The Rise And Fall Of The Slave Trade

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6 word format

document in English

history 1789 to present

presentation

published 06/06/2008

review : Completed

level : Advanced

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One of humanities most shameful and horrific periods, is the time of the transatlantic slave trade. This system of transporting human captives and agricultural goods to Europe and the Americas started on a small scale, and rapidly grew to catastrophic proportions. Originally, the slaves were transported on small vessels, and taken by the same people who would act as the owner. But, the demand for labor in the European Colonies grew. Such high demands for slaves caused greater amounts of Africans to be captured and called for a more major mode of transportation. Thus equals the birth of the slave ships. Slave ships are unanimously regarded as mortifyingly inhumane vessels. The captains of such ships had complete freedom to commit the most horrific acts to the Africans and subject them to the most vial situations, because the Africans had no one to defend them or their rights. Many lives were lost due to disease and neglect during the voyages alone. Eventually, this crime against humanity was recognized as such; at least by some.

Historical record of contact between Europeans and the peoples who would later be referred to as 'Africans' date back as early as the 1100's.
The European travelers started amassing African slaves at the same time they were first landing in the Americas.
Although the Europeans views of African citizens varied, Davidson found that all Europeans 'supposed no natural inferiority in Africans, no inherent failure to develop and mature' in the 1500's.
It is difficult to say when and why the European perception of the African changed, but it was at about this point.
The captives were chained together, leg across leg, and by the neck into groups of four.
In all of the heinous situations and deadly afflictions, the most common cause for death upon the slave ships was a simple lack of water.
Of the approximated fifteen thousand slaves in Great Britain, most took this news to be the end of slavery. Escapes and revolts occurred left and right during this time
Looking back, it seems easy to recognize the points were the slave system became perverted and escalated to phenomenal heights.