to the Americas believed to have sailed?

The first slave voyage from Africa to the Americas is believed to have sailed in 1526.

What was the Triangular Trade route and how did it operate?

The Triangular Trade route was a trade structure that operated across the Atlantic region. It involved moving goods from Europe to Africa, African slaves to the Americas and the West Indies, and raw materials from American plantations back to Europe.

What were the conditions like on the ships used for the Middle Passage?

The conditions on the ships used for the Middle Passage were inhumane. African slaves were locked up below the deck in cramped quarters with limited access to sunlight and fresh air. They were often chained together and faced epidemic diseases, attacks by pirates, and physical, sexual, and psychological abuse.

Why were some African elites initially unaware of the true conditions of the slave trade?

Some African elites were initially unaware of the true conditions of the slave trade because they may have believed rumors that Europeans were cannibals who planned on eating their captives, and they did not fully understand the extent of the suffering involved in the Middle Passage.

What was the significance of the Amistad revolt in 1839?

The Amistad revolt in 1839 was significant because it led to a trial that had political and legal repercussions in the American abolition movement. The court ruled that the Africans were not merchandise but victims of kidnapping, which helped to set a precedent for the rights of enslaved people.

How did the transatlantic slave trade affect the legal codes in Africa?

The presence of European slavers affected how the legal code in Africa worked, with some African societies changing the punishment for certain crimes to enslavement, selling offenders to slave traders.

Outlines

00:00

🌍 The Horrors of the Atlantic Slave Trade

This paragraph delves into the devastating impact of the Atlantic slave trade, which spanned from 1500 to 1880 CE. It is noted for its massive scale and enduring legacy, involving the forced relocation of an estimated 10 to 12 million African slaves to the Americas, with approximately 15% perishing during the treacherous journey. The enslaved Africans were primarily sourced from six regions, including Senegambia and Sierra Leone. Upon arrival, they were subjected to inhumane conditions akin to cattle, being branded and sold at markets. The narrative also touches on the historical context, explaining how European diseases and conquests led to a labor shortage, prompting the exploitation of African slaves. The paragraph emphasizes the dehumanization of slaves, who were stripped of their identities and reduced to mere commodities.

05:02

🔗 The Triangular Trade and its Economic Implications

Paragraph 2 discusses the mechanics of the Triangular Trade, a system that facilitated the exchange of goods across Europe, Africa, and the Americas. It highlights the trade's significance to the colonial economy, with a focus on the Middle Passage—the leg of the journey where enslaved Africans were transported across the Atlantic under abhorrent conditions. The mortality rate among slaves and sailors was high, with an estimated 20% of sailors dying due to the harsh environment. The cramped and unsanitary conditions on slave ships are described, along with the limited rations and physical abuse that slaves endured. The paragraph also addresses the broader implications of the slave trade, including its role in shaping the demographics of the Americas, with the majority of slaves being sent to the Caribbean and South America, and only a small percentage arriving directly in North America.

10:04

📜 The Involvement of Africans in the Slave Trade

Paragraph 3 explores the complex role of Africans in the slave trade, noting that while European slave traders were often involved in the buying process, it was often other Africans who captured and sold their compatriots. The paragraph discusses how the slave trade was integrated into the local economy and social structures, with some African elites benefiting from the trade and even forming alliances through intermarriage with European traders. It also touches on the geographical origins of the slaves, the increase in the number of slaves taken annually, and the different experiences of slaves depending on their destination, whether it was Brazil, the Caribbean, or North America. The paragraph concludes with a mention of the Amistad rebellion, a significant event in the abolitionist movement.

15:05

🏺 The Cultural and Social Impact of Slavery

This paragraph examines the cultural and social dimensions of slavery, including the ways in which African societies adapted to the slave trade. It discusses how certain crimes became punishable by enslavement and how some African elites sent their children to be educated by Europeans. The paragraph also explores the misconceptions about the fate of slaves, with some Africans believing Europeans were cannibals. It delves into the long-term impact of the slave trade on African societies, including the loss of life and culture, and the potential for genocide. The narrative is punctuated by the argument that the deaths of enslaved people were incidental to the profit-driven nature of the slave trade.

20:06

🗣️ Accountability and the Legacy of Slavery

Paragraph 5 grapples with the question of who bears responsibility for the slave trade and its aftermath. It names the seven nations actively involved in the slave trade and acknowledges the role of African societies in capturing and selling slaves. The paragraph discusses the changes in African legal codes to accommodate the trade and the impact on warfare and social structures. It also highlights the efforts of some African leaders to halt the trade and the ongoing debates about apologies and reparations. The paragraph concludes with a mention of international recognition of the slave trade's horrors and the establishment of commemorative events and memorials.

Keywords

💡Slavery

Slavery is a system in which individuals are treated as property and deprived of personal rights. In the context of the video, it refers to the historical and global practice where people were captured and forced to work against their will, often under brutal conditions. The video specifically discusses the Atlantic slave trade, where millions of Africans were forcibly moved to the Americas, highlighting the inhumane treatment and the lasting impact on the lives and cultures of those involved.

💡Atlantic Slave Trade

The Atlantic Slave Trade refers to the forced migration of Africans to the Americas between the 16th and 19th centuries. This trade was a major part of the economic system that involved European powers, African traders, and the Americas. The video emphasizes the staggering numbers of people involved, the horrific conditions during the Middle Passage, and the lasting legacy of this trade on the societies and cultures of the Americas.

💡Middle Passage

The Middle Passage was the segment of the triangular trade route that transported enslaved Africans across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas. It was marked by extreme cruelty and high mortality rates due to disease, malnutrition, and abuse. The term is used in the video to describe the harrowing journey that enslaved Africans had to endure, often under inhumane conditions, which significantly contributed to the suffering and loss of life associated with the slave trade.

💡Triangular Trade

Triangular Trade was a historical trade network that involved three legs: goods from Europe to Africa, enslaved Africans to the Americas, and then trade goods from the Americas back to Europe. The video explains how this trade system was economically beneficial for Europe and the Americas but devastating for Africa, which provided the labor in the form of enslaved people and suffered significant demographic and cultural losses.

💡Enslaved Africans

Enslaved Africans refers to the people who were captured and sold into slavery, primarily from various regions in Africa. The video discusses how these individuals were taken from their homes, often during tribal wars or raids, and then transported across the Atlantic to work on plantations in the Americas. It highlights the diversity of their original roles and identities, which were stripped away as they were reduced to commodities in the slave trade.

💡Branding

Branding in the context of the video refers to the practice of marking enslaved people with a hot iron, similar to how cattle were marked. This was done to identify 'ownership' and assert control over the enslaved individuals. The video uses this term to illustrate the dehumanization and objectification of enslaved people, treating them as mere property rather than human beings.

💡Amistad

The Amistad was a slave ship on which a famous rebellion occurred in 1839. The video recounts how the enslaved Africans on board revolted, killed the captain, and demanded to be returned to their homeland. The ship was eventually intercepted by the U.S. Navy, leading to a significant legal battle and political controversy. The Amistad case became a symbol in the American abolitionist movement and is used in the video to highlight resistance and the fight for freedom by enslaved people.

💡Dehumanization

Dehumanization is the act of depriving a person of their humanity, treating them as less than human. In the video, this concept is used to describe the way enslaved Africans were treated during the slave trade, being seen as mere commodities rather than individuals with their own lives, cultures, and rights. The video emphasizes how this dehumanization was systemic, affecting every aspect of the lives of the enslaved, from capture and transport to life in bondage.

💡European Slave Traders

European Slave Traders were individuals or groups involved in the capture, trade, and sale of enslaved Africans. The video discusses their role in the transatlantic slave trade, highlighting how they established networks across Africa, the Americas, and Europe. It also touches on the economic motivations and the brutal methods used by these traders, who were instrumental in perpetuating the slave trade and its devastating effects.

💡Abolition Movement

The Abolition Movement refers to the efforts to end the practice of slavery and the slave trade. The video mentions this movement in the context of the Amistad case, where it played a significant role in raising public awareness and advocating for the rights of enslaved people. The movement is depicted as a critical force in challenging the legality and morality of slavery, leading to eventual legislative changes and the end of the transatlantic slave trade.

💡International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition

International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition is an annual observance designated by UNESCO to commemorate the victims of the slave trade. The video mentions this day as part of the global effort to remember and reflect on the historical injustices of slavery and to promote education and awareness about its impacts. The day serves as a reminder of the importance of learning from history to prevent such atrocities from recurring.

Highlights

Between 1500 to 1880 CE, 10 to 12 million African slaves were forcibly moved from Africa to the Americas.

About 15% of enslaved Africans died during the Middle Passage across the Atlantic.

Enslaved Africans were taken from six primary regions in Africa.

An estimated 12.4 million people were loaded on slave ships during the transatlantic slave trade.

Surviving slaves in the Americas were sold at markets similar to cattle.

Slave owners often branded their slaves, similar to cattle.

Slaves' lives were dominated by work and terror, stripped of their humanity.

The transatlantic slave trade was a major part of the Triangular Trade, benefiting Europe and America economically.

The first slave voyage from Africa to the Americas is believed to have sailed in 1526.

Initially, the Spanish monarchy did not permit the transportation of African slaves.

On August 18, 1518, King Charles V granted a charter to transport slaves directly from Africa.

European slave traders did not participate in the raids due to the high risk of death from diseases in Africa.

The transatlantic slave trade was essential to the economics of the Triangular Trade route.

The Middle Passage was brutal, with a mortality rate for sailors on slave ships of approximately 20 percent.

The conditions on slave ships were inhumane, with limited space and terrible sanitation.

Between 15 and 25 percent of enslaved Africans bound for the Americas died during the Middle Passage.

Only a tiny percentage of Africans transported in the slave trade came directly to North America.

The Amistad revolt in 1839 was a significant event in the American abolition movement.

African elites had an informed understanding of the fates of those sold into slavery.

African societies changed their legal codes in response to the slave trade, making enslavement a punishment for crimes.

The transatlantic slave trade led to an uncountable loss of lives and cultures.

Many nations have apologized for their involvement in the slave trade, with some establishing memorial days.

Transcripts

slavery the treatment of human beings as

property deprived of personal rights has

occurred in many forms throughout the

world but one institution stands out for

both its global scale and its lasting

Legacy numbers involved in the Atlantic

slave trade are truly staggering from

1500 to 1880 CE somewhere between 10 and

12 million African slaves were forcibly

moved from Africa to the Americas and

about 15 percent of those people died

during the journey the majority of

enslaved Africans were taken from six

primary regions senegambia Sierra Leone

and the windward Coast the Gold Coast

the vitamin the bada Biafra and West

Central Africa also known as Congo and

Ingo an estimated 12.4 million people

were loaded on slave ships and carried

through what became known as the middle

passage which moved across the Atlantic

and included many different destinations

once in the Americas the surviving

slaves were sold at a market very

similar to the way cattle would be sold

after purchase slave owners would often

brand their new possession on the cheeks

again just as they would do with cattle

the lives of slaves were dominated by

work and Terror the idea that I am not

human

but I have no soul that I am a beast

brand me burn me whatever and no

recourse nothing

[Music]

the history of humanity is filled with

oppression dominance war and slavery

since the beginning of time people in

different parts of the world have forced

their fellow humans into slavery

the tale of the Atlantic slave trade is

the history of millions of Africans who

are forced out of their communities by

European slave Traders and shipped

across the Atlantic and conditions of

great cruelty when Portugal and Spain

started conquering and establishing

colonies in the new world in the early

1500s they forcefully made the Indians

work their plantations however European

diseases and the violence of Conquest

led to the death of many of the Indian

slaves this led to a labor shortage in

Europe and made the Europeans look

towards Africa for a solution as voyages

to Africa progressed and with many

Expeditions by Portuguese and Spanish

explorers Africa became a major source

of supply of slaves to Europe and the

Spanish West Indies as well as the

Portuguese colonies in Brazil the Indian

slaves were gradually replaced by

Africans these Africans were stripped of

their identity and occupation to refer

to them as just slaves is incorrect

because before being captured by the

European Ian many of them were Farmers

Merchants soldiers musicians goldsmiths

blacksmiths and many more they were

husbands fathers wives children and

mothers they had Origins and Heritage

but when the Europeans came and took

over their communities they became

captives and had to be boarded on large

ships and taken to Europe the European

slavers dispersed them across the

Americas and different parts of Europe

they were forced to lead lives under

terrible conditions and face severe

labor conditions they were stripped and

flogged and forced to work very long

hours often under terrible weather and

health conditions the transatlantic

slave trade transported between 10

million and 12 million enslaved black

Africans across the Atlantic Ocean to

the Americas you might have heard of the

Triangular Trade right and how Africa

was a major part of this trade although

suffering economically while the other

two parts that made up the triangle

enjoyed huge economic benefits we'll get

to that shortly the first slave Voyage

from Africa to the Americas is believed

to have sailed in 1526 but even before

this period Africans were bought as

slaves directly from Europe and even

native inhabitants of America were also

enslaved by European explorers before

1518 the Spanish monarchy didn't permit

the transportation of African slaves

from Africa not due to a sense of moral

value or Humanity but because they

believed Africans were barbaric and that

they would corrupt the European society

and introduce Pagan and non-Christian

practices to the country however over

the years due to economic reasons there

was a U-turn in that decision and on

August 18 1518 King Charles V granted a

charter to Lorenzo de gorovad to

transport 4 000 slaves directly from

Africa to the Spanish-American colonies

over time King Charles changed the law

established by his grandparents and then

permitted slaves to be brought into

Spanish colonies in America from Africa

on the condition that they would be

converted to Christianity during their

voyage across the Atlantic Ocean with

this new decree in place there was an

explosion in the number of slaves moved

from Africa to America there was an

immediate expansion of the slave trade

in the Western Hemisphere European slave

Traders gathered and imprisoned the

enslaved at forts on the African coast

and then brought them to the Americas

generally the European slave Traders did

not participate in the raids because

their life expectancy in sub-Saharan

Africa was less than a year due to the

widespread malaria infection so the

majority of people that were transported

in the transatlantic slave trade were

people from Central and West Africa that

were captured by other West Africans and

sold to the Western European slave

Traders the transatlantic slave trade

was essential to the whole economics of

the Triangular Trade route and European

colonies in America needed the supply of

slaves for their plantations speaking of

essential it's essential for you to like

this video And subscribe to the channel

for more content like this they don't

want us sharing stories like this but

we're going to continue anyway with your

support the Triangular Trade now let's

dive a little deeper into what the

Triangular Trade route was all about the

Triangular Trade route is simply the

trade structure that operated across the

Atlantic region this Triangular Trade

route across the Atlantic took goods

from Europe to Africa some of the goods

taken to Africa include arms textiles

and wine on the other side of the

triangle was the movement of African

slaves to the Americas and the West

Indies the last side of the triangle was

the movement of raw materials such as

sugar coffee tobacco rice and cotton

produced on American plantations back to

Europe the triangle involved three

continents with Europe providing the

capital Africa providing the labor and

America providing the land and resources

there was always a supply to the

European market the story of the

transatlantic slave trade involves the

story of all people in the three

continents but most importantly those

involved in the Middle Passage Voyage

the trade route that transported slaves

is known as the Middle Passage The

Voyage is often marked with a lot of

difficulties and even death depending on

the weather the voyage could take about

three to six months the passage was so

brutal that the ships not only lost the

people being transported as slaves but

in some cases the crew also lost their

lives the mortality rate for Sailors on

slave ships was approximately 20 percent

the ships had a particular design and

varied in size and passenger capacity

the conditions of these ships were

inhumane the African slaves were locked

up below the deck in cramped quarters

and only had a little opportunity to be

out in the sunlight and they were forced

to carry out certain enforced exercises

in the form of dancing to ensure that

they were healthy and in good posture

when they get to Europe inside of these

decks was sticky and filled with the

stench of dirt be species and urine

research published in 1794 estimated

that a man inside the deck had just a

space of six feet by one foot four

inches and a woman had five feet by one

foot four inches the girls had four feet

six inches by one foot the air inside

the deck was hot stale and filled with

the incessant smell of dirt and human

excretia the slaves suffered from

starvation and thirst and only had 24

ounces of water every day I.E the

equivalent of two 12 ounce soda cans a

fluid per day their major food was horse

beans and rice the captives were packed

tightly in tears below decks and were

chained together hands and feet The

Voyage was characterized by many

difficulties and the captives were faced

with issues that included epidemic

diseases and attacks by Pirates they

also experienced physical sexual and

psychological abuse by slave Traders and

crewmen an estimate by historians put it

that between 15 and 25 percent of the

enslaved Africans Bound for the Americas

died during this Voyage the conditions

were so severe that only a tiny

percentage of the Africans transported

an enslaved trade came directly to North

America just about four percent of the

total Africans transported not more than

400 000 arrived in North America

directly a vast majority of the slaves

were sent to the Caribbean and South

America and almost half of the slaves

that were captured and transported out

from Africa totaling about 5 million

were sent to Brazil I know you will be

wondering how thousands of slaves

couldn't overpower hundreds of crewmen

well there was one popular situation

where African slave trades revolted and

took over their ships the detail of this

story is as chilling as it is

fascinating we will get to that shortly

but keep in mind that the slave Traders

were armed and typically had the slaves

in chains before transporting them

anyways let's finish up on the journey

and the economics of the transatlantic

slave trade and while we may think that

all slaves transported Out of Africa

were through the transatlantic route

that is not entirely true the

transatlantic slave only made up for

half of the total slaves traded and

transported Out of Africa is reported

that from ad650 to 1900 Islamic Traders

were also exporting slaves Out of Africa

and sent out a total of 10 million

slaves to Arabia Yemen Iran India and

Iraq the slaves were transported across

the Sahara Desert the Red Sea and the

Indian Ocean while some slaves were also

enslaved but remained in Africa many of

the slaves captured and transported in

the transatlantic slave trade were taken

from the region bordering the Gulf of

Guinea the slave activities in this

region were excessive that the section

of the African coast and countries like

Togo Benin and Nigeria was even referred

to as the slave Coast a majority of the

slaves were taken from West Central

Africa in the early stages of the

transatlantic slave trade the Portuguese

is generally but Africans who were

captured as slaves during Tribal wars

but as the demand for slaves increased

the Portuguese began to enter the

interior of Africa to forcibly take

captives in the 1690s the number of

people taken out of Africa yearly

reached about 30 000 and a century later

the number grew to about 85 000 per year

during the 1700 and 1850 it was

estimated that more than 8 out of 10

Africans were forced into the slave

trade successfully crossed the Atlantic

in the period between 1821 and 1830

about 80 000 people were leaving Africa

yearly and within the next 20 years

before the abolition of slave trade over

a million more Africans were sent across

the Atlantic to America by 1820 almost

four Africans for every one European had

been transported across the Atlantic and

4 out of five women who crossed the

Atlantic were from Africa the majority

of enslaved Africans brought to British

North America arrived between 1720 in

1780 the Africans who were sent to

Brazil were mostly from Angola and those

who were transported to North America

including the Caribbean were taken

mainly from West Africa although just

about six percent of African captives

were sent to British North America in

1825. the U.S population included about

one quarter of the people of African

descent in the Western Hemisphere

interestingly the condition of slavery

in America was totally different from

that in the U.S but before we delve into

these mind-boggling details let's talk

about the Revolt of 1839. remember I

mentioned this earlier in 1839 slave

Traders were once again hoping to get

another shipment of slaves across the

Atlantic but unlike previous voyages

they were not ready for the surprise

this particular Voyage would be bringing

their way the slave ship named Amistad

had about a hundred slaves on board as

the ship moved near the coast of Cuba

the unwilling passengers of the ship who

were recently abducted from Africa

numbering about 53 revolt bolted

aggressively the revolters were led by

Joseph sink they killed the captain and

cook and only spared the life of the

Spanish Navigator so that he can sail

them home back to Sierra Leone however

the Navigator managed to sail the

Amistad northward two months later the

U.S Navy intercepted and seized the ship

off Long Island New York the ship was

towed to New London Connecticut and the

mutineers were held in jail in New Haven

Connecticut this event had significant

political and legal repercussions in the

American abolition movement at that time

the Spanish Embassy demanded that the

African slaves are returned to Cuba and

this led to the 1840 trial in Hartford

Connecticut Federal Court New England

abolitionist Louis Tappan was successful

in drawing public sympathy to the

Africans and was able to battle it with

the pro-slavery US Government however

the U.S president at the time Martin Van

Buren ordered a Navy ship sent to

Connecticut to return the Africans to

Cuba immediately after the trial the

interesting part of this was the legal

proceeding that ensued the prosecutors

argued that as slaves the mutineers were

subject to the laws governing conduct

between slaves and their masters and

this is where it gets interesting the

trial testimony showed that while

slavery was legal in Cuba the

importation of slaves from Africa was

not the judge therefore ruled that the

Africans were not merchandise but were

victims of kidnapping and so had the

right to escape their captors in any way

they could when the US government

appealed the case before the U.S Supreme

Court the following year former

President John Quincy Adams was able to

win the Court ruling in favor of the

amstad Rebels the Supreme Court upheld

the Judgment of the lower court through

contributions from private and

missionary societies the 35 surviving

Africans secured a passage home they

arrived in Sierra Leone in January 1842

alongside five missionaries and teachers

who later founded a Christian Mission in

the country while we could definitely

blame the Europeans for the activities

of the Atlantic slave trade Africans

were also involved in slave trade

activities Africans were involved in

kidnapping adults and stealing children

for the purpose of selling them they

used European intermediaries or agents

to sell off these captives in exchange

for merchandise or arms in most cases

those sold into slavery were usually

from a different ethnic group than those

who captured them and it didn't matter

if they were enemies or indigenous of a

neighboring Village the captive slaves

were stripped of any identity they had

and simply referred to as other they

were not seen as part of the people of

the ethnic group or tribe also while

African kings were very much interested

in protecting their villages in some

instances thieves and criminals were

sold out into slavery as a way to get

rid of them many other slaves were

gotten through raids at gunpoint which

were organized by different ethnic

groups and in some instances as a joint

venture with the Europeans also recorded

in the book Daughters of the trade

Atlantic slavers and interracial

marriage on the Gold Coast the author

Bernal Ibsen shared that Africans on the

the Gold Coast which is present-day

Ghana also participated in the slave

trade through intermarriage the term

used was kasari which gets its Origins

from Portuguese and means to marry

kasari was used to form political bonds

and economic connections between the

slave Traders and the Europeans in the

initial stages of slave trade it was

common practice for the powerful West

African families to marry off their

women to the European traders in

Alliance and to further enforce The

Syndicate while the marriages had to be

performed based on African Customs the

Europeans offered no objection as they

were fully aware of how vital these

connections were to the success of their

businesses

the initial stages we may argue that

Africans had no idea of the exact

condition of the slave trade and the

experience of those sold into the slave

trade however according to Robin law

there is a possibility that the Royal

Elites of the Dahomey Kingdom must have

had an informed understanding of the

fates of the Africans sold into slavery

this is because the king of Dahomey sent

diplomats to Brazil and Portugal who

returned with information about their

trips also some of the elites of Dahomey

had experienced slavery in America

before returning home so the only

opposition the kingdom of the homie had

against slavery was the law that

prohibited the enslavement of a fellow

de homian anyone caught doing this faced

the death penalty and while the kingdom

was against this they had no issue with

the institution of slavery the case was

different on the Gold Coast which is

present-day Ghana here Elites sent their

kids to learn about the slave trade from

the Europeans by sailing with them and

living inside their forts some even sent

their children to Europe and America to

be educated elites on the Gold Coast

also had agreements with the Dutch and

British governments to rescue some of

their friends who were tricked into

slavery in America however a common

assumption by many Africans who were not

aware of the true purpose of the

Atlantic slave trade was that the

Europeans were cannibals who planned on

cooking and eating their captives this

rumor even made it more distressing for

the captives who were locked in ships

sailing to Europe the transatlantic

slave trade led to an uncountable loss

of lives for both captives in and

outside America a BBC report indicated

that more than a million people are

thought to have died during their

transport to the new world Moore died

soon after their arrival due to terrible

health conditions although the number of

slaves that died when bought as slaves

is unclear one thing we are sure of is

that this number May exceed the number

of those that survive to be Enslaved the

Atlantic slave trade led to the

destruction of lives and cultures it is

estimated that about 12 million slaves

enter the Atlantic trade between the

16th and 19th centuries and about 1.5

million died on board slave ships and

apart from those who died in the Middle

Passage it is also estimated that many

Africans were killed during the slave

raids and wars in Africa Canadian

scholar Adam Jones has characterized the

deaths of millions of Africans in this

period as a genocide he referred to it

as one of the worst holocausts in human

history many believe that these deaths

were not intentional and it was in the

slave owner's interest to keep slaves

alive and not exterminate them Jones

argues that the killing and destruction

were intentional whatever the incentives

to preserve survivors of the Atlantic

passage for labor exploitation to

revisit the issue of intent already

touched on if an institution is

deliberately maintained and expanded by

discernible agents though all are aware

of the headachomes of casualties it is

inflicting on a definable human group

then why should this not qualify as

genocide

Sadia Hartman an American writer in

academic focusing on African-American

studies argues that the deaths of

enslaved people were incidental to the

acquisition of profit and the rise of

capitalism she argues that death wasn't

a goal of its own but just a byproduct

of Commerce which has the lasting effect

of making negligible all the millions of

lives lost incidental death occurs when

life has no normative value when no

humans are involved when the population

is in effect seen as already dead Sadia

Hartman goes on to say that although

unlike the concentration camp or the

gulag the Atlantic slave trade also led

to the millions of corpses in this case

extermination was not the major goal it

was a major corollary to the making of

commodities

who do we blame

while we could blame the Germans for the

genocide attempt on the Jews who do we

blame for this slave trade Seven Nations

were actively involved in the activities

of the slave trade and took most of the

slaves to their colonies in the new

world we have the Portuguese the British

the French the Spanish the Dutch the

Americans and the Danish the major

sources of slaves include Angola Coast

bite of Benin bite of Biafra Gold Coast

cinemagambia Southeast Africa and Indian

Ocean Islands Sierra Leone and

woodenward Coast the presence of

European slavers also affected how the

legal code in Africa worked according to

kamani nahusi many African societies

changed the punishment for certain

crimes and the way they responded to

certain offenders some crimes which were

traditionally punishable by some other

form of punishment became punishable by

enslavement and offenders were now sold

to slave Traders David stanard the

author of American Holocaust showed in

his book that 50 of African deaths

occurred in Africa as a result of Wars

between native kingdoms which produced

the majority of slaves the practice of

enslaving enemy combatants and their

Villages was widely practiced in West

Africa indeed the slave trade was

largely a byproduct of tribal and state

Warfare by selling off captives they

were also able to finance future warfare

and also remove potential dissidents

after Victory however some of the

African nations such as igala kabu Bono

State Oyo Ashanti Dahomey and the Oro

Confederacy were more brutal in this

practice truly Africans were fully

involved in the slave trade and even

aided it in many ways but we can't take

away the fact that the Europeans

provided the incentives that made this

activity thrive in one of the letters

written by many Congo and Zinga memba

afonzo to the King jual III of Portugal

he writes to the king requesting that

the king stopped sending merchandise

that is fueling the war between the

different tribes he begs the king to

stop sending merchandise and rather send

more missionaries in one of his letters

he writes each day the Traders are

kidnapping our people children of this

country sons of our Nobles and vassals

even people of our own family this

corruption and depravity are so

widespread that our land is entirely

depopulated we need in this Kingdom only

priests and school teachers and no

merchandise unless it is wine and flower

for Mass it is our wish that this

kingdom is not a place for the trade or

transport of slaves many of our subjects

eagerly lust over Portuguese merchandise

that your subjects have brought into our

domains to satisfy this inordinate

appetite they seize many of our

black-free subjects they sell them after

having taken these prisoners to the

coast secretly or at night as soon as

the captives are in the hands of white

men they are branded with a red hot iron

despite the vast consequences of the

transatlantic slave trade there have

been worldwide apologies from different

nations that benefited and grew their

Economy based on labor from the slave

trade in 1998 UNESCO designated 23

August as International Day for the

remembrance of the slave trade and its

abolition this led to several other

events that recognized the adverse

effects of slavery on the African

continent in 2001 during the World

Conference Against Racism in Durban

South Africa African nations demanded a

clear apology for slavery from the

former slave trading countries some

nations were ready to express an apology

however the opposing countries majorly

the United Kingdom Portugal Spain the

Netherlands and the United States

blocked any attempt to do so the reason

for this opposition by these countries

could be due to concerns that accepting

their involvement in slavery would also

require that they make monetary

compensations to the affected African

nations since 2009 there has been a

continuous effort by the U.N to create

the U.N slavery Memorial as a permanent

remembrance of the victims of the

Atlantic slave trade it this video was

crazy but if you want to learn some more

black history that they never taught us

in school click the link in the screen

it's a story I'm sure you don't want to

miss we'll see you over there