Transatlantic Slave Trade

Wendy Nelson KauffmanTeaching American History

December 2, 2010

Student misconceptions?Student misconceptions?

• How do our students envision the How do our students envision the story of the Transatlantic slave story of the Transatlantic slave trade?trade?

How many were enslaved How many were enslaved and where?and where?

• 12-15 million brought to the New 12-15 million brought to the New WorldWorld

• UNESCO states 25-30 millionUNESCO states 25-30 million

http://www.slaverysite.com/Body/slave_trade_1650-1860_b%20-%20www.slaveryinamerica.org.jpg

African Diaspora

• Caribbean 40%

• Brazil 40%

• US 10%

• Latin America

and other 10%

Heterogeneous groups Heterogeneous groups involvedinvolved

– Heterogeneous Heterogeneous African and African and European populationEuropean population

Source:Source:http://www.slavevoyages.org/http://www.slavevoyages.org/tast/assessment/intro-maps.facestast/assessment/intro-maps.faces

History: not just Africans History: not just Africans who have been enslavedwho have been enslaved• 1453 Turks capture Constantinople1453 Turks capture Constantinople

• 1472 Portuguese negotiate 11472 Portuguese negotiate 1stst slave slave trading agreement directly with trading agreement directly with African king’s courtAfrican king’s court

• 1510 King Ferdinand of Spain orders 1510 King Ferdinand of Spain orders 50 African slaves to work in mines in 50 African slaves to work in mines in New WorldNew World

• 1619 First slaves to United States1619 First slaves to United States

African Slaves to the New African Slaves to the New WorldWorld• Sugar Trade in the Sugar Trade in the

mid 1500smid 1500s

• State-sponsored State-sponsored trading trading corporationscorporations

• Forts established Forts established along Africa’s west along Africa’s west coastcoast

Triangular Trade

African InfluenceAfrican InfluenceMore than labor that built the New WorldMore than labor that built the New World

MusicMusic FoodFood LanguageLanguage ReligionReligion Skills:Skills:

•Agriculture (ex: rice and indigo)Agriculture (ex: rice and indigo)•FishingFishing•MiningMining•MetalworkMetalwork•Traditional medicine Traditional medicine

African Influence: ArtifactsAfrican Influence: Artifacts Left drum:Left drum:Africa in 1800sAfrica in 1800s Right drum:Right drum:Virginia in 1700sVirginia in 1700s

Source: Source: A People and a NationA People and a NationMary Beth NortonMary Beth Norton

Complexity of slave tradeComplexity of slave trade

• Involvement of AfricansInvolvement of Africans

• Who was enslaved in Africa?Who was enslaved in Africa?– Sierra Leone study in 1850 stated:Sierra Leone study in 1850 stated:

•30% of slaves had been kidnapped (by 30% of slaves had been kidnapped (by whom?)whom?)

•34% had been taken in war34% had been taken in war

•11% as a result of judicial process11% as a result of judicial process

•7% were debtors7% were debtors

•7% sold by relatives and superiors7% sold by relatives and superiors

Africans are not powerlessAfricans are not powerless• Africans control the Africans control the

interior interior

• Europeans succumb Europeans succumb to yellow fever, to yellow fever, malaria, the “bloody malaria, the “bloody flux”flux”

• Intermediaries Intermediaries negotiate trade with negotiate trade with African kingsAfrican kings

• Insurrections & Insurrections & attacksattacks

Goree IslandGoree Island

Transatlantic Slave Trade Transatlantic Slave Trade endsends• 1808 US ban1808 US ban

• 1815 Congress 1815 Congress

of Viennaof Vienna

BUTBUT Last Last

enslavedenslaved

Africans to Africans to

United States in United States in

18601860

Role as teachersRole as teachers

• How do we bring this to the present?How do we bring this to the present?

• How do we give voice to those How do we give voice to those enslaved? enslaved?

Goree Island CAPTGoree Island CAPT

• Essential QuestionEssential Question::

UNESCO decided Goree Island should UNESCO decided Goree Island should be put on the World Heritage list in be put on the World Heritage list in 1978. Was this appropriate? Why?1978. Was this appropriate? Why?

• Virtual tourVirtual tour: : http://webworld.unesco.org/goree/http://webworld.unesco.org/goree/

• iEARNiEARN: internet discussion: internet discussion

•UNESCO Director General UNESCO Director General Koïchiro Matsuura Koïchiro Matsuura

““UNESCO has put Gorée Island on UNESCO has put Gorée Island on its World Heritage List ever since its World Heritage List ever since 1978, and now observes, on every 1978, and now observes, on every August 23rd, an ‘International Day August 23rd, an ‘International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition.’ Gorée's Trade and its Abolition.’ Gorée's significance and symbolism significance and symbolism directly concern us all.” directly concern us all.”

““Reconstituting the slave route is a Reconstituting the slave route is a way of recognizing the contribution way of recognizing the contribution of black culture to humanity”of black culture to humanity”

-Federico Mayor-Federico Mayor

Director GeneralDirector General

UNESCO UNESCO

Olaudah EquianoOlaudah Equiano• Captured in Nigeria Captured in Nigeria

in 1756 at age 11in 1756 at age 11

• Sold in Virginia to a Sold in Virginia to a British naval officerBritish naval officer

• Eventually buys his Eventually buys his freedom and lives in freedom and lives in EnglandEngland

• Wrote in 1789 his Wrote in 1789 his autobiographyautobiography

• Bestseller that Bestseller that advances advances abolitionist causeabolitionist cause

Museum ActivityMuseum Activity

• Read the excerpt of Equiano’s Read the excerpt of Equiano’s autobiographyautobiography

• Select three significant quotesSelect three significant quotes

• Select the picture that would Select the picture that would accompany that quoteaccompany that quote

• As a group decide which are the best As a group decide which are the best quotes and pictures to hang in our quotes and pictures to hang in our museum gallery.museum gallery.

ResourcesResources

• Maps: Maps: http://www.slavevoyages.org/tast/help/sitemap.fahttp://www.slavevoyages.org/tast/help/sitemap.facesces The Transatlantic Slave Trade The Transatlantic Slave Trade Database: VoyagesDatabase: Voyages from Emory University from Emory University

• Images: Images: http://hitchcock.itc.virginia.edu/Slavery/search.hthttp://hitchcock.itc.virginia.edu/Slavery/search.htmlml

Why is this important?Why is this important?• Global diversity of people and Global diversity of people and

cultural impact of slave tradecultural impact of slave trade

• Enduring legacy of racism and Enduring legacy of racism and discriminationdiscrimination

• Modern day slavery still existsModern day slavery still exists

• Debating reparations to Africa and Debating reparations to Africa and African-AmericansAfrican-Americans

• Illustrates choices humans make that Illustrates choices humans make that affect our destinyaffect our destiny