Childrens Illustrated Encyclopedia

467

Slave ShipS

Slavers (slave traders) packed their ships with africans to sail

on what was known as the middle passage across the atlantic.

The slaves were chained and kept below deck for most of the

voyage. Unclothed and underfed, thousands of africans

died on the atlantic crossing.

Triangle of Trade

The British trade in slaves was known

as the triangular trade. Ships sailed

from British ports laden with goods

such as guns and cloth. Traders

exchanged these goods with african

chiefs for slaves on the western coast of

africa. The slave ships then carried

their cargo across the atlantic to the

americas and the Caribbean. here,

slaves were in demand for plantation

work, so the traders exchanged them

for sugar, tobacco, rum, and molasses.

The ships then returned to Britain

carrying this cargo, which was sold

at huge profits.

Slavery 467-

five ThoUSand yearS ago, the Sumerians put their prisoners to work on

farms as slaves. The workers had no rights and no pay, and their masters regarded

them as property. in ancient greece and rome, slaves produced most of the goods

and also worked as household servants. during the 16th century, european nations

began to colonize the americas, and imported thousands of africans to work

as slaves on their plantations and silver mines. Between 1500 and 1800, european

ships took about 12 million slaves from their homes to the new colonies. By the

19th century, those against slavery set up movements in the United States and

Britain to end it. Slavery was formally abolished, or ended,

in the British empire and the United States in the mid-1800s.

Sadly, it continues today in many parts of the world, most

often affecting children and immigrants.

Ships

carried slaves

across the Atlantic.

Ships

departed

from Britain

carrying guns

and cloth.

AFRICA

roman SlaveS

most wealthy roman

citizens owned slaves.

Some slaves lived as part

of the family; others were

treated very badly. Some

earned manumission

(a formal release from

slavery) through loyalty

to a master.

Slave coast

Ships sailed

back to Europe

with goods.

Slave reBellionS

many africans fought against slavery. in 1791, one of the

most famous rebellions began in the french colony of

haiti. a slave named Toussaint l’ouverture led an army

of slaves against the french soldiers in a rebellion that

lasted 13 years. l’ouverture was captured and died

in prison in 1803. in 1804, haiti gained independence

and became the world’s first black republic.

SOUTH AMERICA

NORTH AMERICA

Rum, sugar, and molasses

Tobacco

Britain

Slave markeT

once the slaves reached

the West indies or the

southern states of america,

they were auctioned at

a slave market. here, they

were treated like animals.

families were sometimes

separated, and people

were sold singly to

plantation owners. Slaves

were put to work on

cotton, sugar, and tobacco

plantations. many received

cruel treatment. Severe

whipping was a common

punishment for slaves

who tried to escape.

Slave ship

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