Caribbean HistoryGrade 10 Lesson of March 2006

Aspects of the African Slave Trade

Slave Trade

The capture of Africans for enslavement became a thriving business.

Both African and European Powers were involved. Scholars argue that shipment of human cargo was expensive but the cost was deferred by Europeans who made profit on the other end of the Trade route.

Up to 1807 when the Slave Trade ended in the British West Indies; slave prices never rose for them to turn to other sources of labour.

It is estimated that initially 8 million Africans were taken from Africa to the Caribbean and South America to work under slavery.

Slave Trade in Africa

From Senegambia down to the Bight of Biafra and from Niger Delta to Angola existed a string of Baracoons.

Slaves were captured from the hinterlands and taken to the Baracoons.

Baracoons such as Fort Elmina, Accra, James Fort, and Winneba Fort were places where Africans enslaved were housed until the date of transhipment.

Triangular Slave Trade

Portuguese 1515 – 1580Dutch 1600 – 1670French 1670 – 1713English 1713 – 1807

Please note these dates are when the various European Powers legitimized slavery.

Slave Exports

1701 – 1810 Slave Exports from Africa by the leading European powers were:

France – 613,100Portugal – 611,000English – 2,009,700Noel Deer states about 2 million came to

the British Caribbean. It is not surprising that others like Phillip Curtin stated it was 1. 6 million.

Landed Slaves in the British West Indies .

Jamaica – 747, 500 (88,000 imported between 1655 – 1702.)

Barbados – 387,000 (288, 200 imported between 1600 – 1800.)

Landed Slaves in the French West Indies.

Martinique – 365, 800Saint Domingue (Haiti) – 864, 300 up to

1791.

How many really came?

There is a continuous Debate over how many Africans were taken to the Americas by the Europeans in the Slave Trade.

Phillip Curtin (1969) estimated that 9.6 million were exported in 1701 – 1810. inclusive of 15% Mortality on the Middle Passage.

The figure given by the Abolitionists seem way out i.e. 15 – 25 million.

New researchers have revised Phillip Curtin’s figures upwards. Most accept a upper limit of 12 million ( Lovejoy, Becker, Palmer).

Inikori adjusted the figures of Curtin upwards by 40% to 15.4 million while still admitting that this might still be an underestimation.

Why?

Degree of smuggling – Private traders were outlawed in Preference to monopoly companies. This meant under reporting was most likely.

Inadequate Record Keeping during the early periods of the Slave Trade.

Sexual Disparity

More males were shipped across the Atlantic than females. Creates imbalance in West Africa.

In the Dutch slave trade between 1675 and 1795 just over 34,000 men; 18,000 women; 6,000 boys and approx. 3,000 girls were stolen from Africa. Females comprised 30% of those exported to the Americas by the Dutch.

Sexual Disparity cont’d.

English Traders traded 38% females Danish Traders traded 36% females

Possible Explanations• Planters preferred male workers – stronger• Internal African market was competitive i.e.

competition for female slaves in Africa and the Muslim World – Trans Saharan Trade.

• High Prices for women was the result.

Once Captive arrived in the Caribbean how were they organised for labour?

Barry Higman (1976) of all the demographic characteristics in consideration . Slaves for occupation age was the fundamental factor.

Colour and gender, origin would be secondary.

The Tasks in the field were exclusive for gender, age and fitness were rather important.

Statistics

Worthy Park estate in Jamaica 1790: 58% of the field workers comprised females.

Mesopotamia Estate: 1800s 2/3rd of the field labour force comprised females.