Slave Trade

Slaves were being sent from Africa and the Mediterraneans to the New World for labor. The triangular trade consisted of goods like such as guns, gin, and cloth shipped to Africa. Then, slaves shipped from Africa to the Americas, and goods such as sugar, rum, and coffee were imported back to Europe. The amount of slave imports increased greatly for the next century or so, but then started to subside after that. I think that slaves are a necessity for labor in the New World because we need people working, and yet we save money to pay workers. But, the journey from Africa to America was a horrible experience. It took about a hundred days to get there and usually only ten percent of the slaves survived. On the ship there was little room, the conditions were unsanitary, and the slaves were put in chains. Those who survived the journey are exposed to the diseases in the new land. Slaves born in America tend to be more immune to these illnesses. However, owners discourage slaves from having children for they were just burdens to take care of. It is sad how they lived, but nonetheless, many countries continued slavery. France on the other hand, abolished slavery after the French Revolution and soon after the British followed. The end to slavery in France meant that there was more equality among the common people. The Diligent: A Voyage Through the Worlds of the Slave Trade by Dr. Robert Harms, professor at Yale University