AFRICAN HISTORY : THE TRANSATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE

 

AFRICAN HISTORY : THE TRANSATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE

After the discovery of America in 1492 by Christopher Columbus, some people, especially Europeans, expressed the eargerness to settle in the area. They later established plantations there, as well as in the Caribbean, but their need for cheap labour for their plantations pushed them to Africa. They came to Africa to get people who could work for them for little or no pay. This operation gave rise to Slave Trade. Slave trade was the capturing, transportation and the buying and selling of human beings. It was locally practised in Africa before the arrival of Europeans. With the arrival of the Europeans on the coast of West Africa, the trade was transformed into an intercontinental transaction. This became known as the Transatlantic or Triangular Slave Trade. Several factors accounted for this trade, and it left long-lasting impacts on the African continent. In the 19th century, perhaps because of the horrors of the trade, Great Britain took the lead and championed the crusade for its abolition. Economic, political, religious and humanitarian considerations accounted for the abolition of Slave Trade in West Africa in the 19th Century such as the advent and development of the Industrial Revolution, the introduction and growth of legitimate trade, and the accumulation of surplus unsold sugar in Britain. The crusade against Slave Trade, however, met with a lot of impediments and had far-reaching positive and negative effects.

CAUSES / REASONS / FACTORS (ACCOUNT FOR) OF THE TRANSATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE

One of the most important causes of the Transatlantic Slave Trade was the existing slave trade in Africa. The fact that Africans enslaved their own brothers to work for them became so much known worldwide that plantation owners in America and the Caribbean saw it good to come to Africa and have their own slaves too. A good example of this situation was the Islamic Arab merchants (traders) in North Africa who had been buying slaves since 900. This got the Africans used to the trade. So, when the Europeans who owned plantations in the Americas and the Caribbean were in need of cheap labour, they rushed to Africa to buy slaves. 

Another important factor of the Transatlantic Slave Trade was the discovery of America and shortage of labour. When America was discovered in 1492 by Christopher Columbus, some Europeans migrated to the place and established plantations. Due to the harsh climatic and working conditions, West Indian plantation owners had to turn to Africa for slaves because they (Europeans) could not withstand such conditions. Moreover, manpower was not enough to work on their plantation. Hence, the Transatlantic Slave Trade. 

Also, the increasing demand for cheap labour to work on European plantations equally accounted for the Transatlantic Slave Trade. This was due to the fact that there were vast (large) plantations of sugar cane, tobacco, coffee, etc. and the owners needed a lot of people to work there for little or no pay. In a bid to get cheap labour for their plantations, therefore, they turned to Africa for satisfaction. 

Additionally, the rapid growth of Europe’s economy was another inevitable factor of the Transatlantic Slave Trade. This economy was fast-growing as a result of commercial and industrial revolutions, and this prompted Europeans to the search of raw materials to feed their industries in order to make money. Seeing that there was need for people to help them have these natural resources, Africa became their target where they could get slaves to work for them at a low cost or free of charge. 

Furthermore, the desire to make money was another factor which accounted for the Transatlantic Slave Trade. Europeans who owned plantations in the Americas and the Caribbean wanted to improve on their economy without spending much. They, therefore, thought that getting slaves would help them fulfil their desire. This inevitably led to the Transatlantic Slave Trade. 

Lastly, the greed of some African chiefs was another cause of the Transatlantic Slave Trade. Having already been involved in the slave trade with North African Muslims, they saw in the coming of European slave traders another source from which they could tap wealth. So, without hesitation, they quickly accepted the gifts which these slave traders offered them (gunpowder, and other goods).

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