The Transatlantic Slave Trade: Crash Course Black American History #1

Summary

In this Crash Course episode, Clint Smith delves into the Trans-Atlantic slave trade, a 400-year-long tragedy that forcibly displaced millions of Africans. Highlighting the Middle Passage's horrors, Smith discusses the conditions, resistance, and the trade's global impact. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the narratives of the enslaved to grasp the full scope of this dark chapter in history.

Takeaways

• 🌍 The Trans-Atlantic slave trade lasted nearly 400 years, from the late 15th to the late 19th century.
• 📚 W.E.B. Du Bois described the Atlantic slave trade as 'the most magnificent drama in the last thousand years of human history,' highlighting its devastating impact.
• 🚢 An estimated 12.4 million enslaved Africans were transported through the Middle Passage, which was part of the triangular trade system.
• 📈 The Middle Passage had a high mortality rate, with approximately 2 million African captives dying during the journey.
• 🌐 Only about 5% of captured Africans were brought directly to what would become the United States; the majority were sent to Brazil and other parts of the Caribbean and South America.
• 📖 Personal narratives, such as Olaudah Equiano's autobiography, provide firsthand accounts of the horrors and experiences of the enslaved.
• 🔄 Many captured Africans were prisoners of war, criminals, or poor members of society, often traded by other Africans for goods.
• 🚫 The conditions on slave ships were inhumane, with overcrowding, lack of sanitation, and rampant disease leading to a high death toll.
• 💪 Enslaved Africans resisted their captors in various ways, including revolts, acts of defiance, and self-harm as a form of resistance against their captors' economic interests.
• ⏳ The period from 1700 to 1808 was particularly destructive for the Transatlantic Slave Trade, with a significant number of enslaved Africans trafficked during these years.
• 🏴‍☠️ The Royal African Company played a central role in the slave trade, maintaining a monopoly on English trade to Africa until the early 18th century.

Q & A

What is the Trans-Atlantic slave trade?

The Trans-Atlantic slave trade was a period of nearly four hundred years, from the late fifteenth century to the late nineteenth century, during which enslaved Africans were transported across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas.

Which regions were the primary sources of enslaved Africans?

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

What was the Middle Passage and why was it named so?

The Middle Passage was the second leg of the triangular trade route, during which enslaved Africans were transported from Africa to the Americas. It was named the Middle Passage because it was the middle part of the three-part trade system.

What were the three parts of the triangular trade?

The three parts of the triangular trade were: 1) European goods being shipped to Africa, 2) the transport of enslaved Africans across the Atlantic, and 3) the return of ships to Europe carrying goods like sugar and tobacco.

How many African captives are estimated to have died during the Middle Passage?

It is estimated that 2 million African captives died during the Middle Passage, with their bodies often thrown overboard.

What percentage of captured Africans were brought directly to the United States?

Only about 5% of captured Africans were brought directly to what would eventually become the United States.

Which country received the largest proportion of enslaved Africans?

Brazil received the largest proportion of enslaved Africans, with around 41% of the total.

Why is it important to focus on the narratives of enslaved people themselves?

Focusing on the narratives of enslaved people provides a perspective on the institution of slavery that few other documents can, offering insights into their experiences and resistance.

What role did other Africans play in the capture and trade of enslaved people?

Many captured Africans were sold to Europeans by other Africans, often as prisoners of war, criminals, or poor members of society, traded for various goods.

How did enslaved Africans resist during the Middle Passage?

Enslaved Africans resisted in various ways, including staging revolts, individual acts like refusing to eat or jumping overboard, and enduring torture and other forms of violence.

What was the speculum orum and how was it used against enslaved Africans?

The speculum orum was a screw-like device used to force open the mouths of resistant Africans, allowing for force-feeding. It often caused severe injuries, including broken teeth, displaced jaws, or ripped mouths.

When did the United States and Britain end the international slave trade?

The United States ended the international slave trade in 1808, while Britain did so in 1807.

Why is the term 'enslaved' preferred over 'slave' when referring to those held in bondage?

Using the term 'enslaved' emphasizes the personhood of the individual and that slavery was an involuntarily imposed condition, not an inherent aspect of a person's existence.