Chapter 2 Africans in the Atlantic World From Slavery to
Freedom 9 th ed.
Slide 2
2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 2
Portuguese ships sailing along West African coast
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Finding New Lands and Labor Africans and the Conquistadors
African-descended conquistadors Juan Garrido served under Ponce de
Leon, and later in the Aztec conquest under Hernando Corts Estevan
valuable ability to learn and interpret Indian languages Demand for
Slave Labor Slave labor key for exploitation of New World resources
Africans brought in to replenish Indian laborers who were
susceptible to European disease 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies,
Inc. All Rights Reserved. 3
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4 Juan Garrido
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Finding New Lands and Labor From Indenture to Slavery
Land-to-man ratio in New World required many laborers Use of
white-indentured labor became unsatisfactory to white colonizers By
late 17 th century, New World land owners began to favor black
slaves Slaves could be purchased, stabilizing labor supply Could be
easily apprehended because of color 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies,
Inc. All Rights Reserved. 5
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6 Routes of the Slave Trade
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Trading in Slaves Acquiring Slaves Slave traders developed
slave trafficking technique Slaves mostly obtained through
negotiation, although slave raids by Europeans also occurred
Africans in the Slave Trade Africans generally captured people for
sale Did not want Europeans to move to interior Europeans followed
strict protocol to secure permission to trade from African rulers
and traders 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights
Reserved. 7
Slide 8
8 Christiansborg Castle, Gold Coast, ca. 1750
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Trading in Slaves Slave Trade Challenges Delays caused by
disposing of trade goods Not a sufficient number of slaves at
single trading post The Trauma of Capture Africans initial contact
with whites traumatic African Resistance Africans offered stiff
resistance to their capture, sale, and transport Revolts 2010 The
McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 9
Slide 10
The Middle Passage Voyage to America called the middle passage
Ships were overcrowded; disease rampant; extensive slave mortality
A Profitable Trade Slave trade one of the most important sources of
European wealth in the 17 th and 18 th centuries Approximately 12.5
million slaves transported during Atlantic slave trade era 2010 The
McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 10
Slide 11
Slavery in the Caribbean First large shipments of slaves sent
to Caribbean The Spanish Monopoly Spains Caribbean holdings
produced staple crops English attempts to break the Spanish slave
trade monopoly in the Caribbean Loss of Spanish Control In 17 th
century, West Indies became pawn in European diplomacy 2010 The
McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 11
Slide 12
Slavery in the Caribbean Living Conditions Absentee
landlordism; Islands not considered place of residence, but merely
source of wealth Overseers broke in new slaves; mortality rate for
recent arrivals extremely high Food for slaves insufficient Slave
Codes On many islands, Africans outnumbered whites Slave codes
passed to regulate slave activity 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies,
Inc. All Rights Reserved. 12
Slide 13
Slavery in the Caribbean Punishment Overseers lash most common
punishment Slave Revolts Almost every island has record of serious
revolt Maroons Jamaican slaves who revolted and ran away to form
communities in interior mountain sections Maroons fought
guerilla-style war against British Tackys Rebellion no match for
superior British forces 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All
Rights Reserved. 13
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2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 14
Harsh treatment of slaves
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Slavery in the Caribbean Seasoned Slaves Slaves considered
seasoned after learning plantation regimen and adjusting to
climate, food, and disease Seasoned slaves were re-exported to
other places such as Cuba and the North American mainland 2010 The
McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 15
Slide 16
Slavery in Mainland Latin America Mexico More than 60,000
slaves entered Mexico during first century of conquest Central
America Africans a small but important segment of population Some
freed slaves developed into substantial citizens 2010 The
McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 16
Slide 17
Slavery in Mainland Latin America South America Largest
concentration of blacks in continental Spanish America was in New
Granada (modern- day Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador) The
Viceroyalty of Peru Concentration of slaves in Lima, which also
served as a market for Andean herders and planters Uruguay and
Argentina Major ports for slave trade 2010 The McGraw-Hill
Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 17
Slide 18
Slavery in Mainland Latin America Brazil Introduction of sugar
stimulated importance of African slave labor Five centers of
distribution that sent slaves into various parts of Brazil Brazil
received largest percentage of all slaves brought to the New World
Three distinct groups of slaves in colonial Brazil: Urban Mining
Plantation 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights
Reserved. 18
Slide 19
Slavery in Mainland Latin America Uprisings and Revolts Slaves
in South America made constant trouble Republic of Palmares created
by insurgent slaves Existed from 1630 to 1697 Created community
institutions based on West African models 2010 The McGraw-Hill
Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 19
Slide 20
Slave Societies in the Americas The Catholic Church Catholic
church played role in shaping slave experience in Latin America
Slaves baptized Married in the church No law forbidding them to
read Slaves not permitted to work on Sundays and feast days
Intermarriage More interracial marriage; choices for white men in
Latin America extremely limited 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies,
Inc. All Rights Reserved. 20