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The Transatlantic Slave Trade and the African Diaspora

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Introduction to the trade triangle and the transatlantic trade

The Transatlantic Trade led to the migration of millions of Africa from the African continent towards America. The trade followed a triangular route. The triangular trade route establishes the entire process of accessing the human labour and transporting the finished products back to Europe. The Europeans were focusing on the Old World to supplement or facilitate the exploration and productivity of the Discovery, America (Evans, 2015). The Transatlantic Slave led to the forced migration of approximately 12 to 15 million people from Africa towards the Western Hemisphere (Evans, 2015). The Africans were kidnapped mainly in regions that stretched from Angola to Senegal. However, towards the 19th century, Africans were enslaved from the Eastern and South Eastern Parts of Africa. The British established ships that could ferry the African slaves to British colonies in the Northern region of America and The Caribbean (Evans, 2015).

A majority of the Africans that got kidnapped did not exists as slaves in Africa. Instead, these were free people who were forcefully captured to provide cheap labour to the European powers. They were expected to play a part in the building of the European colonies in America (Evans, 2015). For instance, a very large number of people approximated to be 5 million were imported to Brazil. However, a larger population was sent to the Central and Caribbean parts of America, as well as, to what is now the United States. However, the entire process was facilitated by committed African involved parties. The African Kingdoms were very strong and well organised (Rawley, & Behrendt, 2005). Thus, the Europeans were allowed to rented areas to build forts for this purpose by the leaders of these societies and kingdoms of Africa. Thus, the entire process of smuggling free people into the slave trade became a success. Unfortunately, the level of income acquired by the remnants in African could not facilitate any form economic development.

The mechanics and functions of the triangular trade

The title, ?triangular trade? is a conceptual description of the practical dimensions of the transatlantic slave trade routes used. The first route was that which traders travelled from the European coast to the African West Coast (Findlay, 1990). They traded people and made compensation with goods that were in their ships. The second route is that which the slaves were ferried towards the American land. There, they were transported to operate or work as slaves. The third route was that which was used by the Europeans to ferry back to Europe with the harvested goods. These products included tobacco, cotton, rice, coffee and sugar (Findlay, 1990).

That means that the triangular route joined the Old World with the newly discovered American continent. Europe was the source of capital (Findlay, 1990). Africa was the avid source of Labour and American land was the source of resources and productivity took place in this region. Europe was the ultimate market for the products. The colonists also facilitated the sending of direct ships and voyages to African whenever additional labour was needed. That was the sole instance when the transatlantic trade failed to follow the triangular route.

Societal impacts of the transatlantic slave trade

The African society suffered adversely from the international slave trade. First, the labour force and active part of the community was wiped out of the African regions. The process of capturing the slaves led to the loss of lives as some strived to run. Concurrently, the very young and the old were left to die or were even killed. The demographic features and traditional values were immensely depleted following the trade (Rawley, & Behrendt, 2005). The western civilisation, alternatively, influenced elevated living standards of the Europeans following the high level of productivity of the slaves in America.

References

Evans, A. B. (2015). An Overview of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. Retrieved from http://africanhistory.about.com/od/slavery/tp/TransAtlantic001.htm

Rawley, J. A., & Behrendt, S. D. (2005). The transatlantic slave trade: a history. U of Nebraska Press.

Findlay, R. (1990). The Triangular Trade and the Atlantic Economy of the Eighteenth Century. Princeton, NJ: International Finance Section, Department of Economics, Princeton University.