Mercantilism and Trans-Atlantic Trade

1. SSUSH2: Mercantilism, Trans Atlantic Trade, Middle Passage, Benjamin Franklin and Enlightenment, Great Awakening

2. Mercantilism and Trans-Atlantic Trade • Mercantilism • Colonies exist for financial good of mother country • Ex. Navigation Acts of 1660, 1663

3. Mercantilism and Trans-Atlantic Trade • Triangular Trade • Trade of slaves, raw materials and manufactured goods between Africa, Americas and Britain

4. Middle Passage • Transport of slaves from Africa to Americas • Portuguese 1st to transport slaves to Americas • 12.5% died during passage • “seasoning” process – preparing slaves for sale and life as slave

5. African population and culture • Millions of slaves brought to Americas during slave trade • Most to West Indies • 400,000 to N. America • 1808 Congress banned Atlantic slave trade • Africans large part of southern colonies population • Slavery cheaper than paying for indentured servants • Slaves contribute culture • Traditions, songs, language, religion

6. “When Israel was in Egypt's land: Let my people go, • Oppressed so hard they could not stand, Let my people go. • Go down, Moses, way down in Egypt land • Tell old Pharaoh, • Let my people go.”

7. Enlightenment and the Great Awakening • Enlightenment – scientific revolution late 1600s and 1700s • Based on idea of reason • John Locke – Theory of Contract Under Natural Law • All humans have right to life, liberty and property • No gov’t can deny • Gov’t contracted to protect • Failure means disband gov’t

8. Enlightenment and the Great Awakening • Great Awakening • Religious revival to counter Enlightenment • Stress diving inspiration and communion • Religious diversification • Attendance in church went up

9. "Common sense is the best distributed commodity in the world, for every man is convinced that he is well supplied with it." • "Cogito, ergo sum." (I think, therefore I am.) • "The end of law is, not to abolish or restrain, but to preserve and enlarge freedom."

10. Benjamin Franklin • Respected and admired statesmen • Owned print shop, published newspaper, published Poor Richard’s Almanac • Retired at 42, devoted to science and public service • Medicine, meteorology, geology, astronomy, physics • Colonial agent in London, American ambassador to France during Revolutionary War