Atlantic Slavery Research Paper

Slavery: The Economic Backbone of the Atlantic Before the 1500s “the European economic system was based on a principle known as mercantilism [and] the primary commodity was still agricultural produce but Europe was generally in poor condition.” Due to the Bubonic Plague, The Black Death, many European citizens lost their lives. “The fall in population forced up wages in the towns.” With most of their workforce gone, and an increase in wages being demanded is what paved the way for another, cheaper alternative, slavery.
The Renaissance was a very influential time in Europe during which new doors were opened and learning was enhanced. Discoveries were constantly being made through science, art, and exploration. Exploration to the New World
The settlers that lived in the colonies started shipping goods that weren’t available in Europe back to the European nations of France, Britain, Spain, Portugal, and the Dutch Republic. The settlers sent products like chocolate (cacao), tobacco, and cotton to those countries. In return, these nations sent them goods that weren’t available in the Americas. They shipped items such as spices, and teas to America. This trading system was a success for all parties involved until the demand for products like tobacco and cotton grew. The growth of demand is what led to the heart of the Atlantic economy: the trading of
“First, the Portuguese themselves kidnapped some Africans. But the bulk of the supply came from the Nigerians. These Nigerian middlemen moved to the interior where they captured other Nigerians who belonged to other communities.” From a business point of view, although slavery was a very profitable industry to be in the startup costs were high. Investors had to provide capital, for boats and slaves. “Of the 6.5 million immigrants who survived the crossing of the Atlantic and settled in the Western Hemisphere between 1492 and 1776, only 1 million were Europeans. The remaining 5.5 million were African. An average of 80 percent of these enslaved Africans—men, women, and children—were employed, mostly as field-workers.” Slaves were viewed not as people but as goods, and sometimes those goods came in damaged. Along with the monetary costs that came along with it, there was also the moral dilemma that went with it. Slavery was morally wrong. They treated the slaves inhumanely. People were kidnapped, sold and many times bred like cattle. Many of the slaves that were captured, died before they reached their intended destination on ships, due to illness or committing suicide. Political activists and Christian groups saw what was happening and spoke out against the horrors of slavery. They helped others see the errors of their ways. Europe soon came to end slavery and their economy was eventually able to recover from the