Slave Systems and Slave Trade

1450-1750
Early Modern Period

1. Slave Systems and Slave Trade
   1. Slave Systems in the Americas
      1. Labor/Economic System
         1. Encomienda System – American Feudalism
            1. Peninsulares get land and # of slaves/native laborers
               1. In exchange, must protect them and convert them
            2. Not “intended” to be slave system, but essentially was
         2. Attempts at reform
            1. Treatment horrific – Christian missionaries appealed for reform
            2. Reduced strain on natives by bringing in Africans
            3. Replaced one oppressed group with another
            4. Both Africans and Natives ended up at bottom of social hierarchy
            5. Abolished in 1542
               1. Attempts by clergy to protest cruel treatment
               2. Government of Spain shifted to Madrid – new leadership
               3. Forced Spanish to bring in more African slaves
         3. African Slave Trade
            1. Existed before transatlantic voyages
               1. Portuguese captures slaves on coasts of Africa
               2. Africans had been raiding from ancient times
                  1. Put to work in gold and salt mines
                  2. Women often enslaved and traded
                     1. some become part of harem
                     2. Use as household servants
               3. trans-Saharan trade already brought slaves to Mediterranean world
               4. mid-15th century Portuguese opened up direct trade
            2. New World demand for labor
               1. Forced migration of millions
                  1. W. Africans already skilled in agriculture
               2. Changed history of New World
            3. Some African rulers cooperated with slave trade
               1. Portuguese brought into contact with powerful African kingdoms
                  1. Kongo, Benin, Mali and Songhay
                     1. Mali/Songhay enriched already by gold-salt trade
                     2. Kongo and Benin wanted to Christianize
                        1. 15th century rulers convert
               2. Characteristics of African kingdoms
                  1. own political and court traditions
                  2. monarchs rules with assistance of governing councils
                  3. artisans produced works in ivory, ebony and bronze
                  4. active trade in slaves, spices, ivory, textiles
                     1. slaves usually prisoners of war
                     2. captives of slave raids
            4. Europeans forced issue
               1. rounded up
               2. forced onto ships
               3. chained together
               4. Endured Middle Passage – part of triangular trade route
                  1. Hot, unventilated conditions – suffocation
                  2. Some starved
                  3. Killed in attempted revolts
               5. Taken to auction blocks
            5. Types of labor
               1. Sugar/coffee plantations
               2. Mines
            6. Slavery hereditary – children automatically slaves
            7. N. America vs. S. America Caribbean
               1. Families vs. Males
               2. Natural reproduction vs. existence based on trade
               3. Motivation for keeping alive differed
            8. Reached peak in 18th century
            9. Triangular trade
               1. European guns and other manufactured goods trade to Africans for slaves
               2. Slaves were transported from Africa to South America or West Indies
               3. Sugar, molasses and rum produced by slave labor traded to Europe for mfg goods
         4. Effects on Africa
            1. Guns and European glass became prized
               1. Often traded for human slaves
            2. Causes massive demographic shifts
               1. Brutal separation from family/culture
                  1. More males than females transported
                     1. Heavy work required on plantations
               2. Even if survived, absorbed into foreign culture that considered them property
                  1. Many Christianized, but…
                  2. Maintained parts of their language and culture
                  3. Unique cultural synthesis – African music, dress, and mannerisms mixed with Spanish and indigenous cultures in the Americas
            3. Reliance on importation of European technology
               1. Lessened technological development of African kingdoms