Glossary
Abolition
The movement to end the practice of slavery, which gained significant momentum in the late 18th and 19th centuries, leading to its eventual legal prohibition in many countries.
Example:
The abolition movement in Britain, driven by moral and economic arguments, led to the end of the slave trade in 1807 and the eventual emancipation of enslaved people throughout the British Empire.
Indentured Servants
Individuals who agreed to work for a set number of years (typically 4-7) in exchange for passage to the Americas, food, shelter, and eventual freedom dues.
Example:
Many early English colonists in North America arrived as indentured servants, hoping to gain land and independence after fulfilling their contract.
Internal African Conflicts
Wars or disputes between different African groups, which often resulted in captives being sold to European traders as part of the transatlantic slave trade.
Example:
European traders exploited existing internal African conflicts by offering firearms and other goods in exchange for prisoners of war, exacerbating regional instability.
Labor Shortage
A significant lack of available workers to meet the demands of an economy or industry, often leading to the search for alternative labor sources.
Example:
European colonizers faced a severe labor shortage in the Americas after disease decimated indigenous populations, which contributed to the demand for enslaved Africans.
Middle Passage
The brutal and deadly sea journey that enslaved Africans endured from West Africa to the Americas as the second leg of the triangular trade.
Example:
The horrific conditions of the Middle Passage, including extreme overcrowding, disease, and violence, led to the deaths of millions of Africans during the voyage.
Plantation Crops
Agricultural products grown on large estates, primarily for export to European markets, which required extensive and often forced labor.
Example:
Sugar, tobacco, and coffee were highly profitable plantation crops that fueled the immense demand for enslaved labor in the Caribbean and the Americas.
Seasoning Process
The brutal process by which newly arrived enslaved Africans were 'broken in,' trained for plantation labor, and stripped of their cultural identities and languages.
Example:
During the seasoning process, enslaved individuals were often given new names and forced to learn European languages, further severing ties to their heritage and community.
Slavery
A system where individuals are treated as property, deprived of their freedom, and forced to work without pay, often under threat of violence and with no legal rights.
Example:
Under the system of slavery in the Americas, enslaved people were considered chattel, meaning they could be bought, sold, or inherited like any other commodity.
Transatlantic Slave Trade
The forced transportation of approximately 12 million enslaved Africans across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas between the 16th and 19th centuries.
Example:
The Transatlantic Slave Trade represents one of the largest forced migrations in human history, profoundly shaping the demographics, economies, and cultures of three continents.
Triangular Trade
A complex network of trade routes connecting Europe, Africa, and the Americas, central to the Atlantic economy from the 17th to 19th centuries.
Example:
The Triangular Trade involved European manufactured goods sent to Africa, enslaved people transported to the Americas (the Middle Passage), and raw materials shipped back to Europe.