Trans atlantic trade essay

Introduction. Transatlantic slave trade was one of the biggest and most intriguing trade expeditions.

After explorers went around adventuring, they discovered very good grounds for their goods and others to take home. Arabs also exchanged the good with the people from Spain and Portugal who were very good in seafaring. This writing will examine the causes of transatlantic trade and what made it successful. The trade itself was triangular as some people up to date call it. The trade exclusively specialized in slave trade.

As early as the year 1440 the Portuguese had established routes around Africa. This is the year and region that slave trade had been started. The Portuguese established the institution of slavery trade was one of the main economic activities. These were the people to implant an implement the banning of slave. Captives as Commodities: The Transatlantic Trade. The book Captives as Commodities by Lisa Lindsay clearly gives slave trade chronological events right from how the started and ended. The book has four well defined topics and they are: – Why did the Europeans buy African Slaves, Why did African sell slaves, How enslaved people coped and How Did the Slave Trade End. Captives as Commodities.

Captives as commodities is a degrading terminology especially when it is associated with people. But the author has perspectively chosen the title to attract the attention of readers. The book has been published by the prentice Hall and it is specifically meant for historians and students who are pursuing history as a subject. The book examines three main themes.

The are:-i). The African context surrounding the Atlantic slave trade- where by the term commodities refer the African slaves who to suffer under deplorable on their conditions for many months on their way to the Atlantic. When they were captured, they were taken to the waiting ships and were backed not better than bags. Many died on their way to the Americas.

ii). The history of the slave trade itself- in this theme, the slave trade has been fully explained how is started and what were its influencing factors. The black people from Africa were forced into waiting ships and were then taken to the Americas where they were sold to the rich masters. Many of the slaves died from exhaustion and diseases on their way to the new homes. The conditions in the ships were horrible.

Some were beaten to death and were thrown into the sea. Many of the indigenous people who were forced into this hard labor died quickly and their population reduced drastically. Hence the masters and the slave traders changed mind to the black or African continent where many of the slaves from West Africa were strong, naughty and enduring. Slavery gained ground after many of the imperial states like Spain, Portugal, France and The Netherlands started commercialized farming of sugarcane, cotton and tobacco which required a lot of people to labor or work there. iii).

The changing meaning of race and racism-Racism is a by product of slavery. Some slaves were killed and the mistreatment against them increased time after time and they were seen as lesser beings. Black people or the African slaves were more discriminated than any other people. Their color vividly identified them from the mulattos. Their language also was identifying them clearly. There was also a belief among the whites in Europe that Africans were not full humanlike their white counterparts. Racism started when Africans and other minorities were considered to be inferior. Some people thought that others are so clever and had superior thinking capacities and they were seen as a danger.

The book highlights the most horrifying and most tragic incidents of human beings especially the Africans who were captured and stockpiled into sweat stinking ships and transported across the Atlantic to face harsh working conditions without pay. Reference: Lindsay, L. (2007).

Captives as Commodities: The Transatlantic Slave Trade. New York: Prentice Hall.