INTRODUCTION AND SLAVE TRADE
The Trans-Atlantic slave trade began around the mid-fifteenth century when Portuguese
interests in Africa starts. By the seventeenth century the trade was full swing, reaching a peak
towards the end of the eighteenth century. Expanding European empires in the New World
lacked one major resource – a work force. Africans, on the other hand, were excellent
workers: they often had experience of agriculture and keeping cattle, they were used to
a tropical climate, resistant to tropical diseases, and they could be "worked very hard"
on plantations or in mines.
ORIGINS OF SLAVES( the place has to have port because the transportation of the
slaves was done with ships).
Sao Tomé is considered to be a principal port in the export of slaves across the
Atlantic. Mauritian isle called Arguin was a place where slaves were sold by gold and
TEJIDOS. Also San José de Mina and Cabo Verde Isles were places where slaves
were sold.
TRANSPORTATION. The Africans slaves were transported to America through ships.
These slave ships were large cargo ships specially converted for the purpose of
transporting slaves, specially those from the Atlantic slave trade between Africa to
America, as part of the middle passage. Approximately, twenty million of slaves were
transported by these ships.
An estimated 15% of the Africans died at sea, but the total number of African deaths
directly attributable to the Middle Passage voyage is estimated at up to two million.